Fish breathing hard

[Steve]

Question maybe someone else has had an issue with perhaps. In one of my show tanks I have a S. fryeri that I have had for about a year and a half. He's full size 6" and he has always seemed to breath a bit harder/faster than any other fish, but lately I have noticed he seems to be breathing harder than normal even for him. There are 15 other fish in the tank and they are all fine and not breathing hard at all. Water prams are good 0amm 0Nitrite 20-30Nitrate Ph 7.2-7.3

He eats fine, is active, and color is great, but just seems to have a hard breathing problem. Anyone else ever had a fish that does this?

[Regalblue]

What changed before he started breathing hard? 
 
Get those nitrates down & see if it makes a difference. 

[Steve]

Nothing changed that I know of, today is WC day so I'll be doing that today, but I know he stayed breathing hard last weekend after the WC as well.

[Ogre44]

Hey Steve.
I like to use this link to begin diagnosing problems: http://www.nationalfishpharm.com/fish_diseases/gill_disorders.html
It's a good resource to get you going and give you ideas of what to research.
It's also good to help you figure out what meds to use, although it is sponsored by a medication company so they tend to recommend their own products.

[Ron]

Anything change in regards to your city water? Maybe double-check the city utilities website for any news?

Bad O2 exchange for any reason (film buildup on the surface)?

[Steve]

Not that I know, but will check thanks Ron.

Anything in particular I should look for?

[Ron]

I wish I could recall the details, but I experienced an issue in Ann Arbor once resulting from something at the water plant during late fall or early winter that impacted a buddys tank (and I heard about his problem before doing my water changes luckily).

I'd check that the water parameters still seem acceptable or expected:
pH swing (ammonia has greater toxicity at a lower pH IIRC)
any ammonia (doubtful)
nitrite levels
nitrate levels (quite possible)
chlorine or chloramine levels (greater than normal?)

If you get a link to a current report online and want to share it, others can take a look as well if you want.

[Steve]

That's what kind'a baffles me though man, if I had multiple fish in the tank that were doing it that would show water quality issues. But it's just the one out of 15-18 fish thats is doing it, that's what has me stumped.

[Ron]

Higher % water change on one tank verses another?

Clean the filters on the tank lately? Is the tank cloudy at all?

[Steve]

Nope tank is very clear, I have two canisters on it, one xp3 and one xp4, I did clean the pads in the xp4 a couple weeks ago but I always stagger the filter cleaning so as not to disturb the bio of the tank so I clean one filter one month and the other the next month. I usually do 75% water changes during summer month then during the winter I cut back to 50%wc's because I have heard during the winter they add something to water in most cities.

[Steve]

He's still breathing hard, and not 100% sure but I think he is slowing down on the food as well which is not good. Can a fish have bloat without the telltale swollen belly? Because I have somewhat ruled out parasites since no other fish show any signs and it's just him. So I'm wondering if it could be bloat? Considering setting up a spare 10g tank to move him into and start treating with some Metro perhaps?

[jcunningham0295]

He could have some sort of gill parasite only affecting him.  I have seen this before with some of my fish.

[Steve]

Josh I have Metro as well as Prazipro meds on hand. If I start treating him which of those do you think would be more geared to treating a gill parasite?

[jcunningham0295]

If I had to choose I would use prizipro, but I can check what I have once I get home.

[Steve]

Moved him into a 10g to treat him last night. Started some Prazipro about 9pm last night and this morning he is already breathing much better. Going to keep him in there for the next few days to give him a 2nd dose of Prazipro in 3 days but I think he seems to be on the mend.