sick discus?

[MrSkeedle]

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've had an issue with my discus since getting them around 3.5 months ago. i bought them all at size 2.5" but one was definitely bigger and still is now. Ive had so many issues with them, 2 have died. one whirling and just passed out basically and died. the next went really dull and basically did nothing for ages, then it got all its colour back and then just went a bit crazy and floated. Even since then all the others apart from the one large one havent done great. but they all get food and there is chasing but no bullying. Theres not been much time at all where i would say theyve been great. my main issue at the moment is with one who is tiny, skinny, not eating and looks on the edge of death, yet hes been like that for atleast 6 weeks.



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).
as above

3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.
Treated for worms and also used esha 2000 for bacterial issues


Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.
220l now 6 discus some cardinals, sterbai cory and a bristlenose.

5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).
Used to do water changes 50% twice a week but have reduced to like 60% once a week to try to reduce stress on the fish of constantly messing around.

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

Has been running since i got discus plus about a month before that whilst i cycled it. Sand substrate around 1inch

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.
no

8. What type/brand water conditioner do you use? Do you add it to the tank or aging barrel? How much do you use?
seachem prime. fill a water butt and get it to right temp, then add seachem mix wait a while then pump it in.

9. 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 _____ 31c

- ph _____ 6.5

- ammonia reading ____ <0.25ppm

- nitrite reading ____ 0ppm

- nitrate reading ____ Actually a little high at the moment but water change due tomorrow. but kept below 50 always.

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 ____ 100%

- RO water ____


10. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.
n/a. issues since the beginning


11. 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.
started with mussle mix and have been advised over to beefheart. been on this a while now. 3 times a day


12. 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/a/rHqHZFM

[jeep]

I would increase your water changes with aged water to 75% for a few days then to 50% per day, especially in a planted tank. You want nitrates <5.

Read this thread. It's a good description of water changes and why small discus thrive with them... http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...-Are-Important

[BrendanJ23]

From what I have learnt here since being a member, I see a few potential issues:

There could be a PH swing, until tested we don't know.
The temp seems a bit warm, 28-29C would be better.
If these are your first discus, a planted tank with thick substrate is not your friend, especially for young discus who need lots of water changes. There are a lot of us that have bare bottom tanks for good reason and I would highly recommend it.
Beefheart fouls the water quickly and remains will be trapped in the subtrate/hard to reach areas , and with limited water changes this will be creating havoc for your water parameters and fish.
Ammonia should be 0

I would recommend large daily water changes as Brian suggests, and ditch the medications for now. I would also consider dropping the temp gradually to 28-29C. You could add some salt to help with stress in the fish.

[jeep]

From what I have learnt here since being a member, I see a few potential issues:

There could be a PH swing, until tested we don't know.
The temp seems a bit warm, 28-29C would be better.
If these are your first discus, a planted tank with thick substrate is not your friend, especially for young discus who need lots of water changes. There are a lot of us that have bare bottom tanks for good reason and I would highly recommend it.
Beefheart fouls the water quickly and remains will be trapped in the subtrate/hard to reach areas , and with limited water changes this will be creating havoc for your water parameters and fish.
Ammonia should be 0

I would recommend large daily water changes as Brian suggests, and ditch the medications for now. I would also consider dropping the temp gradually to 28-29C. You could add some salt to help with stress in the fish.

[Sturiosoma]

What is the ph of your water change source compared to your tank, and have you forgotten your prime at any time

Jeanne

[Tuterosso]

you have everything, fungus, bacteria itp, take photo of all aquarium