Gasping Chiclid

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I really am at a loss here. I have a chiclid that I never found out exactly what is. Had him a good 6 weeks now. Been no trouble, eating, healthy etc although hiding up a fair amount. In the recent few days he's looked a little breathless but today he is gasping for air. No other signs of illness at all! All the other fish in there are fine and no heavy breathing. The tanks nitrItes and Ammonia are both 0. There is some algea in the tank but not massively. Live plants and gravel substrate. Tank is mature, been running since June. Temp is around 26-28 but for some reason the heater doesn't indicate how to turn it down although I have tried. Stupid jewel thing.
Obviously I'd hate to lose him. All the other residents are smaller then he is and never trouble him. Anybody got any ideas? He doesn't look constipated. My only fear is he's swalled a tiny piece of gravel although I can't tell if he has or not.
Hugs,
P.
Edit: I believe he is one of these. A Pelvicachromis taeniatus.

 

[WILDER]

Do the gills look red and inflamed, any rubbing on the substrate or ornaments.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

No, nothing. Just a great deal of gasping.
Hugs,
P.

 

[SkiFletch]

Is there an airstone in the tank?

 

[WILDER]

Is he spitting as that a sign of something lodged in the throat.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I haven't seen any spitting. Yes there is an airstone in the tank. I really do wonder if something is lodged in the throat as alot of the substrate near his/her jug has been shifted into a sort of mound towards the entrance. If it is a piece of gravel how on earth can I get it out? I've not even seen anything as yet and I doubt he/she will stay still while I hold them still to have a look.
Hugs,
P.

 

[WILDER]

Get a cloth wet it in tank water and remove the fish and wrap the fish in the wet cloth, sterlise a pair of tweezers just in case, sometimes just removing them helps unlodge whats in there, open his mouth if you can to see if you can see anything.

This is usually when fish have a rock or something foreign stuck in their mouths. If you are very gentle you can push it forward and out of their mouth through an accessway under the gill cover. The fish of course would do better if under some anesthesia. Oil of cloves can be recommended too.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Well she/he was incredibly calm considering. I couldn't see anything in the mouth although it really was very hard. Nothing has come out and the gasping is still going on. Lights are off now and trying to keep the area quite and stress free. Hope whatever is causing the block dislodges itself. She/he is currently sitting on the substrate gasping. Obviously stressed from being lifted out albeit only for a very few seconds. If she/he is still struggling in the morning I shall consider taking him/her to my lfs, who are actually rather good with such things. Just hope it comes out on it's own.
Hugs,
P.

 

[WILDER]

Poor thing sorry, must be awful when you don' no whats going off, can't think of anything else, besides whats been mentioned, does she look pale with the stress.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Oddly not especially. A little since I had a look and now clamped fins but not b4 I lifted her out. Just being out in the open is unusual enough. Obviously in discomfort. Happily the other fish are leaving her alone to just sit there. I hate feeling so helpless like this. I do everything I can to take upmost care of all my fish but this is beyond my expertise for sure. Makes me hate having the gravel in there when all my other tanks are sand. Except the bettaboys who have large smooth stones, far too big to even fit in the mouth.
Hugs,
P.

 

[WILDER]

Do the gills look like normal, not any different like they are rotting away.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

No. They look utterly healthy. Like I said, I'm no brilliant expert of course but the gills really are healthy. All over there's no sign of any disease/injury/illness etc at all. No redness, no swelling, nothing! Even inside the mouth, where I could see, was a good healthy pink colour.
Hugs,
P.

 

[WILDER]

Might have a bit of trapped food in the gills, just keep a close eye on her, hope she pulls through.

 

[WILDER]

Hows the fish doing miss dib dabs, any improvement.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Sadly no. She passed away early this afternoon. I had another look this morning to see if I could see anything to dislodge then let her be quiet. The rest of the fish seemed respectful enough to leave her alone. Sadly it was all too much and she gave up the fight. All the fish had stayed away and there was not a mark on her. She's been buried with the others I've lost in the past in my herb garden.
I took a good look after she'd died and still couldn't see anything wrong. Gone very slightly pale in patches on one side of her belly but I suspect that was after death or I'd have noticed b4.
All the fish are leaving her old home clear still, despite me having checked it out for mess etc already.
She will be missed and my littlegirl sobbed her eyes out when she found out. Bye bye my lil fish.
Hugs,
P.