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Tried to google it, tried to search the forums here but can't really find a answer. Does it depend on species and size of the fish? When I see someone talking about their pleco breathing fast what does that mean? Sure I have seen stressed out breathing after a fight between plecos where the it seems like the pulse I would probably have after running as fast as I can for a couple of 100 meters.. many times per second) but what is the normal "breathe ratio"?

Help

Breathing rates vary with species, water temperature, aeration, fish activity level. And fish stress level. Fast breathing can only be gauged against normal breathing.

Cheers, Eric

I suppose as you say it might be an impossible question to answer. Let's use your run of the mill Bristlenose as baseline, how fast should a healthy Bristlenose breathe given suitable enviorment(ie temperature, aertion and no nitrite, ammonia). Well guess it might be one of those things that can't really be taught but one must come to know through experience?

For any pleco, normally, broadly and generally, breathing rate at rest and not using its suckermouth for adhesion or eating it should be similar to human breathing normally at rest. It's the best I can write but as Eric notes, there are a lot of factors. I can't say I've noticed species that vary markedly at rest.

Jools