Help please

[Rubberducky]

DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE


Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish/when and how they started



Did a 75% WC yesterday, as I do about avery third day. No problems up to this point. Fish seemed rather cautious afterwards. They did eat, but not as voracious as they usually do.



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)



They seemed to be breathing heavy, hiding more than usual, picky about eating. I lost seven lemon tetras and three cardinal tetras. Now the discus are starting to huddle in the top corner of the tank.


3. What medications/ treatments that you have already tried and results. Include dosages and duration of treatment.


I checked my parameters, everything was up to par. I concluded one of two things, I either somehow contaminated the water during the WC, or I'm dealing with micro bubbles.


Tank/Water

4. Tank size and age, number and size of fish


125 gallon w/30 gallon sump. Started with 8 lemon tetras(in this tank for 11 months), 5 cardinal tetras(in this tank for 11 months), 3 coreys(in this tank for 11 months), 3 BNP(in this tank for 11 months), five discus that were added 3 months ago. Discus measure from 4 1/2-5 1/2 inches.


5. Water change regime/ how long has tank been running/ bare bottom or gravel/ do you age your water?


Change 75% every third day, tank has been cycled for 11 months, 1 inch of gravel with 7 fake plants and a rather large piece of driftwood. Water comes straight from the tap(i use prime).



6 Parameters and water source;

- temp 85 degrees

- ph 7.0

- ammonia reading 0

- nitrite reading 0

- nitrate reading 5.0

- well water No

- municipal water Yes

7. Any new fish/plants added recently


Nothing added since the discus three months ago

[Rubberducky]

I did the water change at about 3p yesterday, first tetra died around 10p last night. Others were at the top of the tank breathing heavy and occassionally darting. Fearing I contaminated the water during the WC, I did another 50% WC last night. Woke up to six dead lemon tetras and three dead cardinal tetras. Not sure what to do next. Not sure if the cold snap we are having here in Ohio might have something to do with it. No way to age water, not sure what my next step is.

[cjr8420]

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?102775-A-solution-for-micro-bubbles-for-those-who-cannot-age-their-total-water-volume.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?102727-There-s-Something-(New)-In-The-Water!
best i can come up with

[Rubberducky]

Thank you for the links. I added carbon to my filter to see if that helps. I did another WC this afternoon, changed about 90%. I figure, when in doubt, do a WC. I also took a sample to my LFS this evening. He concurred that my parameters are perfect. Anybody else got any ideas? I believe if I dont figure this out in the next couple of hours, my tank will be wiped out by morning. Discus are starting to lay on their sides at the top.

[PP_GBR]

In the mean time, you could add more air stones in the tank or lower the water level few inches to create oxygen. You could lower the temp a bit and no feeding.

[Rubberducky]

Only lost one cardinal tetra overnight, but none of the fish seem to be doing better.

[Rubberducky]

Still have no clue of what happened. I would like to report that all discus are back to normal. On top of that, my Red Turq and Pigeon blood are now guarding eggs! Hows that for a turnaround.

[sammy]

just wondering if the massive water changes are swinging the ph causing the fish to breathe faster - and stress them out.

[GrayLadyPat]

Still have no clue of what happened. I would like to report that all discus are back to normal. On top of that, my Red Turq and Pigeon blood are now guarding eggs! Hows that for a turnaround.

Yay!

Glad to hear that everythign is working well for you. Are you still running the carbon?