Discus sick....help a nube out

[discus_HI]

Aloha All,

Thank you all for your contributions, this site is a wonderfull source of Discus information. I've been browsing here for a little while now and got my first discus last week. So please be patient with me since I am new to discus.

I have one fish that is seeming to have trouble acclimating and I fear it is near death. Since I'm new I guess I didn't recognize there was a problem untill it is probably already too late. He has been hiding at the back and top of my 30gal yesterday and this morning is swiming upsidedown, but not dead yet. His color is not turning dark but he is not showing his red and his top fins are dark, rapid breathing yesterday. He is in a 30 gal tank w/ 8 young (2-4inchers), 50% change daily w/ aged heated w/ ph 7.9, cleaned daily, feed hikari FBW, flake, JW discus formula, tubifex, brine. PH 7.6, nitrate-nitrite=0, ammonia=0, temp 86.

I realize its probably my own fault for missing a clear 'signal' that he wasn't doing right. I have tried salt, 1 tbls per 5 gallons for the last week, no improvement. Last night gave in and started treating w/ formalin which seemed to help all the other fish, but not the sick one. There was no stringy white feces in the tank or visable slime on the fish, no hole int the head, just rapid breathing, loss of color and hiding in the corners.

I could ramble on and on but when it comes down to it I needed some advice on a course of action to save this 3.5' Mellon, he's already swimming upside-down but still breathing for now:(. I fear it's already too late for him but I don't want to loose any more to this mystetry disease.

Help a rookie out please. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. ???

[discus_HI]

Some more info,

I just re-read Brews help post so here goes:

Symptoms: 1 or 2 of 8 fish is headstanding-labored breathing- faded color-hiding in back cornors of tank.
H20: ph 7.6, temp 86, ammonia-nitri-nitra=0, 50% changed daily w/ aged-heated ph7.9.
Tank: 30gal, BB, Blacked out all sided except the front, 2 sponge, one hanging filter, one 36 watt bulb on 10 hrs a day.
Fish: Only 8 3-4inch discus from Cary :) recieved around a week ago. Fed hikari FBW, flake, JW discus formula, tubifex, brine.
Treatments tried: 1tbls salt/ 5gal for last week (no improvement) and last night finally gave in and dosed w/ formalin (helped the other 7 fish but not the real sick one)

I'm sure its my own fault for missing something obvious. I figured h20 changes and salt take care of most problems. Hope this helps w/ possible diagnosis. Live and learn.

Aloha,
Mike

[Carol_Roberts]

It maybe too late, but try epsom salt (magnesium sulfate - sold at grocery stores or drug stores) at 1 or 2 teaspoons per 10 gallons for bloat.

[discus_HI]

Thanks for the help Carol,

Sorry he's gone to the big fish bowl in the sky:(

I have been using some generic brand aquarium salt, box says 1tbls per 5 gallons. I thought you had to use Kosher salt, is EPSOM salt different?(1-2 teaspoons is a lot different dosage than what I have been doing)

The fish that passed was a MELLON-Golden cross I believe. I heard goldens don't show stress untill its too late. I also was going to go out and check for a Chlorine-Chloramine test to see how much of this stuff is in our tap h2o:(
Not sure on the bloat though, no visable swelling, only rapid breathing, pale color, clamped fins, hiding in corner.

I don't know what else I could have missed. I don't want to make the same mistake over again on my remaining 7 fish. (I;ll find new ones) Chalk it up to learning experience.

Mahalo for the help everybody.

Mike

[Carol_Roberts]

Epsom salt is different. It is a laxitive. CAll your city water dept and ask if they use chloramine - maybe your water product only removes chlorine?

[discus_HI]

Called the BOWS

and they said there is no Chloramine in the h20 but there may be Chlorine in the water so I'll get a test kit right away.
I thought airating it overnight got rid of chlorine. :-[

According to their Website there might also be nitrate fluctuations according to rainfall and agriculture activities, so I'll have to be more on top of that as well now.

There may also be trace amounts of Flouride:(, does this negatively affect discus?

I had no idea in order to keep Discus in Hawaii I had to learn so much detail about the water quality here.

[Carol_Roberts]

I'd use a dechlor product to be on the safe side. IF you can get a copy of your water report post it on the water board and Randal or Steve can answer your questions about flouride and nitrates.