Rapid Breathing - Cause For Concern?

https:///youtu.be/7hDqiGWd5pI

This is the large female cardinal tetra who over-eats - any views on whether her breathing is a cause for concern?

Everyone else fine apart from the various age-related conditions. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 25 or just under.

Saw a similar post to this, and success with an airstone. In the event that I were to get an airstone, what would be the smallest and least obtrusive one available?

 

I noticed she was breathing like this throughout yesterday evening, several hours after dinner time (and actually what prompted the water testing this morning). It seems to be irrespective of whether recently eaten or not - although everyone is guilty of stealing snail food at all times of the day...

Afraid to say I've never had a good result when dropsy is noticed I believe it is usually too late. I would go with both treatments, definately Epsom salt dips asap to bring things back in control quickly.  You might have to prepare for the worst here though I fear...

Epsom salt bath done. Not sure who was more traumatised - me or the fish. She seemed very alarmed to begin with, then went very still, then quivered throughout. Occasionally, she darted round the container as though attempting to escape, so I had to place the lid over the top on three occasions in case she leaped out.

A small amount of Epsom salt water (0.1 L) probably entered the main tank - hoping this will be alright for the other fish and nerite snails... 
 

Thanks. She doesn't look any different. Breathing fast. Mooching around with the others. Light not on yet, and need light on plus filter off and decor removed from the tank to view properly from above. Not sure I can bear the thought of putting her (or myself!) through another Epsom salt bath. [That read as though she and I were getting in the bath together - not the case!] Not sure I can bear the thought of putting her through another Epsom salt bath.

 

Afraid to say I've never had a good result when dropsy is noticed I believe it is usually too late. I would go with both treatments, definately Epsom salt dips asap to bring things back in control quickly.  You might have to prepare for the worst here though I fear...

Hi @fcmf

I agree with @Matt above. Once the swelling is apparent, the condition of the fish usually degenerates. I seem to recall having read that the swelling is caused by failure of a fish's kidneys. I had this problem a few months ago with a Siamese Algae Eater. It was awful to witness the extreme swelling. I had to resort to euthanasia. Never easy. 

JPC

Did you do another salt bath?
How is she?

Argh - I hate these decisions!

She's breathing extremely fast but otherwise behaving normally - someone not particularly interested in their fishtank probably wouldn't even notice a problem (indeed, I had to point this out to Mr FCMF). Her belly/white scales are definitely distended and some of her other scales look generally ruffled/fluffy- again, not particularly noticeable (I had to point this out to Mr FCMF) and might just look like normal variation given her large size. However, the two in combination make me feel I need to do something...

Not sure if there's much point in an Epsom salt bath given that the previous two have made little/no difference, and not sure if I want to remove her for eSHa 2000 medication which will mean she's away from her tankmates for several days...  Maybe a case for the Melafix or Easylife Voogle which can be added to the main tank... 

Thanks, Littlefish. About half an hour ago, I moved her into the hospital tank as a "trial run" with eSHa 2000. I felt terrible, as the cardinals all shoaled up tightly to escape the jug, as though protecting her. Everyone else in the tank seemed to volunteer to get in it but the cardinals were having none of it. There was water everywhere as attempts to guide her in with a net resulted uprooting of the silk plants, wood getting caught against the net, etc. Eventually most of the cardinals ended up in the jug together and I had to try to get them out and leave her in, to transfer her to the hospital tank. She looked calmer in there than when in an Epsom salt bath, but I'm in the other room now and keeping my distance from Mr FCMF who always (and thankfully only ever) seems to get annoyed with me when water spillages occur and the hospital tank is in use and taking up valuable space.

Updated to add: Just nipped through to check up on her. She was at one end of the tank, watching her tankmates in the main tank. Not sure if it was intrigue, comfort, wistfulness, envy or frustration, or to what degree fish might experience these emotions - certainly they can be very inquisitive. Uncharacteristically, they were in an unusual location at the front edge of the tank, so must have been watching her too.

Update is that she's had 2 dosages of the 3-day course and is still alive. However, the situation is not pretty. She's very pale being in the hospital tank, in contrast to what was her full colouring in the main tank. The scales are definitely standing out, very noticeably on the white underside and on the washed-out blue parts when viewed from above. I just hope the isolation and treatment aren't contributing to the stress and causing this. She seems to alternate between cowering under the filter at one end and watching her tankmates from the other end, generally locating herself away from wherever I am. She's not eating but I do think this is due to the isolation and treatment.

My hope is that she makes it through to complete the 3-day course and back into the main tank alive. Rather than extend the treatment and prolong any stress, I'm keen that she is returned to her tankmates for potential improvement, ideally with me having given her a chance through the medication. If she succumbs there, then so be it - better there than on her own in the hospital tank which she is clearly not enjoying (but I feel medication is needed to give her a chance).