Quarantined Discus

[Maura_Paz]

I moved my discus into a 10gl hospital tank. I've been treating him with Metronizadole 200mg and doing 3gl water change daily and I have kept the Temperature at 88. I was told to do water changes w my community tank water. I've had him in the hospital talk 7 days now. I should mention he has had a dark color all the time. Yesterday he stopped eating and this morning his colors were very light and his eyes too. He still won't eat and was swimming all over the tank almost like disoriented. What should I do? Should I stop medication and do a water change? I am out of my element - first discus I ever treat and it's not looking good. I want to save him - pls help!!!


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[Second Hand Pat]

I would do a 100% water change with clean water first. Have you tested your ammonia and nitrite?

[Skip]

I would do a 100% water change with clean water first. Have you tested your ammonia and nitrite?

yes.. what pat said..

but not "used" water from community tank..

[Maura_Paz]

But he doesn't look good- I feel that a 100% water change may kill him at this point. He was fine until this morning :( I left in a hurry to work so i didn't get to check the water parameters.


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[pcsb23]

A 10 gallon tank is too small. 20 is better. Don't use water from the existing tank, use clean water. Check ammonia when you get home, do it before changing water. Then do a very large water change using warm clean water (don't forget dechlor)

[Maura_Paz]

Do I keep medicating the tank? I put the carbon filter back on? I am so frustrated bc he had been doing so good and today he is dying ... How ?!


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[pcsb23]

Lets see if we can get some full info :) http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?38545-Disease-Questionnaire-please-complete

10 gal is too small for an adult or near adult discus - it will cause stress and they will go dark.
Do not use old tank water to do the changes, use clean water (add dechlor of needed) but always use water at or near the same temp.
88 is too high, 82 is better.
Do a large water change.
Fill in the questionnaire
:)

[Maura_Paz]

I can't fill questionnaire as I'm not home. My mom did the water change but she says he so on his side at the bottom- take short breaths... Is there anything else I should add to the water?


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[pcsb23]

Not sure what to suggest, you seem to want to avoid acknowledging some of the things I've already mentioned. The biggest issue is the fish is in a 10 gallon tank which is or was running at 88f, I don't even know if it is an adult discus or not. Until I have more info I can't really offer any further advice, all I would be doing would be guessing. Sorry if it seems harsh, it's not meant to be.

[Maura_Paz]

You are not being harsh at all! I don't want to ignore your request nor am I trying- i'm just being anxious and feeling bad that I'm not there to help the little guy. He is not big. When I get home I will give you a better reading as to the water parameters and I will patiently await your suggestions. Sorry- I freak out and it translate wrong.


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[ProBreeders]

You might want to age the water over night if you're going to do 100% water change.

[Maura_Paz]

DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE





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 went to the hatchery and his breeder told me he looked sick to quarantine him and medicate him with metronidazole. I came home. I moved him to 10gls and started him on it.




2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, <font color="#0066ff">white/yellow/green poop, hiding, <font color="#0066ff">headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, <font color="#0066ff">blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).

He was doing good until yesterday. He stopped eating and today he was pale in color and his eyes were white. I was at work so my mom did a 40% water change for me.





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

Metronidazole 200mg daily w 3gl water change no filter. Today would have been day 7







Tank/Water



4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

Small fish - 1yr - 10gl



5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

3gl daily for 7 days but I was using the community tank as I was told that would help him remain acclimated



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

Bare bottom - i used it once before.





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

5-10 mins I use the conditioners





8. Parameters and water source;






- temp 89



- ph 6.8



- ammonia reading 1.0



- nitrite reading 1.0



- nitrate reading 40

Hardness - hard
Alkalinity - 80

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.

Tap water and I use conditioners.

- well water ____



- municipal water (yes)



- RO water ____



9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.

None



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 themhttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/emu7e4aq.jpg


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[Maura_Paz]

Ammonia - 1.0
PH 6.8
Alkalinity- 80
Chlorine -safe
Hardness - hard
Nitrite - 1.0
Nitrate - 40


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[Maura_Paz]

Temp. 89


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[Maura_Paz]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/a6uremy2.jpg



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[Maura_Paz]

Bare tank no gravel


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[Skip]

1.0 ammonia. No bueno

[Maura_Paz]

Ok any suggestions ...


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[Second Hand Pat]

I approved the posts with pics

[Skip]

Looking at the pics..

Yes.. seller sold u a very sick stunted fish..

It is not worth throwing any more meds.. jus keep up water changes.. The meds are worth a whole lot more then the fish

[OC Discus]

Can you complete the questionnaire based on the main tank instead of the qt tank? If the fish is suffering from disease or parasites, you are simply reinfecting him every time you add dirty water from the main tank. It will probably need to be treated and sterilized too.

[OC Discus]

Paul and Pat are SD representatives. You should follow their advice 100%

[Maura_Paz]

Parameters on the big tank are all normal - nothing elevated expect for hardness is hard


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[Maura_Paz]

I'll post the exact numbers so you can give your thoughts. By the way I didn't buy his this wknd - I've had him a year. I feel bad that he is dying and I can't help him.


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[Skip]

U need to do larger water changes.. ammonia of 1.0 is toxic.! That is first thing for u to do..

[Maura_Paz]

I checked the water a little bit ago and it was at
Ammonia: 0.25
Ph 6.8
Alkalinity 80
Chlorine 0
Hardness- hard
Nitrite - .5
Nitrate- 40


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[Maura_Paz]

My last read for tonight - he looks terminal.


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[Maura_Paz]

I took advises from different sources and I regret not seeing the discrepancy in their theories.


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[Maura_Paz]

Can he still survive the night even though he looks like "hospice"!?


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[OC Discus]

If nitrate is still 40 you are not changing nearly enough water. If you want to save them, do at least 80% daily until they are improved and/or ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is under 10.



I checked the water a little bit ago and it was at
Ammonia: 0.25
Ph 6.8
Alkalinity 80
Chlorine 0
Hardness- hard
Nitrite - .5
Nitrate- 40


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[pcsb23]

Without knowing how much nitrate there is in the source water we cannot determine from that measure if the OP is changing enough water, however I agree that the OP does need to change more water.

Ammonia and nitrite readings (NH3/NH4 & NO2) should be zero - both are toxic, NO2 is often called the silent killer. Salt at 100grams per 100 litres (40 grams in 10 US gallons) will mitigate the NO2 poisoning.

I agree with Skip, no more meds for now, daily large water changes only.