Liz's Contest Thread

[LizStreithorst]

The first pair removed the white eggs as well as quite a few that were not white. I see plenty of fertile eggs still on the cone but even when put one pair of eye glasses over another I couldn't see any tails sticking out of them. Of course the fish know when the eggs start to hatch before I do. They'll either eat them or protect them. I just have to wait and see.

The other fish are on the other end of the tank where a female is spawning. No male has gotten it down for her so the other fish are chowing down on her eggs. It's somewhat disheartening but the tank is full of adult fish. They all have that sexual feeling but the males are being stupid.

I did decide to add salt. I'm hoping that it will soothe them enough to calm down and get it together,

[LizStreithorst]

Good news and bad news. The good news is that peace has been restored. The bad news is that all the eggs are gone,

[Pices]

I’m sorry Liz. I saw your thread at the top and was hoping to see wigglers. Doesn’t it usually take them a few tries before they get it right? Still, I was disappointed and I know you are.
Patty

[LizStreithorst]

I half way expected it, Patty. That female ate eggs when she was with her former husband. It's strange because she raised spawns when she was younger.

I looked at my big lips fish. I'd been concerned about them for days. They just never looked right. I saw no evidence of Velvet but they were dark and never lightened up ever. They shouldn't have velvet because they're Chicago Discus fish. The salt I added with my last WC didn't help at all. I finally gave in and put the 2 in a 29 with Nitrofurazone.

Reading this thread it looks like I toss fish in meds at the drop of a hat. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I know that did right when I treated the first fish that became ill. These recent 2 fish never seemed to get better but never seemed to get worse. They just didn't look right. I hope I did the right thing. I'll know after a day or two.

[LizStreithorst]

It's relaxing to have a tank of content fish where everyone is getting along. I hope it lasts for a while.

[Pices]

My angel tank is peaceful too, but we both know it won’t last.
You know how to listen to your fish so I doubt anyone would think you throw in meds too quickly. Are you treating them for battle wounds?
Im trying to pick your brain on treatments to learn from someone with your experience. The hardest thing for me is trying to find out what the problem is.
Patty

[Jack L]

Liz...one of the best on this board.

[LizStreithorst]

I don't know everything, Patty. I had 1 fish that didn't look right. The swollen lips might have been due to fighting. It could have been dark because it had been fighting. It was also tilting down about 15%. It's not much but it kept not changing. Something had to be wrong. A bit later there was another fish that looked off to me.

I treated the fish which had obvious sympotms with Nitrofurazone and they got better fast. I thought that this new development was most likely due to the same thing. Perhaps they had some immunity but not enough to ward off the bacterial disease. This happened when I had Discus Plague. Angels had been through Angelfish Plague before my time. It's he same herpes virus as Discus Plague. All domestic Angels now have immunity to that virus. My Discus were sitting ducks. When the disease was going hot and heavy the Angels started showing symptoms as well. The difference was that the Angels responded immediately to treatment while the Discus did not. I don't know if this happens with bacterial infections (I bet that since you're a nurse you would know).

At any rate, I decided to use the same treatment on these 2 Discus that didn't look right because it worked with the last 2 that showed obvious symptoms. It seemed to me to be the most obvious thing to do. The fish that was just barely off started looking perfect a few hours after the treatment. The other fish is making progress. She no longer tilting down. Her lips are not nearly as swollen, but she is still darker than she should be. I did the most obvious thing. (Remember, when it looks like a horse it's is usually a horse. It doesn't often turn out to be a zebra.)

[LizStreithorst]

Liz...one of the best on this board.

Thank you, Jack but there are a ton of Discus folks who know more than I. Re-sellers don't like to put their bad experiences out for the world to see. They know but they are concerned that it would reflect badly on them. I'd keep this to myself but when I entered this contest I was committed to tell the full story.

[Pices]

I know you play it down, but Liz you are one of the best. I think we all learn from our failures more than our successes. Hell I just ordered a microscope for crying out loud. You taught me how to sterilize my 75 gal before I put my new discus in it and I’d never done that. Little did either of us know it would eventually be the home of your angels. They are the hungriest healthiest fish I’ve ever had-every bit as healthy as Kenny’s and exceptionally packed. That’s your reputation and you should be proud of your skills. I wished you raised the other fish on my wish list. It would be a lot easier for me.
As far as antibiotics go it is kind of the opposite with humans. Bacteria can build up a resistance to an antibiotic and a stronger one is needed. Maybe you used something stronger or caught it earlier in your angelfish and that’s why they responded quicker. That’s why I ask the question. You spot things quickly before they get out of hand. My current sick discus in your capable hands would’ve been back swimming with her buddies weeks ago.
With humans you have a number of tests that can help find and treat the problem. With fish, we only have other fish keepers.

[LizStreithorst]

All my fish looked perfectly healthy this morning. I'll be introducing the fish that weren't looking right around Wed. of next week. In the contest tank everything is still peaceful. I have some gentle flirting but that's all.

I will not put in a sock of Roobios tea until I decide that there are no other problems that might crop up. The tea seems to get them turned on and I won't be ready for them to get it on until I am sure that all is well. Al thinks that the tea is snake oil. Pat likes it. She was the one who turned me on to it. I see it's effects on the fish with my own eyes. I'm not ready for all that fish sex going on right now.

[LizStreithorst]

I haven't posted in a few days because all was calm. Last yesterday afternoon I re-introduced the 2 fish I was concerned about. Before lights out I noticed my big bully Blue Scorpion looking at the cone but she didn't look very serious about it and there was no fella hanging with her.

Low and behold when I got up this morning she had spawned. She chose her first husband. Now when she's guarding the eggs her husband terrorizes the other fish and when he's guarding she goes on her rampage. Here we go again...

You really can't see the eggs in the pic. but it's the best I could do.

[sanjay21]

Nice that's a pretty pair. Hope they work for you.

[LizStreithorst]

It's the pair that produced by best fish. Since then they have eaten their eggs and wigglers. But if they want to give it another try who am I to say no?

[LizStreithorst]

Mama Bear is putting her foot down. I will remove the bully pair from the 120 thus removing them from the contest. I have other fish in the tank that are shimmying and shaking and pecking at the cone but if they aren't run off from their cone by the bully pair one of the other fish runs them off. The fish need more space. The bully pair are proven egg eaters so they are my choice to remove to another tank

I got a 40 cube ready for them with all fresh clean water. I added a sock or Roobios tea. As soon as the 40 gets up to 82 I'll take the cone and move it, then net the fish and move them. If they happen to have success I'll post about them in another thread.