Discus with white cottony growth and white stringly feces - Please Help!!!

[Tanja]

Thank you Brian. It seems the move to the quarantine tank really stressed them out... I tried to be gentle with a net but they kept splashing and I think the fins got damaged in the process. How long should I wait before I move them back? I took the gravel out of the main tank yesterday and I'm in the process of cleaning and replacing everything, maybe not the filter media though or I'll lose my cycle? What do you think?

[jeep]

I suspect that stress is the issue with it leaning over. If you see no change after doing a 50% then I would return to normal dosage. I would stay on your present course for at least the full 10-12 days. In their weakened state, moving too soon could could create even more stress. Since you've removed the plants and gravel, you could re-treat the main tank if needed.

[Tanja]

Thank you so much Brian. Do you think it would be a good idea to treat the main tank with something like potassium permanganate before moving the fish back in?

[jeep]

I think this would be the perfect time to do this. I would also bleach the entire exterior as well. You can't be too cautious!

[Tanja]

I agree that sounds like a very good idea. My only worry is that it's got to be stressful for them to be in an uncycled tank that long... I've been doing 75% water changes in their tank now twice daily because ammonia keeps rising.

[jeep]

If that's the case, you may want to consider moving them into the main tank after you sterilize it and age the new water. Just remember sterilize your old filter media as well. You will still have an uncycled tank but with the larger volume you should be able to keep the ammonia in check with water changes.

[jeep]

Al recommended to double check the amount of salt you're using which is a good point. Depending on the type or coarseness of the salt, you can accidentally use too much. If you do the water change without replacing the salt, you should know very quickly if this is the case...

[Tanja]

I think I may have made a mistake in administering the salt. I hammered the salt crystals into smaller pieces so that I could measure them and then I just dumped them into the tank. It was taking longer than I realized to dissolve... and it was eaten. Only one of them has external issues now though and even his fins are healing. The one that was leaning down does it still but typically only when he's trying to eat something or when the others are close to him.

So I will bleach everything then, how long after that is it safe to add fish into the tank? I would also like to keep some plants that were attached to rocks. I wonder how long I should keep the plants separated to make sure they won't be carrying a parasite?...

[jeep]

I would run PP through everything that's going back into the tank, especially the plants. You will have to search the internet for that procedure unless it's here somewhere. I've never done it, but plants should always be PP'd anyway, just as all discus need to be QT'd.

Discus eating salt is not a bad thing. It's actually pretty common.

It sounds like you are already seeing some improvement. You did a lot of work and it's paying off. Nice!!

[Tanja]

Yes it's been a lot of hard work! I wonder how long I should soak/rinse the media etc. after the bleach treatment? The smell is there a little bit no matter how hard I try.

[jeep]

If the smell is there, the bleach is there. Rinse, rinse, rinse...

[Tanja]

Enough time spent with the bleach... I decided to go with all new driftwood and media LoL. Meanwhile the hospital tank is now able to keep ammonia at 0 for the 12 hrs after each water change. I kind of feel like I should still tret them with something... or maybe continue the salt treatment? It's been 4 days. I saw some colorless feces in the tank today. Or could it be the salt now giving them diarrhea? Otherwise they seem pretty healthy.

[jeep]

I would keep up with the salt for the full course and time. Can you give us a recent photo?

[danotaylor]

Regular salt shouldn't give them diarrhea, Epsom salt could as it has a laxative effect and is good for intestinal blockages in bloated fish, but it doesn't adversely affect (kill) bacteria

[Tanja]

Will do. First one is the guy who had white growth in his nose.