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Thread: Discus scratching and flashing

  1. #1
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    Default Discus scratching and flashing

    Hi all,

    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 recently set up a new 150 gallon and transferred my fish over about 5 days ago. today and yesterday a couple of them have been scratching themselves on the breeding cone. I'm guessing they have gill flukes. I bought new plants from a couple sources.

    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).

    A couple of them just scratching and flashing. They look fine and eat normally.

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

    None yet, but I'm thinking of treating them with prazipro

    Tank/Water

    4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

    150 gallon. 10sih days old ( I transferred old hob to new tank while the 2 new fx6s acquire bacteria) 6 adult discus and 5 juvies (3-4inchs)

    5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

    planning on 1/3 once a week. (fish were added on Friday, tank is understocked and overfiltered at the moment, will increase when larger bioload)

    6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?
    10ish days. planted with pool filter sand

    7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.
    No, was .1 when i checked in early summer

    8. What type/brand water conditioner do you use? Do you add it to the tank or aging barrel? How much do you use?

    prime, add to tank before adding new water. I usually use 1.5x the dose

    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 ___83__

    - ph __7.8___

    - ammonia reading __0__

    - nitrite reading _0___

    - nitrate reading __5ppm__

    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.
    plants from several different sources thinking this is the culprit

    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.
    tetra color granules, live black worms, frozen beef heart. 3-5 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/gallery/4HkmtIC hopefully link works



    I've had one of my discus do this in the past but I believe this was a nitrate issue. I hadn't changed the water in about a week and nitrates were high. After water change, the issue subsided.
    So far they look healthy and their gills look fine, but maybe I am just catching the issue early on. Does it seem like it would be gill flukes? Yesterday it was only one of them doing this, but today I've seen at least 3 of them scratching themselves. Should I start treating with prazi? I also have metro on hand.

    Thank you, Rob

  2. #2
    Registered Member BrendanJ23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Hi Rob,

    First approach would be to increase water changes and note any changes in behavior. Failing that then I would possibly look at medication.
    21 Discus, 7 Green Tree Frogs, 3 Eastern Dwarf Tree frogs, 1 Coastal Carpet Python,6 sawshelled/Murray river turtles, 2 dogs, a cat, 2 kids and a wife. Phew...what a mouthful


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  3. #3
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Hi Rob, I would also suggest increasing your water changes, especially if there is a mini-cycle. Aging your water may help also.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  4. #4
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Thanks Pat and Brendan, I’ll do 25% water changes daily for a week or two

  5. #5
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Quote Originally Posted by RGDiscus View Post
    Thanks Pat and Brendan, I’ll do 25% water changes daily for a week or two
    Hi Robert, I would do a larger percentage WC if possible.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  6. #6
    Registered Member BrendanJ23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Yes to gain any noticeable affect, larger the better. I’d shoot for 50% daily for a few weeks and see how you go.
    21 Discus, 7 Green Tree Frogs, 3 Eastern Dwarf Tree frogs, 1 Coastal Carpet Python,6 sawshelled/Murray river turtles, 2 dogs, a cat, 2 kids and a wife. Phew...what a mouthful


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Hi guys, I’ve been doing 50% daily water change since posting. There has not been any improvement. Even more fish have started scratching their gills recently. The fish still look and behave healthy other than this. Should I just keep on only doing water changes or time to start adding meds? What meds should I get? I currently only have metro and general cure, but can order other meds today, or go to the store and buy some. I was thinking stocking up on PP, erythromycin, and parzi.

    Thanks for all the help so far.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Treat the entire tank with PraziPro 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons. I had a fish scratching all week. I added the PraziPro yesterday. He is not scratching today. I also had Methylene Blue mixed as well. The Methylene Blue did not work on its own which is why I added the PraziPro.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    That’s great to hear! Are you using the Hikari prazipro?

  10. #10
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Hey Robert, try heavy salt before meds.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  11. #11
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    One tablespoon per gallon would not be too much.

  12. #12
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    Default Re: Discus scratching and flashing

    Just wanted to say, thank you everyone. The fish are doing much better now and no signs of illness. I first increased water changes, but that didn't seem to help so I moved on to treat the whole tank with prazipro. I dosed them 3 times 4-5 days apart and all the fish are nice and healthy now. I skipped out on the salt treatment as I have a bunch of plants. I even have 2 pair fighting over the breeding cone.

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