Pictus Breathing Fast

[Dreamsing]

This is the first time I've owned pictus. Just got 4 at my lfs. Each is about 2.5 inches long and they are happily eating and swimming together, but they seem to be breathing fast.

Tank is a 55 gallon long they share it with a 5 inch rhino pleco and a 6 inch dwarf spangled pike cichlid. Everyone in the tank gets along, the pike's given the catfish no trouble and they don't seem to pay her much mind.

I do daily water tests with ammonia at 0.05, nitrites at 0, nitrates at 10ppm and PH of 6.6. Temp is 78. Tank gets cleaned a couple times a week, just a few gallons with nasty from the gravel.

As I said, they are eating well and seem happy, but they are breathing faster than I'm used to seeing fish breath. Any ideas what's up?

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

How long ago did you buy them?

And you shouldn't have that bad of water with 2 wc's a week...

 

[Dreamsing]

I got them Saturday, and what do you mean bad?

The PH for the tank is supposed to be low (http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=276) and my research tells me that that low ammonia reading (I rounded up because the liquid test wasn't quite completely yellow) is probably from the drift wood in the tank and peat in the canister filter. The peat is to keep the PH from getting high because of high calcium content in the treated water I use for changes.

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

Relax. I wasn't saying you have horrible water...

Did the heavy breathing just start, or has it been going on since you got them? Have you observed them night and day for aggression?

 

[Dreamsing]

Relax. I wasn't saying you have horrible water...

Did the heavy breathing just start, or has it been going on since you got them? Have you observed them night and day for aggression?

I'm sorry . I'm just worried about my new cats. They've breathed fast since I got them. No signs of injuries on any of them, but they will swarm and tussle when eating. There is drift wood in the tank and some slate, but they tend to hang out in the corner of the tank.

Do pictus usually breath fast? Should I get them more hiding places? Is there something that I can do with the water to make them happier?

 

[Experiment397]

I had some pictus a while ago and the fast breathing seems to be normal when they are younger. it could be caused by them getting into fights at night. i wouldn't worry much unless they also have curled whiskers or ripped fins which would mean bad stuff, fights or bad water.

 

[Columbian Shark Catfish]

Used to have 3 pictus.
They always breathe fast when they're smaller.
But when they get bigger they get realllly territorial.

So 55 is wayy to small for 4 pictus cats.

 

[knicks791]

Check your Nitrates, should be below 40ppm. Different from nitrites.

What do you have for filtration.

 

[Sarah88]

Check your Nitrates, should be below 40ppm. Different from nitrites.

What do you have for filtration.

he said nitrates are 10ppm, and OP what is the circulation like in your tank, usually pictus do breathe pretty fast when they are little and if they are new to the tank mine always were crazy and constantly swam all over for the first week or so until they got used to the tank, but if you don't have that much circulation or there is little surface breakage then your tank may be low in oxygen

 

[Dreamsing]

he said nitrates are 10ppm, and OP what is the circulation like in your tank, usually pictus do breathe pretty fast when they are little and if they are new to the tank mine always were crazy and constantly swam all over for the first week or so until they got used to the tank, but if you don't have that much circulation or there is little surface breakage then your tank may be low in oxygen

Bottom of the tank is pretty broken up by african root now.

Check your Nitrates, should be below 40ppm. Different from nitrites.

What do you have for filtration.

I'm running a UV steriliser that aerates the water from the output (lots of bubbles and current) and a Penn-Plax Cascade 500 canister filter packed with bio beads and peat.

Seems the fast breathing is intermittent now that they have been in the tank for a little longer. Is it possible that I'm worrying myself over nothing? They breath faster at feeding times and when they have been racing back and forth through the terrain at the bottom of the tank.