Axie Gills pushing forward

[MrsFrog]

Hi all,
My Axies all have their gills pushing forward and I know this is not normal but I'm not sure why its happening. Water parameters are all good, the tank is just over 3ft long and has 4 Axies in it but they are all only about 14cm long at this stage. They are all eating normally...its just the gills that are changing?? Are they stressed? Could it be my filter is too strong??

Excuse the mess in the tank lol, taken just before cleaning time

 

[Saspotato]

Yea it could be your filter. I think gills pointing forward one of the main symptoms of stress when water flow is too much... so you can use a diffuser bar to reduce the current.

 

[MrsFrog]

Hmm I thought so. I have a Stingray Elite 5 filter and I'm not sure if they can be turned down as such and I have no idea what a diffuser bar is?? My filter is an internal one that does not run of an air pump. You just plug it in and submerse it in the tank.

 

[Saspotato]

Oh I should have said, they are also known as spray bars. Its basically a bit of plastic with holes in it that you put near your filter to diffuse the spray of water more. You can buy them from shops but I think they are a bit of a rip off or you can make your own. I don't have one but I think you can make one quite easily if you can get a hold of some plastic and cut some holes in it.

I've never made one but some friends have so I don't think they are too difficult to make. Other people might be able to advise you better in their construction here

 

[kapo]

Is the stingray filter, the one shaped like a stingray? I don't think that can be adjusted nor can a spray bar be attached to it - even the smaller one has a pretty strong current.

Don't be tempted to swap it for the shark filter, that is even worse, the filter is top heavy, suction cups unable to hold the weight of the shark, spraybar can't be added. Current can be adjusted to low, but found it's still pretty strong (we were given one when we bought our adults and replaced it).

We were given two small used internal filters (no idea of name) that used to have spraybars.

Husband improvised and made some spraybars for them using some thin plastic piping (probably picked up from Mitre 10 or somewhere), drilled holes in it, got a rubber thing blocked the end and fitted it to the spraybar fitting using another rubber piece - it works a treat. Sorry I'm obviously not good at explaining the bits/things he used

 

[digger]

ifyou are unavle to replace filter yet try placing something in front of out-flow to reduce flow.
i always place several clumps of plants infront of mine and have the water level and filter as high as possible, this way the filter will cause less disturbance on the floor.

 

[MrsFrog]

Is the stingray filter, the one shaped like a stingray? I don't think that can be adjusted nor can a spray bar be attached to it - even the smaller one has a pretty strong current.

Don't be tempted to swap it for the shark filter, that is even worse, the filter is top heavy, suction cups unable to hold the weight of the shark, spraybar can't be added. Current can be adjusted to low, but found it's still pretty strong (we were given one when we bought our adults and replaced it).

We were given two small used internal filters (no idea of name) that used to have spraybars.

Husband improvised and made some spraybars for them using some thin plastic piping (probably picked up from Mitre 10 or somewhere), drilled holes in it, got a rubber thing blocked the end and fitted it to the spraybar fitting using another rubber piece - it works a treat. Sorry I'm obviously not good at explaining the bits/things he used

Hi, yes the filter is the one shaped like a Stingray....I took it out of the tank last night and replaced it with a small el cheapo filter for the time being and since then the gills are looking better but now the Axies are swimming all over the show like I've never seen them do before. Are they excited because the awful current has gone or have I stressed them more lol...geez I don't know! The swimming of my biggest girl, Bella, seems to be a slight bit frantic in my eyes, but then I have not seen her swim around this much before so maybe its normal?? Oh and my tropical fish seem to not mind the Stingray filter in the slightest