# Fish Gasping After Water Change



## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

Elliott started gasping and laying at the bottom of his tank after his water change. After careful inspection, I noticed that his water is two or three degrees higher than normal. I added a bag of ice, and it has dropped to normal. I also added a little extra dechlorinator, in case chlorine is the problem. I have increased his water changes to twice a week because I took his filter out. He lives in a five gallon tank. I use the same bucket to clean his tank as I do my goldfish. Normally, I clean Elliott's tank first, but I did the goldfish first today. Could he be sick from trace amounts of goldfish water?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Was this a 100% water change or did you remove him for the water change...if so...did you re-acclimate him to the water chemistry by adding small amount of the new water to the holding container.....

If he was left in the tank for a partial water change-it could be either forgotten or not enough dechlorinator or some type of toxic substance on your hands, cleaning items, in the air...etc.....

I would make a 50% water only change now and dose the dechlorinater for the full volume of the tank.....

A few degrees in water temp usually will not cause this type of reaction

Keep us posted


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

Changing water now. I'll update you soon. Thanks!


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

Still gasping but alive. I haven't seen any changes. How much time should I give it before I panic, and can I do anything else?


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

If he's in a 5 gallon tank, why are you taking him out during water changes? 

I never have to remove my fish while siphoning out the water and cleaning the gravel.  I can see where people have to do this when they have a gallon or less but not with that size.


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

Romad: Elliott does not come out for his water changes. Sorry for any confusion.

Also, Elliott is showing new symptoms. He'll start twitching violently and gasping, and bubbles will come from his gills and mouth.


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

Still no changes.


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## SVC (Aug 6, 2011)

Hi AS91379, sorry for what Elliott is going through! I hope there has been some improvement by now. 

I was just wondering if he was having any trouble swimming? My guy went through a similar ordeal a couple of months ago where due to water conditions he had a similar reaction to your Elliott, and then when I had him in QT, he started having swim bladder issues. When you said he is thrashing around and bubbles are coming out of his gills, it reminded me of my betta when he couldn't swim straight and was struggling to go below the water's surface. He also had bubbes coming out of his gills. With great advice from this forum he eventually made a complete recovery and then something happened again when I did a water change this time and he's buoyant again. Is he bloated at all?


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

SVC, no he isn't bloated, and he is swimming just fine, when he feels like doing it. To my amazement, he isn't gasping anymore, but his breathing is still labored. He is no longer hiding at the bottom, but he still won't move much. He's sitting at the top of the tank in his favorite spot. The one really hopeful sign I've seen is that he ate his dinner. I'm crossing my fingers. He's survived ten hours, so far.


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## SVC (Aug 6, 2011)

Ok that's good that it's not swim bladder problems. Although most
often not fatal, it's so pitiful seeing the poor things trying to swim upright. I think it is very encouraging that Elliott ate his dinner, and is starting to hang out in his favourite spot again. Hopefully he'll be as good as new soon! I'll be pulling for him through the night!!


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm happy to report that Elliott feels much better, though he is still not himself. He is swimming and almost breathing normally, but he still is prone to mope about in the dark corners. I was wondering if these symptoms could have been caused by constipation, as I replaced one of his meals with mosquito larva only a few days ago? Or, is this a very sensitive fish going into shock over a bad water change?


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## vibs (Jul 16, 2011)

water with higher temp have less O2 !! maybe this was a reason ... by adding ice the temp comes down but the O2 level does not come back to the original level.
hope ur fish gets well soon !


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

That makes perfect sense. I just looked it up. THANK YOU. And thank you to everyone else, too. I'm pretty sure Elliott will pull through.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Something similar has happened to my fish twice. The first time, I found out that my sister had spritzed on some perfume nearby and some had fallen into the tank. The second time, I was using a new water conditioner that must not have affected some chemical in my water. Both times I took him out and gave him new water with slime coat, and he was fine.


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## AS91379 (Sep 25, 2011)

Freeflow, that also makes sense. My sister is the queen of perfume...


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## SVC (Aug 6, 2011)

Glad to hear Elliott's on the road to recovery! I hope my fellow gets over his bloat soon too. Poor thing is jamming himself under the clip that is holding his QT tank in the big tank. He knows this is the only way he can keep himself upright. Poor thing, if it wasn't so heartbreaking I'd laugh at how he's using his brains. lol


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

To all of you who think bettas need oxygen in their water- this is incorrect. They have these special organs for breathing oxygen from directly the surface. This allows them to live in warmer waters with less oxygen. 
Having more or less oxygen in the water will not affect their breathing.


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