Blue Discus loosing color overnight

[AaronCox]

Hello all,

This is my first post to the forum, and I certainly appreciate any help I receive. I am a very new discus keeper, having been keeping them for 5 weeks. And am relatively new to keeping fish (about 1.5 years) I will do my best to answer the questionnaire.

50 gallon tank
30% water changes every other day
7 highfin tetra
3 4" discus
0 ppm nitrites
less than 5 ppm nitrates
0 ppm ammonia
ph 6.8
feed blood worms 3 times a day
feed heart once everyother day (they will put it in there mouth and spit it out, tetras eat it)
feed tetra pro crisps once in the morning (discuss ignore tetras eat it)
I do not age my water. It is well water. (I have tested to see what the ph swing is. after shaking and leaving overnight a glass of water will go from 6.8 to 7.0)
The tank has had 7- 10 tetras in it for 1.5 years. I use an ehiem canster filter.
I add Stress Coat and Quick start per manufactures directions at each water change.
water temp 82
air stone 6hrs a day

Background
All the fish looked normal yesterday and ate well. I did my water change at 9pm and noticed the water in the tank became a little cloudier than normal. Came down this morning to do the morning feeding and noticed the blue discus had white streaks running horizontally across him. All three discuss were towards the top of the tank head up sipping at the top. I immediately did a 30% water change. Water was still slightly cloudy. I did NOT add stress coat or quick start at this time. I have the light off and the air stone on.

I had my 8 year old come in and look so she would understand "Water" (the fishes name) was pretty sick and probably dying. We sit together each night and make up stories about the three fish and their kingdom....

Any help would certainly be appreciated.

Aaron

[Altum Nut]

Hello Aaron and welcome to Simply Discus.
Copy and paste questioner would be best for the next time but you have answered the basic questions asked....
My question is being you are on a well, a water-main break or sewer work being done may not be the source but it's possible something maybe be leaching into your well.
Your means of aging water for testing is not appropriate for a proper measurement and should be aerated with a air stone.
I would also recommend you change their diet and eliminate the bloodworms and only feed as a treat one a week or eliminate all together and just stick with beefkeart and quality flake or discus granules.
They will take it if it is all you feed them and best to starve for a day or so and try in the first feeding.
I would also consider larger more frequent w/c and treat water with seachem prime or safe for the total volume of tank and not just what water your changing.
And lastly...is your tank bare-bottom or filled with substrate.

...Ralph

[AaronCox]

Ralph
Thanks for the reply. I appoligize for not copying the quesitonare in the future I will.

My water is well water. It is a shallow well...On sunday we had rain and freezing rain and the thought of contamination did cross my mind. I did test the tap water and it had no Nitrites, no Nitrates and no ammonia. and the ph was about the same as usual. (I am not using a meter just the API test kit) I will run an airstone in some tap water to see what the ph swing is.

my tank bottom is gravel, which I vacuum each water change.

The tangerine discus named "fire" died about and hour ago....interesting the blue discus which I originally started this thread about is looking better. I'd say his color is almost back to normal. Although the tank is still hazy.

I just have the airstone on right now, no lights.

I have been hesitant to starve the fish to get them off of bloodworms for fear of stressing them to much.

Should I do another water change today?

Thanks again ...I wish I had something to offer folks other than a simple thank you...advice about gardens, chickens, livestock that I can offer...fish...not so much.

aaron

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Aaron and welcome to Simply. With you being on a shallow well and just having a heavy rain it would be my guess that something leached into your well so agree with Ralph. Might be a good idea to add some carbon to a filter and run on your tank if possible. I also agree with Ralph on his WC and diet suggestions. Some reading in the beginners section might be helpful.
Pat

[AaronCox]

Pat
Thanks for the reply. I will change there diet and start doing larger water changes. I have read a lot of the beginner section...I wouldn't have had any idea what to do if it wasn't for all the amazing information that is there.

As of right now the blue discus is looking way better. I will post what happens in a day or so.

Aaron

[AaronCox]

Just a quick update..

I have started doing 50 percent water changes every day and have only been feeding bh The two remaining discus are eating and the color is looking better.
I also put carbon in the filter. How long should I leave it in?

Lastly should I add stress ease or stress zyme at the water changes. (I add quick start) (let me know if that question needs to be moved to another forum...I stuck it in here as a follow-up)

Thanks again!
Aaron