White "Pimples" and "Strands"

[JordanT]

Note: Apologies if I have double posted. It appears that my previous post was not posted.

Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

I have 6 large discus fishes, with all 6 of them either having white "pimples" or "strands" on their bodies/fins.

All 6 of them are still eating well. And they have been pecking at each other.

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).

White "pimples" and "strands"

3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

I have added 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt and changed 80% of the water today. I intend to change 50% of the water for the next few days, adding a tablespoon of salt everyday.

I am doing these based on the assumption that my fishes are suffering from the same issue in http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...IG-white-spots. However, as I am not 100% sure it is the same issue, I am posting to find out more.

Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.
3ft, 1 month, 6 discus fishes, 6 large ones.

5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).
40-50%, 2 times a week

6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?
1 month, bare bottom

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.
No. These fishes came from a breeder that did daily water changes with tap water and Seachem Safe (I'm from Singapore).

8. Parameters and water source;

Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.


- temp _____

- ph _____

- ammonia reading ____

- nitrite reading ____

- nitrate reading ____

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

- well water ____

- municipal water ____

- RO water ____


9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.
No

10. Please tell us what you feed your fish and how often. This can be critical information for solving the problem so be as specific as you can.
Pork Heart Mix, 2 - 3 times a day.


11. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.

https://imgur.com/eRknGKH

https://imgur.com/c6edj1W

https://imgur.com/HicAzAk

https://imgur.com/IV9TL7t

Thank you so much for your help.

[Keith Perkins]

My immediate thought when viewing the pictures was that it's exactly what you referred to in the other thread. I would focus on the post by pcsb23, as Paul is one of the most knowledgeable discus keepers anywhere.

[JordanT]

My immediate thought when viewing the pictures was that it's exactly what you referred to in the other thread. I would focus on the post by pcsb23, as Paul is one of the most knowledgeable discus keepers anywhere.

Hmmm, I'm not entirely sure if it's exactly the same as the other thread only featured "pimples" and not the "strands" of white.

In any case, I do hope that Paul is right. I've just received a reply from the breeder, who suggested that it might be an external parasite. However, I would like to seek a second opinion, as the symptoms do appear largely similar to the other thread.

[Second Hand Pat]

I am 99.99 % sure this is not a parasite so no need to isolate imo/e.

Skip is half right Increased water changes will often fix this type of issue as the new water will usually contain essential trace elements and minerals. The pimples look to be the typical cartilaginous matter that gets pushed out when the discus' diet is imbalanced. I've seen this in BB tanks which get daily large water changes too, when their diet is poor. Usually a lack of phosphorous and/or calcium and/or vitamin D - the reason I mentioned trace elements is that these are essential to allow the fish to metabolise the various minerals etc.

So, increase frequency or amount of water changed and improve the diet and it should go away.

If he has planaria then his husbandry is lacking, usually too much uneaten food and/or organic matter in the tank.

Here is what Paul recommends for reference.

[JordanT]

Hi all,

Just an update, after daily water changes of around 50%, most of these white "strands" and "pimples" have disappeared.

However, one of the fishes have developed a cloudy eye and its body has turned dark. He/she has been hiding at the back of tank.

https://imgur.com/fufBmHx