Newbie with questions...

Hey Everyone!

I have been reading through threads for weeks now as I preped to start my 36g fish only tank!
I have never had an aquarium and was told to start with freshwaster because salt is too hard.... I said BRING IT. So here i am understanding why they say its diffuclt but well worth it..

I have a question about he oxygen in my tank.

I have a 36g tank with
40 pounds of live sand
35-40 pounds of life rock
heater
a single blower
Reaction 4-stage Canister Filter with UV


After my water tested that the cycling had completed, I added two Damsel fishes. They are doing really well, they are eating and swimming around.
I am concerned that they may be breathing heavily and from what i understand it may be due to low oxgyen levels in the tank? If so, would adding a bubble ring be helpful?

Please be kind, I am just starting out and need advice.

 

HI and Welcome to 3reef,

You can adjust the power head to cause more surface agitation and that will assist in gas exchange as well.

When fish start to show rapid or heavy breathing I always look at water chemistry first, new tank syndrome can cause rapid breathing. Next I watch for the development of the one of the most common marine fish disease Marine Ich (completely different organism than fresh water ich).

With both the above scenarios adding an additional source of O2 is certainly not going to hurt. In my opinion in the long run you might consider adding another power head rather than a bubble ring.

 

Carailline!

Thanks for the advise! I have tested the water a few times since introducing them to the tank... and everything appears to be find which is why I am concered about the oxygen level. You mentioned adding an addtional source of O2... would that be another power head? or something else?

 

welcome to the forum and hobby! do you have a skimmer? A skimmer provides some 02 as well - a powerhead pointed toward the surface is very helpful

 

I doubt it is low oxygen with only two damsels in a 46. If it was oxygen, the fish would often go to the surface and even disturb the surface to get O2. My guess would be that your parameters are off, in particular ammonia or nitrite. How are you testing? What are the numbers? What temperature is your tank, the warmer the water, the less O2.

 

I don't have a skimmer, yet. I am still trying to decide which one to get and there is minimal 'protien" visible at the top... (feel free to suggest a good skimmer).

I have a test kit that was suggested by my local fish guy. I had it tested in the store and nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia are all at zero. When i test at home the same comes up. The pH is a little low but is getting better each day.

 

sounds good fishish. guitar is right, you may not even have low oxygen causing what you've observed. I always like to make sure I have good surface agitation - just one of my "things" that I pay attention to.

 

Bare with me on this next question:
I can't determine if the fish are breathing more rapidly than they should be for if i am just a parinoid newbie who is over thinking it. Whats a standard rate of breathing? or how could i decide if they are or are not rapidly breathing? As these are my first two fish i don't have anything to compare it to...

 

If it is noticeable, they are breathing heavily. If it's normal, you shouldn't notice anything.

 

If water chemistry is fine than just try to increase the surface agitation if possible.

Trust me we all know it's a huge learning curve. Do not worry too much, your interventions are doing a water change, increasing surface agitation.

For now I would wait and watch. In the future I would set up a quarantine tank for future fish. Buy your own test kits and test your own water, in the long run that will save you money, time and frustration. Shop for power heads/research what might work for you and your tank.

Try not to mess with the tank until you have a plan. Right now just keep on reading, it will come around.