Zebra Eel unwell

[dayton21]

Hello, if anyone could help figure out if or what’s going on with my eel buddy here. Some notes are that everything else in the tank are doing fine, I had a little ick trouble a few weeks ago and since then moved the affected fish to a copper tank. my water parameters are fine. Is he just being weird? Also have had him for about 7-8 months.

 

[dayton21]

If the video doesn’t work he is upright but repeatedly opening and closing his mouth.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, if anyone could help figure out if or what’s going on with my eel buddy here. Some notes are that everything else in the tank are doing fine, I had a little ick trouble a few weeks ago and since then moved the affected fish to a copper tank. my water parameters are fine. Is he just being weird? Also have had him for about 7-8 months.

He is labor breathing.
Am I to understand you have him in copper ? If so, doesnt fare well with scaleless eel and also what is your nitrate level? They dont tolerate elevated nitrate levels as well as ammonia above .05.
Adding an air stone for added oxygen may help

 

[dayton21]

He is labor breathing.
Am I to understand you have him in copper ? If so, doesnt fare well with scaleless eel and also what is your nitrate level? They dont tolerate elevated nitrate levels as well as ammonia above .05.
Adding an air stone for added oxygen may help

He is not in copper, i have another tank running copper. my nitrate was a little high redoing it at 65 but this is a lot lower than it was a month ago. Adding an air stone currently anything else i could do?

 

[vetteguy53081]

He is not in copper, i have another tank running copper. my nitrate was a little high redoing it at 65 but this is a lot lower than it was a month ago. Adding an air stone currently anything else i could do?

If unsure on nitrate level, a 10% water change would not hurt.
Are eyes clear? If so, good

 

[dayton21]

If unsure on nitrate level, a 10% water change would not hurt.
Are eyes clear? If so, good

changed my water 2 days ago, and yes eyes are clear. She also did just eat a piece of food my anemone didn’t finish. I also wanna say thank you for for ur help!

 

[dayton21]

If unsure on nitrate level, a 10% water change would not hurt.
Are eyes clear? If so, good

this is just a shot of her currently and a good view of eyes.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I can see the fast/heavy breathing. Are you sure your other fish had ich and not velvet??eels don’t typically get ich but they can get velvet- and since the eel didn’t go through copper, it wouldn’t be treated.
Jay