Sick Discus

[kevin k]

Ok, I read the thread on Metro (a couple of times).

I lost one of my smaller guys last Thursday, started medicating Metro 2000mg to 55gal daily on saturday. Can't say I was doing a 50 % water change but 10 or 15 gallons. I didn't bring the temp up, just started today.

55 gal, normally kept 84 and change.
All water parms normal, NitrAtes measurable, everything else zero. PH 74 to 7.6 ( a little high for discus I know).
Eheim Canister, and HOB.
Tanks been setup since July / August, fish since October.
Everythings been fine until recently.
Feed a variety of flake, pellet, frozen. I normally have 5 or 6 different containers open and randomly use them up.


Still seeing occasional white stringy feces. Yesterday I noticed the other little guy had a white stringy, looked like that foam stuff coming out. Large diameter.
Now he's hiding more and looking very drawn. Same as the guy last week.

Any other suggestions.

This is my first discus setup, I have several others mainly planted with Angels as the central fish.

[Carol_Roberts]

Metro is formulated to work in temps of 92+.

Do you have a 20/29 gallon Q-tank? It's easier to heat, treat and do water changes.

Try 50% WC daily then 400 mg metro per 10 gallons every 8 hours for 3 or 4 days. Keep temp elevate for another week past treatment. feed sparingly throughout Slowly lower temp a couple of degrees per day down to normal.

What caused the outbreak? Gotta find the cause if you don't want it to come back. (tank too crowded, not clean enough, bullying, etc.)
arol:heart1:

[kevin k]

Well right now all I have is a 10 gallon, that needs to be cleaned good first. Would they be too crowded even if I add some extra filter and / or aeration and really make sure I do the water changes.

Here's a thought, This tank has a huge amount of overflow plants. Those pruned from my two other big tanks, those are CO2 and heavy lite.
This one doesn't have CO2 (yet), and lighting is good, not great. So the plants are surviving but there is a lot of dead, etc. I try and keep it Clean, but there's a lot of so so plants.

Thanks, I'm looking for any answers or directions !!

[Carol_Roberts]

The ten gallon is probably too small. How many discus and what sizes are they?

Yours is a classic case of the problems associated with trying to grow out discus in a planted tank. Plants aren't in good shape and discus aren't in good shape. High heat needed for metro to work will damage plants further.

So, you need to decide what you want for this tank - what is your focus going to be.

Do you want to focus on a community, planted tank? If yes, let nature take it's course or euthanise the discus.

Do you want to grow out big colorful discus? IF yes, get a bare bottom tank big enough for a hospital tank (29 or larger depending on number and size of discus.) Fill it full of aged water and put on one of the filters from the 55. Add discus, raise tempt to 92+. Then begin metro treatment as outlined above.
Carol :heart1:

[kevin k]

Well I think I'm going to rearrange things.

Thing 30 with the angel is going to get gutted, I'll move him to the 10. He won't get along with anybody anyhow.

I'll clean the 30 and move the Discus there.

I will probably leave the gravel, although this tank has CO2 so I can probably bring down the PH pretty easily.

Have to run an errand this afternoon, but we'll get them moved today.

I have 4 medium sized, and one smaller but I don't give him much time.

I'll get the 55 setup with CO2 etc, and get the plants to grow well, I don't have any problems with the 125 and the other 55, they are overgrown with beautiful plants.
Maybe once the plants are growing I can move them back.

[Carol_Roberts]

Kevin,
You must take everything out of the hospital tank ESPECIALLY THE GRAVEL did I yell that loud enough, lol.

Your hospital tank needs to be spotless. Just a heater, thermometer and cycled filter. NO CO2 yes, I'm yelling again. Why are you worried about low pH?

You will need to do 50% daily water changes with 90+ degree aged water (aged means water is same temp and pH has stabilized to same as tank water) and add metro every eight hours etc.

Carol :heart1:

[kevin k]

Well you don't have to YELL :-}

Although my wife will tell you I don't hear (I think she'll say listen) well.

Actually I already have the tank cleaned etc down to the bareness. I'm letting the water come down, I added enough HOT to bring the temp up around 111.
We are on a well so I really don't have to age the water, but I try to use aged water whenever possible.

That was a good idea, I'll have to heat my aging water. I use a couple of 5 gallon water containers.

I figured the CO2 to bring down the PH, our water at 7.8 is a little hard for the Discus.

Don't understand though, I've got the little guy in a 1 gallon isolation tank floating in the big tank at 90+, I've been adding the Metro and changing water. Although he is surviving his fins are rotting away.

[Carol_Roberts]

CO2 doesn't reduce hardness (mineral content) it acidifies the water.

I agitate my well water to offgas CO2 and stabilize my pH (mine is also 7.8 and my discus swim happily in it)

The fins have a bacterial infection. Bacteria thrive in high temps. You will need to stop the fin rot. Furan 2 will help fin rot, but I don't know if you can mix it with metro ???

Why is he in one gallon of water in isolation tank?

Carol :heart1:

[kevin k]

Well the other's aren't showing any real symptoms. Although over the past week or so I think each has at least one stringy poop. But they are active, eating, good color etc.

But in the 1 gallon I am doing water changes and metro more often.

They are all going into to 30 tomorrow, haven't decided on junior.

[Carol_Roberts]

Kevin, I'd treat them all. flagellates are excreted in the feces.

One gallon of water is not enough for the little guy. That's why his fins are rotting. A larger volume of water dilutes the bacteria as do frequent water changes. Is the water the same temp in the main tank? if so release him.

Carol :heart1: