Stressed fish questions

[HappyFace]

If you have a new discus laying at the bottom of the tank and a cory scuttles all over it like they're scavenging food, will it hurt the discus?

New discus were doing good day 1. Day 2 I decided to cull 3 adult low quality discus, 1 angel and 2 geophagus. The net freaked everyone out so bad all the new babies have clamped fins, laying at bottom of tank overflow box. Most of the adults are also unhappy, some with clamped fins but all are still feeding, not as good as yesterday though. A few babies have come around a bit but they're not eating much. Sometimes they'll eat and act normal then go back to laying next to the overflow. I've watched 2 babies laying down and eat as the food floats by them. Everyone refuses to hand feed now. They hate me.

No more Geos to clean up all the leftovers. They are feeding wishy-washy. Yesterday an hour after I culled they ate 8 blood worm cubes in their afternoon feeding. Today I fed 6 blood worm cubes at the same time and at least 4 bloodworms total were all over the floor uneaten. I have to get the excess out (suction, net or blowout) which freaks them out more. The vicious cycle repeats itself.

I wonder if the geos helped increase their appetite with their non stop feeding frenzies? I'm regretting culling since everyone was doing so good yesterday before I culled.

I plan to feed 1/2 black worm cube two times a day pre-soaked and spread out since the babies stick to the bottom and I want them to eat. Does this sound like a good plan? If they get more voracious maybe feed a little more or add a 3rd feeding?

I want to avoid having to clear out excess food since it's stressing them out so bad.

[HappyFace]

I thought I'd include before and after culling pictures of my stressed discus.

[sanjay21]

I thought I'd include before and after culling pictures of my stressed discus.

I'm sure by culling alone the rest of the batch cannot stress to that point.

Have you checked on the water parameters ?what are the readings ? When discus are really stressed I do major water change, lower the lights and add Aquarium salt.
Also you mentioned about introducing new Discus. Have you quarantined them ?

[HappyFace]

I would agree with you except that they were so stressed while I was netting the ones I wanted to cull and then after they were devastated. It was as if I set off a bomb in the tank during and after the culling. The water parameters are perfect. I will add salt to the tank right now. I do 80% water change a day the tank is at 86 degrees. I did not quarantine. I know I should quarantine but I wasn't able to. I know this adds one more stress to the mix but I can say they were doing great after their delivery for an entire day they did excellent it was only while I was netting the ones I wanted to cull and immediately after that they freaked out and haven't gotten over it especially since I've had to keep suctioning and netting waste food which freaks them out again.

When I had my first batch of discus I used to constantly net and suction the tank several times a day and I had to push the discus away because they just wanted to be near my hand but these guys are different. The geophagus always clean the tank so that I never had to use suction, nets or blowout anymore. The new guys weren't used to me putting nets or suction into tank.

[HappyFace]

When I went back in the room 2 of the babies had their fins erect for the first time since the culling. 4 babies were swimming with the big guys. I salted the tank to 2.7PPT.

I'm using expensive aquarium salt. I heard that you can use water softener salt in 40# bags for around $5.*Does anyone use this? I only have about 4-5 days worth of salt left, thinking of getting something less expensive.

[HappyFace]

Parameters same as always. I've been checking daily since adding new discus.

[HappyFace]

It's only the new fish that are clamped right now. The big pink butterfly and the babies.

[HappyFace]

I'm reading about other people's stressed fish. Most are due to bad water or disease, bacterial bloom. It sounds like lots of little things can stress them out too. My guys suffer with a double sided aquarium in the middle of the room, uncovered French doors where they see birds fly around outside and me and my son and dog walk by all day casting shadows. Think of the brightest room you can imagine- that's what my room is like all day (white tank in a white room, no window coverings), nowhere to hide and their lights are on until 10pm.

[HappyFace]

Adding salt and not feeding helped. I didn't feed for 7 hours, went to run errands. Nobody was next to the overflow when I got home. They were ravenous. The adults hand fed, babies attacked a cube on the side. A few of the babies still have equilibrium problem and all have clamped fins but they all ate a total of 1.5 black worms cubes, no waste.

[HappyFace]

Someone like me might look up "stressed fish" and come read this thread and wonder what happened if I stop posting so I will use it like a blog and give updates. Here are pictures tonight before and during feeding. All clamped fin fish are 2 days in the tank or less, still have equilibrium problems but ate good tonight and are moving around the tank, no longer laying on the floor. Funny how they are super round/tall with their fins erect. When their fins are clamped most of them are kind of kite shaped.

[adrian31@outlook.com]

When I went back in the room 2 of the babies had their fins erect for the first time since the culling. 4 babies were swimming with the big guys. I salted the tank to 2.7PPT.

I'm using expensive aquarium salt. I heard that you can use water softener salt in 40# bags for around $5.*Does anyone use this? I only have about 4-5 days worth of salt left, thinking of getting something less expensive.

Use 'Kosher Salt' from the supermarket, which is perfect.

[Kyla]

If you are worried they have high stress levels you could leave the tank lights off for a couple days and put up some sort of sheets on some of the tank walls while they adjust to the new environment.

[HappyFace]

Use 'Kosher Salt' from the supermarket, which is perfect.

Thank you Kenny.

If you are worried they have high stress levels you could leave the tank lights off for a couple days and put up some sort of sheets on some of the tank walls while they adjust to the new environment.

Thank you Kyla. I will try that if they don't turnaround by this afternoon.

[HappyFace]

I had the tank at 88 degrees but my Finnex 800watt heater went out yesterday. I have two 300 watt backup heaters in the sump and I added a new 300 watt spare and together the 3 heaters only keep the tank at 86 degrees (despite being set at 90 degrees). Should I add another spare heater to bring it back up to 88?

[Kyla]

I can't comment on this. I keep my tank between 82-84 F typically.