Axie keeps breathing air

[dkeat]

Okay... this is like my third time posting today... this little guy just keeps getting into new ordeals. I posted earlier about him not pooping, so I put him in a little travel tank with dechlorinated water while I did a water change. After the water change, he finally pooped... now he literally keeps swimming around the top of the water and will periodically take a breath of air like once every minute. Then he'll come back to the bottom and sit on a rock for a while. I've read up and I know that it's normal for axies to take a breath every once in a while but mine literally keeps on doing it. I just did about a 40% water change and I know that may have been a little more than I should have done. I ran a filter for about an hour before putting him back into the tank. Also, I put a little less than half of the normal dosage of quick start in the new water (I already put some in there a couple of days before I even got him). He's still young and his swimming seems pretty normal (not on his side or anything.) I'm just wondering if this has something to do with the water change because I haven't really noticed this until now since I got him on Sunday.

 

[PatchworkClocks]

This may not be related, but how do his gills look? If he's got small gills, it would make sense that he goes to the surface more, as he doesn't have enough length on his gills to get an adequate supply of oxygen with the gills alone.

 

[dkeat]

This may not be related, but how do his gills look? If he's got small gills, it would make sense that he goes to the surface more, as he doesn't have enough length on his gills to get an adequate supply of oxygen with the gills alone.

He's only about 3 inches long so his gills are pretty small. I haven't noticed him doing this until today though.

 

[PatchworkClocks]

Hm...okay, what kind of filter do you have? And do you have a bubble stone or something similar? Could be there isn't enough oxygen in the water.

 

[dkeat]

Hm...okay, what kind of filter do you have? And do you have a bubble stone or something similar? Could be there isn't enough oxygen in the water.

I have a HOB filter that came with my tank. I've had problems with it because since he's so small, it creates a small current even at the lowest setting. He doesn't get pushed around badly, but he sort of slowly drifts every once in a while. I'm not sure if that's enough to cause stress. I don't have a bubble stone but I was recently told to get one. I already have a bubbler that I loaned to a friend but I think I'm gonna need to get it back.

 

[PatchworkClocks]

Okay, last question. Are his gills fluffy or sparse? Other than that, I can't think of any other things that would be causing a problem. Maybe you've just got a gulper on your hands.

 

[dkeat]

Okay, last question. Are his gills fluffy or sparse? Other than that, I can't think of any other things that would be causing a problem. Maybe you've just got a gulper on your hands.

They look pretty fluffy to me so hopefully he just likes gulping air like you said haha

 

[auntiejude]

... I ran a filter for about an hour before putting him back into the tank...

Do you mean you have turned your filter off and just run it occasioanlly?
If so this is doing more harm than good. Your good bacteria live in the filter, when you turn it off the bacteria die. Thwn when you turn it back on the dead bacteria (and ammonia) get pumped into your tank. If this is the case you will need to scrub out the filter and cycle your tank all over again.

If you are pumping ammonia back into your tank after a water change it may be why your axie is going for air.