Starting a Discus 3 foot tank

[Mikemeets]

Hi guys

Im new in the Discus hobby but comming from a 3rd world country (South Africa) we do not have all the meds ens as the rest of the world so here goes...

I got 5 discus, 3 are about 2,5" and 2 are 2" but the 3 big ones are picking on the 2 smaller ones that have semi stopped eatting only to eat when the lights are off, but they are starting to show signs of stress to the point where i am stressed sick for them haha.

2nd problem i found was me being really stupid, i set up the 3foot tank befor it had cicles properly but the filters were in my friends 3foot tank for about a week befor i placed them in the new setup and adding my 5 inported Discus fish straight away aswell out of my cycled 2foot tank from work into the non cycled tank at home.

Problem is everything was fine for 3days till i added my sand into my tank that i got from my friend with the 3foot tank about 3 days ago (old sand) that caused a nitrite spike at 0.8mg/l. First thing i did was **** myself and add non iodized sea salt to the tank, 2nd thing i did was to do a 70% water change that dropped the nitrite to 0.6mg/l on day 1, day 2 i did a 50% water change and nitrites were at 0.3mg/l. Day 3 (couple hours ago) i did a nother 50% water change and is standing at 0.1mg/l (pat myself on the back) the fish are way more happier in the 86ºF with 3 table spoons of sea salt in the water now.

From tomorrow i want to start watering down the salt in the tank with fresh clean water and doing 50% water changes per day for 2 weeks then changing to 2 times a week 50% water changes but remember i am not a breader and dont wanna hear about 100% water changes or dropping my ph or what is my ammonia nitrite and nitrates, i just wanna keep my discus fish alive without knowing my ammonia nitrites ens. Doing everything without being a scientist in a 3rd world country where i dont have antibiotics for my fish or really water test kits.

Thanks in advance for the guys that gives me the easiest awnsers on the forum and dont bother giving me advice the guys who is breeders and advance hobbiests who is gonna criticize.

Kind regards Mike

[Mikemeets]

I forgot to say after the nitrite spike i put 4 stockings of gravel from the 2foot tank they were in onto my sand in the 3foot tank, i had 2 4month cycled cornr filters in my 2 foot tank and moved 1 over yesterday to my 3 foot tank, so im running now the 2 in each side of my tank the marltons bio filter II that were in my friends discus tank, 1 power head filter and now the corner filter from my works 2foot tank.

[Mikemeets]

Question is... how do i get the 2 discus to eat right and grow without showing signs of stress, clamped fins and darkening up and bit on the skinny side

Question 2... did i do the right thing with the salt and high water changes till the tank is cycled properly with bacteria to brake down the ammonia and nitrites of the fish waste... ps its got a big piece of driftwood and 5 normal amazon swords, 1 pigmy chain sword and 1 bush (un-potted) micro sword planted in the sand (i know salt is bad for plants).

[Mikemeets]

Just had a look at the one small one that looks sicks poop... its wite and dark brown mix... meanning in the strand of well poop its got brown areas with wite areas... semi sick fish? Or is its amune system fighting the sickness or is it cos he only eatting when lights are off?

[nc0gnet0]

Thanks in advance for the guys that gives me the easiest awnsers on the forum and dont bother giving me advice the guys who is breeders and advance hobbiests who is gonna criticize.

Sacrifice a chicken and prey to the sun god Aethon, all will be well my friend!

[Disgirl]

Michael, as a brand new member here, with obviously sick fish who need immediate help, it would be best for you and your fish if you don't ask for help and at the same time do it rudely. We have many knowledgeable people here who could offer the help you need, but they sure won't do it when you are giving out your rules on what you will or won't listen to. Some humility and a willingness to learn are what is needed now. As the saying goes, "You will catch many more flies with honey than vinegar."
Barb

[LizStreithorst]

Take Barb's advice.

[two_one_seven]

I think the real question is do you want to help your fish or do what is easiest? Once you make the commitment to take these creatures into your care then you have to follow through. Just listen and learn, you are in the right place for that.

Brian

[OC Discus]

That was my first thought Barb, but I didn't say it.

Michael, as a brand new member here, with obviously sick fish who need immediate help, it would be best for you and your fish if you don't ask for help and at the same time do it rudely. We have many knowledgeable people here who could offer the help you need, but they sure won't do it when you are giving out your rules on what you will or won't listen to. Some humility and a willingness to learn are what is needed now. As the saying goes, "You will catch many more flies with honey than vinegar."
Barb

[hank91]

I think maybe his real connotation was lost in translation. No worries. Let's save some discus.
Sounds like they need medicated but meds are not available to him so what do you all suggest he try? Salt and water temp to 90?

[Mikemeets]

I always see people critisize on forums so I dont need that thats basically what I ment, all i want to know is how to keep them healthy and alive besides doing crazy breader tips about 100% water changes, i dont have hunders of ours either to spend on them per day cos of powers that be ie. Work and girlfriend and a baby on the way haha, just wanna know if what im doin is right.

What i have noticed is dont just treat sick fish in a QT setup cos ussually u stress the fish more out with methalin blue and diff water chemistry... what i did is push water temp up to 32ºC add salt and do big water changes but i cant keep that up forever ether cos my girlfriend will divorce me so fast lol all i need is a simple way to keep fish with a balanced outlook at keeping fish healthy and alive but at the same time still having a social life.

[Mikemeets]

Ps i got 4 neon tetras in with the discus doin very well but thought they hate salt so im thinking the neon tetras i got is a hardy bunch... cant figure out how to post pics of my tank but if any of u guys got line msger give me a hello haha user name on line is warlord6999 lol excuse the user name its for a apps game im playin called Rage of Bahamut but yeah lol if anybody needs pics hit me up on line

[Second Hand Pat]

Mike, sounds like you have young discus in a uncycled tank and have cross contaminated the tank with sand, fish and filter from other sources. Best you can do for the fish is 100% daily water changes.

Since you also have implied that you will/can not take the above actions perhaps discus are not the right fish for you so keep a community tank without discus so you have time for girlfriend, new baby and work. Just a note, the baby will change your life forever and there will be no social life for a while.

[Mikemeets]

Lol social life was wrong word to use more like social with my baby and wife but lets c how hardy these buggers are, my friend keeping very healthy discus on 50% water changes a weak in the same setup as me and they lay eggs almost weekly but they eat them up, really big discus the size of a medium size dinner plate, dont know maybe South African water just better than rest of the world lets see, ill post pics in 6months time, nitrites are finally on zero and temp is on 32ºC and did a 25% water change this morning and planning on doing 50% in a couple hours, still got 3 very nice discus just 2 are bothering me with clamped fins and hiding from my lfs but other 3 have almost doubled in size since getting them a month ago but just the move from a 2foot 29gallon tank to the 45gallon did not do the other 2 much of a favour... if the 2 make it ithink then they could be stinted or stunted however u okes say it. Lets c still love these buggers lol my apple snails are aswell getting huge and got them with the discus, more a mix setup than a breeder setup. Ow well let time run its course and lets c what happens with them

[Second Hand Pat]

Mike, your friend has adults and you have juvies, hence the daily water changes needed for growth and health of your fish.