Discus are extremely stressed 2 have overactive slime coat

[PumpkinWeevil]

150 gallon tank
Planted
Natural color sand substrate
Black background
86 degrees
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
<15 nitrates (lower after wc)
5 discus, 1 (new) black ghost knife fish, German blue ram pair, 1 bristle nose pleco. I have 12 more small discus in a grow out tank I’ve been growing for about 2 months, I can bring some over if I have to but I’d prefer not to so I can get the max growth out of them
The tank is about 5 months old
60% water changes once a week (not more due to the relatively low stocking)
Prime for my water conditioner and a less than recommended amount of Easy Green are the only things I’m adding into the water.
Using 3 large sponge filters and a (cascade?) canister filter. I got that for free from my uncle when he was tearing down a tank so not exactly sure what it is.
8.2 pH out of tap and 8.2 after a day, I do not age the water. All of my discus except the new one were bred locally then raised in the high pH. All of my discus in this tank are 3”-4”
I feed a wide variety of food. The main ones I feed these guys are xtreme krill flake, NLS pellets, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, freeze dried tubifex worms, and a few other random foods that are for my other tanks (cichlid pellets, vibra bites, etc) All of the foods at most 2-3 months old

I got a new discus and a BGK shipped to me about a week and a half ago. I did 1 round of general cure and aquarium salt at 1 tablespoon per 3 gallons. And acclimated them up to the higher pH(from about 7.6) I didn’t do my normal quarantine regimen because I decided I want to redo the scape in the main tank and figured I would deworm all of the stock in that tank together in a 40 breeder when I redid the main display tank just to insure everyone was healthy.

I added both of the new fish after the first week, at first the new discus was skittish which I figured would be normal the first day. My largest discus (red heckel) was being a bit of a bully so I left the lights off for 2 days. My 2 yellow pigeon bloods started acting a little skittish but I assumed that was just from the red heckel being a bully and figured they’d sort it out.

The new discus started hanging out in the top dark corner of the tank, I increased surface agitation (just turned the air pump running the sponges up to the max) to eliminate that as a problem, checked water parameters and everything was normal. The 2 pigeon bloods joined him half a day later. At this point all the bullying had stopped, everyone had settled down. My blue face red cover was visibly stressed as well.

The red heckel then started acting stressed and hiding more. I decided to remove the BGK in the off chance he was the one causing stress. That was yesterday, I fed frozen brine shrimp and everyone ate it. I got home from work and everyone was still stressed and they were ALL in the top corner. So I did an 80% water change. Woke up and the pigeon bloods are noticeably better (colored up, swimming more) but still didn’t come greet me like they all always do. The red heckel and new discus are both hiding behind a log at the bottom of the tank and appear to have this cotton like stuff on them, it looks like just an overactive slime coat. I haven’t tried feeding yet today.

Most of them still have clamped fins, the new discus has some ragged fins on his underside now.(That showed up yesterday) They’re still pooping and it’s a normal color. I’m hopeful now that the pigeonbloods are acting a bit more normal but I’m still super stressed. What can I do to fix it or help?

[Second Hand Pat]

Sounds like possible cross contamination? Does the slime coat appear to be peeling off. Are you still adding salt. If not try five tablespoons per 10 gallons with lots of good clean water.
Pat

[PumpkinWeevil]

I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s peeling off, it’s still stuck to them.

I have not been doing salt in the display tank since it’s planted. I can definitely take the plants out and do that if I need to.

[Second Hand Pat]

Good idea. Can you post pictures so I can confirm what I think is going on?
Pat

[PumpkinWeevil]

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/4vANMj7

This is the new red turquoise and the red heckel. You can also see the ragged fins on the bottom of the red turquoise, I don’t think it’s too much worse than yesterday

[Second Hand Pat]

Both fish do not appear to be in good health. You might include Furan 2 along with the salt and lots of clean water/tank.
Pat

[PumpkinWeevil]

I’ve got kanamycin on hand, will that work in place of the furan 2?

[Second Hand Pat]

No because kanamycin is internal.

[PumpkinWeevil]

Thank you

[bluelagoon]

Google columnaris bacteria in discus and look at the pics. Yours look similar. It is rash, contagious comes on quick and fish can be dead in a matter of days. Sometimes called plague. If you treat with farun2 also lower temp to 82. Not all fish will come through this infection if that is their disease.

[CliffsDiscus]

Put on a mask, airborne virus when contiguous. This disease stays for the life of the Discus
whenever it's stress it can and will resurface. Heavy salt treatment wiping dead slime on sides and bottom, lower ph and large daily waterchanges. Recovery time usually time estimate 2 weeks depending on Discus health. I used Lysol spray to wipe down my room and bleach all aquarium equiment.

I not a pathologist but I had my shear dealing with this disease since 1987, it's been called
Angel fish disease from Singapore, guppy disease, Discus Plague, black disease.




Cliff

[PumpkinWeevil]

That matches EXACTLY with what’s happening. Thank you so so much!!

[PumpkinWeevil]

Should I be trying to feed the discus? Usually I don’t feed while I’m medicating fish to help keep the water quality up