Fish Breathing Heavily

[vonHelldorf]

Hello, new to this forum.
 
I have a 19l tank which I've had for about 5 months. I've got 3 X-Ray Tetras, 3 Red Platys and a Pleco.
 
Yesterday I 'renovated' my tank - added some new plants and some more gravel to stop them from uprooting. I took about 80% of the tank's water out so I could do this and replaced it, making sure I treated it of course. I have about 5 plants in there now.
 
About an hour ago I noticed my X Ray Tetras were moving to the top of the tank, as well as my Platys as if they were gasping for air. At first I thought it could be the ammonia levels but I did a test and it was at 0.25 so I treated that straight away. 
 
I've been browsing some topics and forums and I've moved my 'Stingray' filter so it disturbs and ripples the surface creating some more aeration. This seems to have helped as the fish aren't swimming to the surface anymore, but they're still gasping it seems - but not as intensely. 
 
So I've had my two theories - i) ammonia, ii) oxygen levels - now I'm all out of ideas and they're still gasping, but steadily looking better.
 
If anybody could help me out it would be hugely appreciated!
 
 

 

[This Old Spouse]

I would do another large water change right away. You may have stirred up some nasty stuff from the bottom. Good idea to move the filter and get some more flow in there.

 

[vonHelldorf]

Thanks for your reply. I'll do a water change now. Fingers crossed

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'll cross mine too. Been having tiger barb problems and know how upsetting this can be.

 

[vonHelldorf]

It seems to be working. All of them have stopped opening and closing their mouths. Thanks again for your help. Do you think it would be worth getting a bubbler? I don't really know too much about them. One more quick question too - Assuming everything in the tank is now ok, I was thinking about getting around 5 neon tetras. Do you think there'd be enough room?

 

[This Old Spouse]

You may be sorry you asked. 

 
Your tank is already too small for the fish you have. If it's a common pleco, it can reach a length of more than 12 inches! You should always buy fish with their full size in mind. And with neon tetras, first, they should be in a larger shoal than just 5, and second, they've been so interbred over the years that now it's difficult to find hardy neons. There are other species that are just as stunning and much hardier.
 
I think now would be a good time to invest in a bigger tank. 

 

[vonHelldorf]

I think I might just do that! Thanks anyway