How Many Days Should Discus Be Medicated?

Hello All,

I've been noticing that small white (fine) thin mushy-looking worms afloating in the water. I do not know which fish it came from. I have my fish in a medicated tank using "CLOUT", which is like a Hexamit medication. On the box it states to use until fish is better. But in two days I see the fish look a little better but they look pale. Is this common after using medication? And is two or more days in medication harming the fish's skin (by removing the coating)? And, how can I tell the difference of skin coating shedding from the white wormies?

Also, what does clouded eyes look like? I notice that my fishies after treatment would have brighter eyes and some would even have awkward eyes. I fear that I may have sick fishies, or even worst fear that I don't have sick fishies and that they're just going through their usual metamorphisis. Help me to discern.

**Angie**

[Ardan]

Hi,
I am not sure the worms are from the fish or from poor water conditions.
I Have found CLout to be a bit harsh on the fish and they will dull and loose apetite. This will get better after water changes and some time.

I would probably just start wc's daily and keep the tank very clean.

Do you have gravel?

hth

Hi Ardan,

Thanks for your reply! No, I don't have gravel. I have a bare-bottom tank. Only things in there are a cellpore log and two clam shell toys.

I think you're right when you said you found Clout to be strong. It seems to have made two of my Cobalts a pale color and it seems to have wiped off the slime coat on my Wild Green Peruvian.

The thought of doing daily w/c has occurred to me but I hate thinking that I'm wasting water. If it was spring or summer time, I would do more w/c since I use the tank's water to fertilize my plants. Is this an issue for a R/O unit. Does the Reverse Osmosis unit recycle water such as the water I would take from tank to garden (converting it to free-ammonium / safe gas water)?

P.S. Since I didn't hear from anyone in 24 hours, I went ahead and changed the water. The color of the Cobalts returned slowly and for the WPG. But the WPG is not eating. :(

**Angie**

[Carol_Roberts]

RO removes minerals - not ammonia. For every gallon of RO water produced 4 - 10 gallons of water goes down the drain. RO is not for folks who are worried about water consumption.

Do try daily water changes. If the "worms" squish in your fingers like snot they probably are not worms, but muscus or intestinal lining.

[shamsoo]

once I also had same problem as fry girl have, I was scared it was in millions, put formalin 2 drops per gal w/c after 8 hrs, and they all gone

Thanks Carol and Shamsoo!! I'll again do the w/c and this time I'll look for the medication (Formalin). You were right on the mark Carol when you asked if it's mushy and it is. My clown loaches eat it right away when they see it. Yukkie!!

**Angie**

[Ardan]

Hi,
Keep an eye on it. If it continues, it could be hex. Then I like to use Metro better than clout.

Wc, wc, wc :)

hth

Hey Guys & Dolls....

Do you realize that some of these medications you are using on your fish are carcinogens??? Formalin is one of them.

I didn't use it as I told Shamsoo. But I will use the salt baths and high temp waters to cleans the fish from worms. I think this will be sufficient. Also by feeding them less worms (BWs) will help.

You folks know that I'm for the Tea Tree Oil (and natural element) remedies. I use Tea Tree Oil (100%) in small amounts to clean the inner glass when I do my 50% wc. Perhaps if I keep doing this maybe those worms won't show up. I don't know but when I stopped using the TTO, I see those wormies. They weren't in the water when I religiously used TTO every week for the once a week wc.

Things that makes us say: "uhm?"

**Angie**

[dano]

RO removes minerals - not ammonia. For every gallon of RO water produced 4 - 10 gallons of water goes down the drain. RO is not for folks who are worried about water consumption.


A little off the subject but....
Just a note on the ro rejection rate, you can usually adjust it, the higher the rejection rate the longer the membrane life. but I have been using a 2 to 1 rejection to production rate on the same membrane for over 8 months with very hard water (over 11 kh), while using over 100g a week coming from a 100gpd membrane. If you shop around you can find membranes for 20-30 bucks. So I choose to conserve water a little and replace my membrane a little sooner if needed. Also using good prefilters (2micron) and flushing the membrane once a month does help!
Dan