Plec breathing heavily, bit worried

[Def]

Hey guys,

Looking for thoughts/opinions... My GN plec has started to breathe heavily the last day or 2. He hangs on the bottom of the filter and his gills are moving faster than normal. Sometimes he has enough with the sucking on, and sits on a leaf upside down (the leaf is a few cm from the bottom of the filter, so when he sits upside down his mouth is a cm from the filter - ie: very close but not sucking on).

I can't see anything wrong with him, no fungus, marks or spots. He looks otherwise healthy, a dark black and bright yellow spots. His underside doesn't look sunken. He reacts to light etc, if I get a torch near him he turns away.

I've had him for 2 months, no problems at all. The rapid gill movement and the not-constantly-sucking has got me a bit worried - and I'm going away in a few days. All the other fish in the tank appear physically fine and aren't showing any symptoms or problems...

Anyone got any ideas? Is this anything to worry about?

Cheers...

 

[Paul_MTS]

Do you have CO2 injection for plants at all?

Have you cleaned the filter/powerhead recently, it may have slowed down causing less O2 in the water?

Has the outlet of the filter been moved causing less surface disruption again causing less O2?

Urm thats all i can think of at the moment.

 

[Def]

Yep, O2 was my first thought, but there is plenty of surface agitation. No Co2 system. I've actually added a second filter as I'm going away, just in case. Also plenty of fish swim and sit around where he is with no apparent problems. My filters have clog/flow indicators on them, they look fine.

Before anyone asks, levels are fine: 0 0 20 (before a 30% water change today).

 

[Paul_MTS]

well u floured all my suggestion how rude!!

I would rinse the filter sponges anyway just incase...what if the clog indicator has got clogged!!

 

[LadyMinion]

Perhaps add an airstone and see if his condition improves at all? If it doesn't work at least you'll know for sure it's not an oxygen problem.

 

[Def]

Well that's bizarre. He's fine today. Was swimming around in the open space at the front of the tank, too. Breathing normally.

Thanks for all the suggestions anyway. Perhaps it was an O2 problem, maybe where he was sucking for a long period of time.

 

[Earthgirl]

Glad to hear that the little plec is doing better!!!

 

[Def]

Thanks

I'll get some photos of him soon. Now he's a bit more settled and active, easier to catch him out in the open.