Newby with health concerns

[ericl11]

First post. I was about to post a week ago when reading through the health forum on what to have available for common issues that may arise. I have 7 discus in a 75 gal show community tank have been doing 3 day 50% wc for the last 2-3 month (I use to do this weekly before I came across this forum). I noticed one of my discus acting different about 2 days ago, hanging out in corner, not eating as agressively and twitching/leaning etc (it usually is my most aggressive/dominant). I've been watching it and noticed white poo trailing. Didn't appear slimy nor obviously segmented although one seemed kinked. Another had white poo trailing this am but all the others seemed OK. They don't seem to trail/hang very long and they are passing it. Diet is varied and is mostly Sera granules and FBW with occassional flakes and frozen mysis. They all ate FBW this am, but again the effacted fish not as agressive.

I searched the forums and found quite a few of these types of posts. I just needed some detailed steps on how to correctly diagnose the problem and take care of my first issue. What is my window of oppotunity in taking care of this before something drastic happens?

[ShinShin]

It sounds to me that your discus have become stressed, and the ever oppurtunistic intestinal protozoans ahve taken control. Follow the metro protocal you will find here. But even more importantly, find the stressor.

You have a community tank. What aggressive fish might you have? Gravel? UG filtration? Water chemistry and parameters? Where is your tank located? High traffic area? Kids tapping on glass,? Etc, etc., etc..

Mat

[ericl11]

Thanks. Is this contagious and all are now expected to get it or will it just be the stressed fish?

I keep water temp at 84, PH avg 7 but fluctuates between 6.8 to 7.4. dKH 40. They are in with tetras 12, rasbora 3, cories 7, flying foxes 4 and 2 olive snails but never interact with any of them. These aren't new. substrate is river gravel purchased from LFS and has been in for quite a while. I have a marineland canister as a filter.

I've observed all day and the one I was most worried about seems to be much better. Back to eating agressively and not acting strange but now another is starting. Is this something that can pass on it's own or do I treat?

The only recent changes that would be any different than the usual stressors would be a change in landscape (removed some fake plants, no additions) and doing WC and vacuuming gravel much more often changed a heater (was having trouble keeping at 84 without being at max on old heater). Could it be because I'm in the tank more often?

[ShinShin]

Fecal matter probabally passes more parasites from discus to discus than anything else. Gravel traps this matter. Gravel will also be a substrate for anaerobic bacteria to cononize with all the dead spots in your set-up. Stirring this all up doesn't help the situation much either. This is why most experienced discus keepers perfer bare bottom tanks. Easier tank maintainance is only a bonus.

Mat