Gills inflamed on brand new discus fish! :(

[ElleisaS]

Hi all,

Sorry if this has already been asked before :S

We have recently bought 2 new discus fish, just from a local lady who was changing her tank to marine tank, and was thus selling them off. They were all good in her tank, swimming around, eating some blood worm, all good. We took them home in a bucket and started slowly changing their water over to ours. We then noticed that they weren't too happy and one of them had inflamed gills. The only colouration seems to be a darker brown oval on their gills (will try to post pics). They're currently in a hospital tank, bare bottom.

This is the thingy I filled in of yours:
Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish/when and how they started:
Inflamed gills, brand new fish, only an hour or so after bringing them home.





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)

Slight discolouration (brown) on their gills, they seem bigger or more 'outy' then our other discus's. They're not swimming around, not doing anything really than just sitting there. Occasionally they swim a little bit. They tilt down ever so slightly, but that might just be how they sit?




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

Used melafix for the past couple of days.
50% water changes daily.



Tank/Water

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

25L hospital tank with 2 middle-sized discus (about 10-12cm). Newly filled tank with water from our main, healthy tank.


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

50% daily water changes since putting them in there. Been running since we got the fish (a few days ago), but filled with water from our main tank, and using filter that have been running in other tanks. Bare bottom. Using normal Prime dosage.

6 Parameters and water source;

- temp _ 28 C

- ph _ 7.6 (please don't hate, but this is what all our discus are at, even the healthy ones!)

- ammonia reading _ 0-0.25

- nitrite reading _ Yesterday: 0, Today: 0.25-0.5 (extra dosages of Prime used)

- nitrate reading _ 0

- well water _ No

- municipal water _ Yes.

Attempting to add pics:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g9s7qeCrp4YgEai7SIPvFIY2jqKqz6j6hP-VWAR6QLg/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AK-IZwCEY9LtkuggkmE5Pb0nzDtbQEx-D1IDgLFkBlI/edit?usp=sharing


Please help!!!

[troysdiiscus]

Why did you use melaflix?? Nitrite readings are high...IMO I would stop using Melaflix and start with 100% WC..there are alot more experienced people on here that can help out. Welcome to the forum. Do you have good air flow in the tank? And why did you use water from your main tank??

[Chicago Discus]

Elleisa,
Welcome to Simply discus. What kind of filter to you have going in the tank?
Do you have enough air?
Sounds like your doing great with the water changes, Just wondering if you are aging your water?

[ElleisaS]

Why did you use melaflix?? Nitrite readings are high...IMO I would stop using Melaflix and start with 100% WC..there are alot more experienced people on here that can help out. Welcome to the forum. Do you have good air flow in the tank? And why did you use water from your main tank??
Melafix treats bacterial infections - It's one of the few medications you can actually buy where I live :/ - to me it seems a bacterial infection? doesn't look fungal...
Air flow is plenty for the tank - (400L/hr pump on low setting) - running my aged sponge filter.
I used some water from the main tank at first as it could have good bacteria.... I know that's not true, I've change to fresh (dechlorined) water changes from tonight.


Elleisa,
Welcome to Simply discus. What kind of filter to you have going in the tank?
Do you have enough air?
Sounds like your doing great with the water changes, Just wondering if you are aging your water?
I don't 'age' my water, my knowledge is that's the alternative to using Prime (or similar dechlorinator)


Thanks guys!

[PP_GBR]

E

IME, no matter what you are treating for, fungal or bacterial, Melafix must be use with its sister, Pimafix. Do large WC and add 2 tablespoon aquarium salt per 10 gallon and keep the light off. Stop dosing melafix.

[ElleisaS]

E

IME, no matter what you are treating for, fungal or bacterial, Melafix must be use with its sister, Pimafix. Do large WC and add 2 tablespoon aquarium salt per 10 gallon and keep the light off. Stop dosing melafix.
I have primafix too, should I dose with both?
I have aquarium salt - however whenever I've used it in the past (when recommended, slowly worked up concentration) - fish have died in the hour, so I'm naturally not a fan....

Attempting to add pictures again:
https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ec2d6ff4e2&view=att&th=13e322225cc93c66&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_-fQQywMdCgxM6CT84vKwN&sadet=1366641105525&sads=RpHGKhlM_Zy8Mo8qtYy2hSa7lug&sadssc=1
https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ec2d6ff4e2&view=att&th=13e322225cc93c66&attid=0.2&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_-fQQywMdCgxM6CT84vKwN&sadet=1366641107995&sads=ckvHDX79Fmd-b8SAwZpV8OSw4mg

so I either use Primefix and Melafix; Or I change to aquarium salt?

[PP_GBR]

E:

How much salt did you use that killed your fish? You do not have enough posts for pix yet. Keep posting.

[ElleisaS]

E:

How much salt did you use that killed your fish? You do not have enough posts for pix yet. Keep posting.

I used the recommended amount, i think it was 1 tablespoon for that tank - about 2/10gal.

To an earlier query: the QT tank has a small HOB filter ( with large biosponge and ceramic rings. I removed the carbon) it also has a sponge filter ~8x8cm connected to a 400Lph air pump on low setting.

[ElleisaS]

Attempt at pic

https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/x/1bha82ahpl2lr-/?view=att&th=13e322225cc93c66&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_-fQQywMdCgxM6CT84vKwN&sadet=1366642780929&sads=9yTp3TYdUEmxMa_5ZAmy4v91Skg&f=1

[PP_GBR]

I don't think the salt kill your fish. Hold off the salt then. Wait for for other advices. I have the same set up in my QT tank. Are your new fish leopard strain?

[Skip]

you should have NO Ammonia..

[Chad Hughes]

If you are using prime, you'll have to take the water parameter readings 24 hours AFTER adding prime. If after 24 hours you still have any ammonia or nitrite readings, you have an uncycled filter.

The only parameter that may (should) show in a cycled tank is nitrate.

[strawberryblonde]

Hi there,

Could you verify for me the tank size is actually 25L and not gallons? Just checking to be sure that I'm reading that correctly.

If it's liters instead of gallons you have 2 adult size discus in a 6 gallon tank. That's severely overcrowded and would account for the rise in nitrites, which does cause something that's commonly called brown gill disease.

I'm glad that you figured out that using tank water from your other tank does nothing beneficial and only ends up adding dirty water to the tank.

As soon as you can post a picture so that we can see the gills on the affected discus we'll know if your fish are suffering from nitrite poisoning.

[ElleisaS]

I don't think the salt kill your fish. Hold off the salt then. Wait for for other advices. I have the same set up in my QT tank. Are your new fish leopard strain?
no, the main sick one is a chequered pigeon blood, they other is a blue.... (cobalt? - I don't quite remember, but it's not a leopard)


Hi there,
Could you verify for me the tank size is actually 25L and not gallons? Just checking to be sure that I'm reading that correctly.
If it's liters instead of gallons you have 2 adult size discus in a 6 gallon tank. That's severely overcrowded and would account for the rise in nitrites, which does cause something that's commonly called brown gill disease.
I'm glad that you figured out that using tank water from your other tank does nothing beneficial and only ends up adding dirty water to the tank.
As soon as you can post a picture so that we can see the gills on the affected discus we'll know if your fish are suffering from nitrite poisoning.
It is 25L, ~6.6US Gal. - yes it's too small for fish to live in permanently, it is just for sick fish, requires less meds to get the concentration. I thought everyone had a little QT tank.



Can someone please confirm they can see this picture? - on my computer - my third post has pictures in it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/w6x1ie5g4v9b9r4/20130422_224546_resized.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4jlifx9gz2g8ovo/20130422_224617.jpg

I can also send anyone a photo, just PM me your email address.

Thanks guys

[a volar]

Obviously in a 6 gal tank things can change dramatically fast and not for good...... so first move them to a bigger tank and keep the big daily water changes using PRIME, let see what happens in few more days.

[ElleisaS]

Obviously in a 6 gal tank things can change dramatically fast and not for good...... so first move them to a bigger tank and keep the big daily water changes using PRIME, let see what happens in few more days.
Unfortunately this is the only spare tank available.

today:
Ammonia: 0-0.25 slight drop over night
NitrIte: 0-0.25 Drop over night

I will continue the WC, about 30-50% 2-3 times daily.

[strawberryblonde]

If you don't have another tank, do you have a rubbermaid type bucket or tub that you can put them in? If you have to buy one, they are cheaper than buying a larger tank, and they work perfectly well.

We had someone else just recently who purchased 2 rubbermaid tubs for her QT of sick discus. The larger volume of water will stabilize the parameters and with large daily water changes you should be able to control the ammonia and nitrites in the tank.

[ElleisaS]

Ok, progress update,
yesterday the discus was looking almost better.
Today it is pretty bad again.

I have moved them to a 85L (22US gal) tank I've borrowed.

I have added a 2nd sponge filter (same) and re-added the activated carbon to my small HOB filter (since I am no longer using melafix)

I have been keeping up 30-70% WC 2-3 times daily

[Skip]

define BAD AGAIN

[ElleisaS]

define BAD AGAIN
sorry, Bad again as in - like the pictures I posted - quite red gills, quite inflamed - visually obvious that the fish is unwell.

Good meaning - looking like a healthy fish - gills not inflamed gills not abnormally red.

The fish is looking quite good today - gills are less red, less inflamed - it appears to be mainly breathing out of one gill though.