# Heavy Breathing



## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

Ive noticed my mac has randomly started breathing heavily .. the only way i can currently test my water is by using strips which i think wont help much.. what could be the problem?


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

Oxygenation and surface agitation?


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## Zip (Apr 17, 2005)

Most likely either high ammonia/nitrite levels, or not enough surface agitation to break up water surface protein film which can accumulate and prevent oxygen diffusion into the water from the atmosphere.

Not sure what you mean by "randomly" though - if you mean gasping for only short periods of time and then he's ok, maybe it's stress?


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

Get yourself a testing kit asap. Those testing strips are far from reliable.
If your mac is kept soliatir, oxygen leven shouldn't be a problem, absorption by the surface alone is more than sufficient for a single specimen.
Most likely like Zip said, ammonia levels are too high.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2011)

You dont have a test kit?? I agree with everyone else, get out and get one asap. Take a water sample in a cup and put it off to the side, do a water change in the mean time in case it is a water parameter issue. Test your tank water with new test kit to confirm.


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## Red Sox Fanatic (Jun 13, 2011)

I agree,water change ASAP.


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## Red Sox Fanatic (Jun 13, 2011)

I agree,water change ASAP.


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

Yeah thats what ill do cause he hasnt stoped breathing heavy


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

As has already been mentioned, the two main things that cause heavy breathing are high ammonina levels and low oxygen levels...Definitely do a water changer for starters!...I would do about 20% every other day until water parameters are up to par!...


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