Discus scratching

[wildy]

My discus are scratching all the time and some times shaking there heads and look stressed ,what do u think is wrong?????

[Carol_Roberts]

Check ammonia readings. If elevated do a water change now. If ammonia is zero, do a water change and buy formalin or fluke tabs and I will tell you how to use one or the other.

[fcdiscus]

Tell us your WC schedule and what is exactly in your tank, plese. Frank

[wildy]

I change between 1/5 and 1/4 twice weekly purified tap water, my readings are ok....
I have a planted tank with neons ,bristlenose, clowns,ottos,rams , pistos and 10 discus between 3 and 5 ", i have just replanted and silly me didnt bleach the new plants, so im frightened i may have brought in a nasty another thing is the water has had alot of debris in it as ive just cleaned my externals and its taking a while to clear will this cause scrathing??

[fcdiscus]

I have found any Discus kept under the conditions you describe, with all those other fish and minimal WCs will have similar problems to what you are describing. Discus need pretty pristine conditions to thrive. Frank

[Carol_Roberts]

Discus are different than other tropical fish. They need a very clean enviornment to stay healthy. This not only means clean water, but a clean tank and clean filters.

If you are serious about discus you will need to have a bare tank to use as a growout or hospital tank. Save the planted display community tank for healthy adults. Even adults may need a break back in the bare bottom tank from time to time.

Your plants may well have brought in parasites. Formalin or fluke tabs may help, but in the long term you may well continue to have problems.

[wildy]

What water change system do you recommend, daily...

[Carol_Roberts]

I change 30 - 50% daily in my barebottom tanks. 30% for adult pairs in 29 gallon tanks. 50% for juveniles growing out in 55 gallon tanks.

[wildy]

My tank is 198 us gallon do i still need to change so much, im changing about 75 gallon a week....Or does tank size not matter just the oercentage of water changed...

[Carol_Roberts]

It depends on how many and what size of discus. If two discus your water changes are fine . . . . If 22 discus you need to change more