SAE breathing heavy :(

[Tracey73]

I just discovered my gorgeous sae breathing heavy and on his side in the back of my tank :( I checked my water parameters and all is normal. When he swims he is twisting and turning like a pretzel :shock:

29.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
PH 6.8

I did my usual twice weekly 40-50% water change last night and added Seachem Flourish & Seachem Flourish Excel. I did add a little more of the Seachem Excel, still not even the recommended dose but one cap more than I usually do as I have added a few new plants and then added todays daily capful about 2 hours ago.. is it possible that the extra excel has done this to him?
Everyone else in the tank is perfectly fine. My sae is two years old and he is such a character I would really hate to lose him :cry: I have put him in a hospital tank with an airstone and lights off .. any suggestions as to what has happened? :roll:

[Merrilyn]

Sorry to hear that Tracey. Can only be the extra dose of Excel. It's pretty potent stuff. 5ml per 200 liters and I guess a capful would be either 5 or 10ml depending on the size of the bottle. There have been other posts about losing fish after an overdose of Excel. I think it was Matzilla who lost fish.

You've done the right thing by moving him into a clean tank. I guess all you can do now is play a waiting game.

Good luck.

[boxters]

I would make sure your water where he now is, is extra clean. Do not feed this fish at this time. I would do small 10% water changes 2-3 times per day. If he does not come right in 48 hours it is possible it could be parasitic in which case I would do a salt bath.

[Tracey73]

Thanks Merrilyn & Boxters :)

My tank is 450ltr, I have been using Excel for the last few years. I do 50% water changes twice weekly and only ever dose the excel after a water change and only half the stated amount. As I have just aquired a heap of new plants I thought I would start dosing the excel every other day as stated on the bottle, I have been adding two 5ml capfuls every second day. If this is what has made my sae sick then where does that leave me with my plants? Does this mean that if I were to invest in a Co2 unit I am going to have problems? or is a Co2 safer than dosing with Excel? Geez lucky I did not give the recommended dose :shock:

[lpiasente]

what about root tablets? I use them and find they are great but I only have swords

[boxters]

root tabs are usually high in iron. To much iron is no good for your fish either. If you are concerned with your plants i would put a thin layer of peat moss under your substrate. your plants will grow wild and your fish will love the soft water