Rapid Breathing / Fast Breathing

Andrew

Member
May 3, 2009
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Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK.
Just noticed that one of my zebras in my big tank was breathing quite rapidly/fast, though she did look alright apart from the fast breathing, and she ran away when i lifted the lid to feed them.

She is quite plump, but dosn't look bloated, and she hasn't bred before.
Would aggression/fighting with the other female in the tank bring this on, as i think she was the zebra that i saw hiding behind the internal fluval near the top of the tank, at the weekend.
Never see any signs of aggression in the tank, just thought a male had been harassing her when i saw her behind the filter.

It may be nothing, but what would cause rapid breathing in a plec ?
 

Lornek8

Member
Apr 21, 2009
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Hawaii
Exertion
Lack of oxygen
Parasites (Gill flukes, ich, etc)
Damage to gills
All could be issues. You could probably eliminate a few if no other plecs are showing the same symptoms.
 

scatz

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
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Devon, UK
sounds like an oxygen isue, especially if you have seen one of your zebs near the top of the water column before
 

Doodles

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
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Sounds like exertion combined with stress especially if the others aren't showing any symptoms.
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
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Norfolk, UK
hard to tell, sorry.
is it a big tank or small? how many zebs?
if it is a big or crowded colony you might consider taking a few out to another tank?
that might reduce stress from competition.
what are your water parameters and temp etc?
how often do you w/c and how much?
maybe a good w/c would help anyway in case she is underthe weather -cant beat good water to keep them healthy - but I am sure you know that.
 

Andrew

Member
May 3, 2009
313
0
16
Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK.
She is not as bad today, more panting now, than the fast breathing last night.
The other zebras in the tank look fine.
So i gave inside of the tank a wipe, hoovered the substrate and gave the tank a 1/3rd water change, the tanks normal water change isn't due till Saturday.

I'll be checking her each day now, even if i have to move decor to find her.

The tank holds approx 70G, it is 6ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft, with two Eheim cannisters (2224s) filtering it, one cannister filter has a Vectron UV Sterilizer on it.
It also has two airstones running on it, and a internal Fluval 3 filter, and it also a powerhead for flow.
There is seven adult zebras in it, five male and two females, with some caves and a some big bits of wood, and some angled slate hidey holes.
Water; ph 7.2, kh 1 & gh 1, with weekly 50% water changes.

They are my oldest zebras, and they have not bred.
Got some five years ago and a couple four years ago, and they were adults when i got them, early this year i also added a young spare male (just over 3").
Thought he might stir things up a bit with two plump females in the tank, but it didn't !

I used to try and sex my zebras and keep them in smaller groups in different tanks, but once i got a pair spawning and couldn't see anything happening with the others, i decided to try the rest together as a group and hopefully find another pair, two years and still no sign.
I think (or might just be hoping) this is as an aggression thing, and maybe they are finally starting to find a pecking order in the tank, and maybe this female is getting harassed a lot by the other female, as there is only one male that has claimed a cave, and the two females are never that far away from the male in the cave.
 
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