Mystery disease

[kwamjing]

Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

After 4 weeks in quarantine, and 2 weeks after being added to a community aquarium, one of my new juvenile discus began acting strangely;

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).

Rapidly moving mouth as if having difficulty breathing, occasional tail standing, occasional flashing;

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

No treatments to date as I have no idea what the problem is;


Tank/Water

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

150 gallons net; 5 adult discus (1+ years); 4 juveniles (4 months); 5 corydoras; 15 tetras; 1 bristlenose;


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

50% water change every 2 weeks;


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

18 months, fine gravel substrate 1-2" deep;

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

I do not age my water. pH never varies;

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

Water is not chlorinated;

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 28C

- ph 8.0

- ammonia reading 0

- nitrite reading 0

- nitrate reading 20

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.

- municipal water


10. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.

4 juvenile discus added after 4 weeks quarantine, as stated above;


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.

Mixed granules (4 varieties), freeze dried tubifex (not every day), 2-4 daily;

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.

No visible symptoms other than the behavior described above. Only one fish is/has been affected. All are active and have been eating well.

[LizStreithorst]

50% every two weeks is not nearly enough as evidenced by your high nitrate reading.

[jeep]

I'd like to see a picture or video, but Liz is correct. I would start by upping water changes and a deep cleaning of the tank.

If this were CC I'd think more than one fish would be affected...

[Iminit]

Yeah not enough water changes. For juveniles you should leave then in qt and change 50% of the water daily till at least 4.5-5”. Next 28* is the minimum temp for these fish 29-30 would be better.

[fljones3]

What were your metrics for the quarantine tank? I am assuming the same.
Agree with upping the water changes along with keeping the juvies in a grow out tank until 5 inch.

[kwamjing]

I fail to see the logic of increased water changes. If water quality were an issue it would effect ALL the fish, not just one discus. As was answered in the questionnaire, this tank has been in operation for 18 months with no problems evident with ANY of the fish, including the first batch of juvenile discus added one year ago.

[Second Hand Pat]

I think you should wait until more fish are affected before taking action. How is that for logic. Hi D'bunk.
Pat

[Iminit]

Lol can’t keep away can ya?

[smsimcik]

Hi D'bunk. We all knew we'd see you in the disease section eventually. Lol.

[kwamjing]

I think you should wait until more fish are affected before taking action. How is that for logic. Hi D'bunk.
Pat

Text only communication sometimes leads to misunderstanding given the lack of behavioral context, but this appears to me to be an antagonistic response. Whatever the case may be, given the lack of reasonable responses your suggestion is the logical course of action. I did in fact adopt a wait and see attitude.

It was a huge relief to me to discover the symptomatic discus became completely asymptomatic roughly 24 hours later, no treatment (or water change) required. That discus is now displaying normal activity, color and appetite. Apparently the little guy had a severe case of indigestion. First time I've ever experienced anything like that, so I was slightly panicky.

There's a lesson to be learned here, but given the childish responses, I'm sure it would be ignored.

[Second Hand Pat]

You received excellent advice regarding when a fish seems to be "off". Quite often that advice is to do one or more water changes. Clean water is generally the best "first action" and it is not harmful to the fish. Another helpful option is to add salt to help assist the fish with breathing etc. Also there is generally one fish which is affected first if conditions in the tank are not optimal (like high nitrates). Remember we have seen thousands of issues with fish and have helped many hobbyists with over the years.

As a member you are free to accept the advice or not. You are also free to use the search button on the forum and do your own research. I am happy that your fish is ok.

If you feel my or any responses are "childish". I suggest you review your own posting history and recall I have asked you to treat the membership here with a bit of respect.

[captainandy]

I fail to see the logic of increased water changes. If water quality were an issue it would effect ALL the fish, not just one discus. As was answered in the questionnaire, this tank has been in operation for 18 months with no problems evident with ANY of the fish, including the first batch of juvenile discus added one year ago.

That's because you are inexperienced yet you want to come across as an expert, IMO

[jwcarlson]

150 gallons net; 5 adult discus (1+ years); 4 juveniles (4 months); 5 corydoras; 15 tetras; 1 bristlenose;

How big are your adult discus?

[LizStreithorst]

Just ignore him, folks. If we all ignore him he will go away.

[kwamjing]

Just ignore him, folks. If we all ignore him he will go away.

No worries. I am going away. This forum is nothing more than an echo chamber for people who follow a recipe with no understanding of the relationships among the ingredients. As a wise person once said, only a fool argues with fools. Bye.