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Thread: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

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    Default Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    All,

    I've had these Discus for over 5 years. It's only a 30 gal. tank with water changes of 30% every 3 days, but I've done my best to keep them healthy. Now I fear that I simply don't have the skills to keep them healthy.

    Water Quality....PH - 6.5, Water Hardness 109, Water Temp 86. Ammonia 0, Nitrates ). Yet, my Discus have really inflamed gills and white stuff but it doesn't look like flukes or a parasite to me.

    I've attached pictures, please help. The medications I've tried exactly as prescribed on the packages are....Melafix (Active Ingredient Melaleuca), Pimaflex (Active Ingrediant Pimenta racemosa), Metronidazole. I tried a salt bath on one fish as I saw recommended on this website at 2 tbs per gallon but it simply killed on of my Discus.

    I'm sorry if I sound like someone who doesn't know how to take care of these beautiful fish but I'm really trying. It's a specialty tank with on Discus and a small school of Neon Tetra's.

    Regards,
    Mark

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    My camara wont take a picture with such low res. I will send to anyone who wants to see. Thanks again.

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    Registered Member Moon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Mark
    Give us some information about your set up. How many fish, size, BB or gravel etc.
    I would not use melafix and primafix. They don't work. You really need to identify what is wrong with your fish. Give us some of the symptoms. If it's gill flukes their gills will be extended or only one gill will be working. The fish will be flashing or rubbibg against objects in the tank.
    I might also add that your tank is too small and WC every third day may not be adequate.

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    Registered Member pcsb23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Hello Mark,

    From what you describe it sounds as though they may have either a bacterial or parasitic infection (even both).

    Before we diagnose or suggest treatment send me the pics and I'll re-size them and post them up. I've pm'd you my email addy.
    Paul

    Comfortably numb.

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    I'm sorry for not enough detail. Not sure what give us your "BB" means but I have 3 Discus in a 30 Gal. tank. Gave the rest of the specs, pls let me know if you need more info

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    Registered Member pcsb23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    BB means bare bottom, and we're talking about the tank as in no substrate
    Paul

    Comfortably numb.

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Both gills are working, though inflamed, but sometimes they clamp their fins. It also appears a secondary infection is occurring as I see some fin rot and some white fuzz on them.

    My 1st thought is water quality so a couple days ago I moved them to a 10 gallon tank and completely cleaned the 30 gallon before transferring them back. I use reverse osmosis water (ends up 30 on my TDS meter) for all the changes and then put Kents's Discus Essentials and Kent Liquid R/O right at the prescribed amount for Discus leaving the tank at about 150 TDS and 6.5 PH at a water temp of 86.

    Thanks again. I'm embarrassed that I dont know how to keep these beautiful fish alive. I thought about giving this up but there's no fish stores suited to take care of them properly around where I live so its up to me to be a good parent.

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Not BB but a very thin layer of gravel for aesthetic reasons. I thought you'd want some gravel to develop a bacteria colony as these fish seem to be very messy. BTW, I use a Marineland Penguin 150 with the bio wheel and also use no carbon. Remove the carbon given the info I heard about HTH disease.

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Also use a U/V light for the tank though its been off while I've tried to medicate

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Is there something else I need to provide to get some feedback? It seems like every hour counts and the sooner I have this diagnosed, the better for the Discus.

  11. #11

    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    I'm no expert, but I would bring the temperature down to 82F slowly in order to use F&MG (QuickCure or Rid-Ich) to treat for parasites. Lights off and add extra aeration because the medication will deplete oxygen levels.
    Follow med instructions before second dose and perform a 25% water change after 24hrs before a second dose.

    I would pick up some Furan-2 to use later in a day or two after F&MG treatment. This will help with bacterial such as fin rot.

    Eddie or Paul will probably jump in to assist or advise better, but this would be my approach.

    Can you post pictures or send them to Paul or myself and one of us will post them to this thread.
    Last edited by David Rose; 12-21-2009 at 09:20 PM.

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Thanks David, I really appreciate you offer to help, Pictures sent as requested! Merry Christmas

  13. #13

    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Last edited by David Rose; 12-21-2009 at 09:26 PM.

  14. #14

    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Hi Mark,

    There is a questionnaire that we often use on Simply Discus that will help us understand your situation such as Moon suggested above. Here is the link to it: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=38545 .

    Often times there can be numerous issues causing illness and completing this questionnaire provides much of the detail needed to help. Please complete and copy/paste it into this thread when you have a chance.

    Best of luck... if you need me to post any more pictures, feel free to email me and I'll post them right away.

    Regards,
    David

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    Default Re: Please Help. Discus have inflamed Gills. Parasites?

    Thanks David,

    F&MG (QuickCure or Rid-Ich)...where can I get that? I've noticed now some stinging white stuff hanging off the Discus.

    Here's what I have in my medical inventory.....

    1. Metronidazole
    2. Dewormer (Piperazine)
    3. Pimafix (Active Ingredient Pimenta racemosa) Fungus
    4. Melafix (Active Ingredient Melaleuca) Bacteria

    See previous for water PH, hardness, etc...

    Best regards,
    Mark

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