Sick Discus

[ct3737]

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Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and haven't posted much on here. Seems there is a lot of people here willing to help. I have kept discus for over a year and I am pretty good at keeping them in the right stable conditions. Yesterday on my 90G I have 8 Discus and 4 of them were hanging out at the top back by my filter. I found this strange as they usually stay active and near the front. They would come down when I came to feed them and then go right back up.

Today it seems they are more stressed and are coated in a white fuzz, they are still eating but they are hanging out in the corner. One blue one has turned black and they all have clamped fins and only come out to eat.

I have raised the temperature to 90d and cut the lights out. I also added some salt as I was thought this would help them. I had to use it before and seemed to help them. I have not changed anything in the tank for a month, so I am picking my brain as to what it could be. I have heard there is a velvet disease but do not know how to treat it.

Parameters:
90G Planted Tank
90 Degree temp
PH 6.1
Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonio: 0ppm
Recent Changes None
8 Discus, 10 otos,
WC/ 50% everyother day. Sometimes daily. I did a change today before adding salt.

Can someone help me please? I am going to try to attach a photo if I can here also.

[Chad Hughes]

ctaylor,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. First things first, your water. Aged, tap, well, etc. Water is always the first problem to try and figure out.

[ct3737]

I use tap water that I age in a holding tank for a few days. I add Safe and aerate for a few days give me a stable ph of 6.2, I also have a heater and normally keep my water at 86 degrees.

[ct3737]

Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

I noticed yesterday that they were hanging out near the top by my heater. They were shy and just say up there, normally they are at the front begging for food. They did come eat once they noticed the food but after returned back to the same spot.


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).

One turned tark a blue diamond. They are covered in a white fuzz on their sides. They hold their fins in, darting and scared easily and hiding.


3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

Raise temp to 90d and added salt 1/10



Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.
90 gallon, 8 discus 4-5inches. 10 otos, corys


5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).
50% every other day.

6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?

Eco-Complete substrate, 3 inches, planted for a year.


7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

Yes 6.6 and it goes down to 6.2 after I age and heat.

8. Parameters and water source; Tap water Ill test and post results its been awhile.


Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.



- temp ___90__

- ph __6.2___

- ammonia reading ____0

- nitrite reading ___0_

- nitrate reading ___0_

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

- well water ____

- municipal water ____

- RO water ____


9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.
No

10. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.

[Tormentor]

I had something like this too a while ago, but in my case it was just one fish. I would say water is e first thing to look up to. Next e salt was a good idea. Keep it in there for like three days. If not result ps then you can try using Furan 2. When I had mines I did e salt but it didn't do too much, so I added fungus cure and it cure it in like three days. HTH

[OC Discus]

Why Epsom salt? Isnt that for constipation? Its a laxative.

It does look like a fungus though. Upping water change to 50% daily would probably help.


I had something like this too a while ago, but in my case it was just one fish. I would say water is e first thing to look up to. Next e salt was a good idea. Keep it in there for like three days. If not result ps then you can try using Furan 2. When I had mines I did e salt but it didn't do too much, so I added fungus cure and it cure it in like three days. HTH

[ct3737]

Yea I let them go most of the day, will say they are more active today. Did water change this morning. Went with the Fungus Cure. I ruled out the ich or velvet theory. Didn't think it was as my tanks stay 86 and use a heat controller.

I hope this helps, I've only ever lost one discus to a severe case of bloat. Once happened overnight came in and he was upside down at the top stomach was huge. That was about a month in with my discus tank. Wish I found this forum back then. Mostly was harrasing the lfs if I had questions lol.

Thanks for the replies! And E. Salt does wonders for a little bloat. I use reg salt for this treatment.

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[ct3737]

OK just finished the fungus cure and it seems that they still have the white patches on their skin. They are now in a bare bottom tank with the same parameters. Does anyone have anything else that I should try? Someone mentioned Furan-2 could help. Don't want to lose any of these guys. Can someone help?

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[Tormentor]

Okay so did you do the entire fungus cure treatment? If it didn't work, then the only thing I can tell you is to keep doing daily water changes,daily huge ones I would say. Try adding salt again, but this Time do a little higher dose. Go for 1 tsp for 5 gallons. Keep an eye close to the fish as it may get stress due to the salt amount. Hth

[ct3737]

OK sounds good, yea I did the whole treatment. I have it set up to be able to do 2 a day until they get better. They don't seem stressed and eat alot but they still have the white fuzz. Guess I'll have to wait it out. They made it this far only time will tell.

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[ct3737]

Update.

Today my blue diamonds color is returning. Hopefully it is clearing up.

My question is does the fungus just fall off if its healing? A few look like their shedding that is why I'm asking. They are all more active today. If anyone has seen this before thanks!

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