Issues with Wild Tefe Greens

Hi All,

I've been out of the hobby for about 7 years, but got back into things about a year ago with a smaller 80L tank.

A local specialist managed to get his hands on some gorgeous Wild Tefe Greens and I knew I wanted to jump back into Discus.

I used the media from the smaller tank to seed the new one, as well as moving the fish over which were some rummys, lemon tetras and Sterbaiis

Everything was running great for the first few weeks, until I came home the other day to an almost dead Discus (that died about 5 minutes later). It looked like a pair had formed and the boy had smashed him in the time since I'd been at work (6 hours)

Not having a quarantine tank to seperate the aggressive male, I ran down the road to get some egg crate to seperate the tank. In that time I think perhaps he has had a go at another one and this is where I am today.

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?
Did a treatment of Kusuri Wormer plus after about 10 days in the new tank after I noticed a large male (same aggressive male from above) breathing exclusively from one gill. 3 Days after the end of the second round of treatment, I find one dead from what I assume is bullying, and another fish with really clamped fins.

2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).
The fish that is still alive is dark(ish), seems to be shedding a touch of slime as of this morning, with noticably clamped fins. When he does come out from hiding his fins seem to flare back up and colour comes out, and is still eating.

3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.
Kusuri Wormer Plus two treatments as recommended for flukes, but this was prior to this issue.

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.
Tank is probably 8 weeks old total, but media is 12 months plus. It is a 410L Waterbox

5 xWild Tefe Green Discus
10 x Rummynose
2 x Lemon Tetra
4 x Bristlenose
4 x Sterbaii

5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).
25% - 30% daily. Water is aged for 24 hours between changing and conditions are matched exactly EXCEPT temperature. The water comes in colder and brings the tank from 29c to 27-28c. I never had a problem with this when I was in the hobby years ago but this is the only thing I can pinpoint as a possible issue.

6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?
Tank running for 8 weeks, very thin layer of sand (less than quarter inch)

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.
Age water for 24 hours, and water comes from tap at 7.4 - 7.6.

8. What type/brand water conditioner do you use? Do you add it to the tank or aging barrel? How much do you use?*
Prime at recommended dosage added to water barrel plus a blackwater extract for 24 hours.

9. Parameters and water source;
Tap water

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
PH - 7.4 to 7.6
Temp - 29c

Food
I've got them on a wide range of foods:
Tropical Discus Gran - Wild
Tropical Spirulina
Tropical Krill
Sera Discus Forumla
Freeze Dried Australian Black Worms
Frozen Blood Worms

My initial thoughts are that he's just recovering from being bullied, but this is where my knowledge ends. Should I be hitting the tank with some sort of slime coat repair or salt?

The others still look fantastic which leads me to believe that it's not a water quality issue.

See a couple of images attached. He goes a lot darker than this but you can see the clamped fins.

http://tinypic.com/r/2s159mo/9

http://tinypic.com/r/2lcrcr4/9

http://tinypic.com/r/1441itv/9

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

When you put your Prime in, is it just prior to a WC or do you let it set and age with conditioner in it. If you let it set you could be introducing ammonia in your main tank. The bond only lasts for about 24 hours if your water company is using chloramine instead of chlorine. The chlorine tho, will gas off in 24 hours without conditioners. Just thought I'd ask that.

Great point, I put the Prime in and let it age for 24 hours so perhaps the bond is breaking prior to introducing the new water?

Interestingly enough the boy I was worried about was out and about last night looking better than ever, but seemed to go back into hiding this morning. I'd say I'm noticing an improvement albeit slow.