discus breathing heavy and one at top of water

[Paul Sabucchi]

Probably the file size of the photos is too large. Either drop the resolution to the minimum on your phone/camera or download an app like Reduce Photo Size or similar. I hope you like this forum and would consider to continue visiting and participating (if so think about telling us more about yourself on the Welcome thread). As the lion share of members are located in the USA it would be nice to have more from Germany too as these are the two countries where discus keeping all started. Having said this here you can find people from all continents (ok, maybe not Antarctica...could be tough keeping discus there).

[eugenefish]

All back to normal) i cant upload pics i made .... always pop up the window FAILED!

Properly your pictures file size are too big for uploading. You may need to resize the pictures first.

[eugenefish]

Hi, I know it sound pretty extreme changing so much water, it is all tied in with a different way of doing things. Massive daily water changes, together with daily scrupulous tank cleaning (and keeping the tanks bare bottom to make it easier) are in function of feeding young growing fish plenty and often. It is not just a matter of keeping nitrates to a minimum but also other things such as desolved organic compounds (DOCs) and bacterial count. It is a bit like all the big commercial breeders do and it works for them. For some reason hobbyists here in Europe are often led to believe that similar results can readily be achieved by growing discus in a tank with substrate, plants and decorations (that all trap detritus and impede cleaning), changing little water seldom and feeding sparingly. I have seen on other forums that in the majority of cases the results of this approach are far less satisfactory, with fish growing scarcely and not of a nice shape (stunted), very often the fish have immune systems so weakened that it makes them more prone to parasitic diseases and infections.
When there is a problem many advise to start using medication rather indiscriminately without knowing for certain what is the cause of the problem, while the more experienced members of this forum advise to do a big water change...and then change more water! Only if that does not fix it start to investigate the cause and take appropriate action.
Food-wise although some top US and Canadian brands like New Life Spectrum or North Fin are not easy to find, Sera, Tropical and JBL are easy to find and Aquaristikshop.de also stocks Hikari.
With any kind of frozen food particularly in summer there is a chance the food myght be thawed with the heat and then re-frozen, with the risk of unknowingly feeding your fish spoiled food, it is what might have happened with your fish.

Very well said Paul. This is the main reasons why we saw so many sick discus out there and so many discus keepers asking for help.

Actually discus are quite tough as long as you give them the basic need which is fresh water and clean environment

[WilhelmJacob]

Dark angel look skinny, bbut he ate as all others, only he is chased by bigger, he is smaller , as german wonder...
also, he is going under the leaves of plant behind, and staying till the moment he deside to eat, so i give a food then and he is eating ...
only he is breathing somehow doffirent, stronger then others... its maybe a parasite?

ALL fishes are cured from ICH, not visible white spots.. Diskus never got them..
Dark angel swimming with others now, but before he was hiding.. like affraid.... now he is very active.... Any possible tips? he was like that from the first begining


IMG_6524.jpgIMG_6527.jpgIMG_6511.jpgIMG_6509.jpg

[Paul Sabucchi]

Hi it would be most useful if you could show us a video. As explained previously on this like in most other forums the files you can upload directly can only be quite small. For video the best way is to load it on YouTube (do you have a YouTube account, if not you can upload on YouTube just with your Chrome identity), then just click on Share then on Copy link and paste the link here.
Glad the Ich seems cleared and the herbal medication may well have been more appropriate than more aggressive medication as you seem to have a fair few loaches ("Botia"), that having no scales are more sensitive to many medications.

[WilhelmJacob]

Here is the video )) i posted it onmy official channel i just feed them 3 rd time today with new frozen food.. they like it much more, eating like a beasts )). Also i have 6 botia, 3 small botia tigers, and 9 Amano schrimps...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPvW7SMQcoU

[Paul Sabucchi]

Hi, glad the new food is suiting them better. Respiration rate seems still a little fast but not terrible.
I like your tank very much, I am quite a fan of planted community tanks (got 2 myself) but maybe it is not best suited for growing out discus as there is a lot going on, including a lot of very active other fish that can also out-compete your discus for food. Ideally I would leave that tank just as it is but try to get a separate tank just for the discus (around 250 liters) to give them the more dedicated care they deserve. Maybe an idea for an early Christmas present? You could even consider looking for a second hand tank to use for the next year or so to grow out your discus, once they have reached adult size you could re-introduce them to the planted tank and re-sell the grow out tank if you do not want to keep it. A discus grow out tank does not require much fancy equipment: just basic lighting, a heater and a sponge filter. Let's see what other people recommend.
mit freundlichen Grüßen

[WilhelmJacob]

HEhe, is that Italian tried to write in german? )))). this tank was my birthday present in june so, hardly got this one too hehe, my cousins dont like any kind of animals and only what i can have again is my aquariums. In Serbia i had 4 of them, 250 L. Diskus get the food first then the other fishes eating after, and plus, they got spoiled, i am gulty ))) i was giving them food from my fingers, and now they dont wanna eat in another way, only like PIRANAS )) from a hand
2 of them looks skinny, but i wont give up on them, they are eating good, and activ more every time. Only what makes me a problem is sand vacuuming ((( In a previous tanks i had 2-3 planths, and was njaaa, good shape, in this one i liked to have cuz its long and 450 l , there is a space to keep them all . and some of the fishes r living 1.3 years, so, good for them now they r not disturbed... i did respiration now cuz i changed a water and i did a medication , as u know, O2 is on high level, and CO2 25-30 mg/l , all belansed, PH 6.8 .... temp 28.5 Celsius .
Kind regards

[snxtif]

Hi Wilhelm,

Trying to raise young Discus (yup Diskus sounds cooler ) in community planted tank is an uphill battle, a steep one.
The price to pay is some of discus, if not all will be stunted (I learned that first hand.)

- They need a LOT of food to grow properly.
- They poop a LOT... it would be almost impossible to keep up with vacuuming substrate.
- They eat rather slowly... feeding more and other fish will likely be overeating.
- Plants complicate things.
- They need constant "clean" and "fresh" water.

It's not impossible, but as mentioned, it's an uphill battle.

hth,

Cyrus

[WilhelmJacob]

in German we write Diskus , not Discus ). i give them from my hand till they dont eat it, so ... and they r not eating so slow ) they r quiet fast in comparison with other fishes . Bare Tank is spmthing what i dont like, and looks like " something " only now an aquarium .... wanna be pleasure for me, and its ok if i need to care a bit more then usual. its my 4th Hobby which i really like )) LOVE t first , and work after )

[Paul Sabucchi]

It is a personal choice, keep us updated with developments and hoping you will continue to be an active member on this forum as everyone's contribution (as long as it is respectful and possibly friendly - that is how we like it) is useful

[JamesW]

The only one I'd be concerned about is the turq showing his lateral lines. He looks pinched in the forehead.

Your fish almost certainly won't end up looking like the award winners that some members here grow, but that's OK, that's the trade off for having a lovely planted display tank that you have and I'm sure they look beautiful to you! As an analogy most of us don't spend our life in the gym, pounding protein shakes to get the ideal body, some of us like other hobbies like discus!

Most modern planted tanks with PPS-pro or EI dosing regimens recommended 50% weekly water changes, you probably want to be higher than that especially if you are feeding beefheart.

[eugenefish]

Hi Wilhelm,

Trying to raise young Discus (yup Diskus sounds cooler ) in community planted tank is an uphill battle, a steep one.
The price to pay is some of discus, if not all will be stunted (I learned that first hand.)

- They need a LOT of food to grow properly.
- They poop a LOT... it would be almost impossible to keep up with vacuuming substrate.
- They eat rather slowly... feeding more and other fish will likely be overeating.
- Plants complicate things.
- They need constant "clean" and "fresh" water.

It's not impossible, but as mentioned, it's an uphill battle.

hth,

Cyrus

I can't agree more on these facts about discus Cyrus

Discus especially when they are young, they need warm water (84 to 85 C). With these range of water temperature, your choice of plants that will grow well are very limited. I am very lucky to know these forum and learn by others people mistakes. I end up setup separate tanks for plant tank and discus. Every night after work I am sitting in front of the tanks and enjoy my time with them instead of sitting in front of the computer and asking people for help because my plants are melting down or my fishes are getting sick. I guess I am so luck to have both side of the world.


Here is my plant tank. I only do water change every 10 day and my plants are growing like crazy. Also my shrimps are making babies like crazy.......

P2.jpg

P1.jpg

[Paul Sabucchi]

Totally agree, Multiple Tank Syndrome is a cure and not a disease! That is my excuse and will be putting it forward to the Wife! I might be overdosing with the cure though as I have 5 planted and 4 non planted tanks. BTW Eugene nice greenery!

[LizStreithorst]

Totally agree, Multiple Tank Syndrome is a cure and not a disease! That is my excuse and will be putting it forward to the Wife! I might be overdosing with the cure though as I have 5 planted and 4 non planted tanks. BTW Eugene nice greenery!

Very nice, indeed. I don't have the knack with plants.