Parasite? Help- I'm losing everything!

[new2discus]

I had 3 beautiful discus, which were doing well in my tank for 1 month. My (idiot) husband brought home 6 baby discus on Wednesday night. At first, everything seemed great- the three older discus were swimming more and eating more than they had been. But Thursday afternoon, I came home to find white spots on my larger discus and fully clouded eyes. My husband went back to the store and was directed to use MelaFix. We dosed the tank on Thursday night- Friday night we lost our first two discus (two of the babies). By this morning, we lost the other four babies and one of the older discus. I lost another one of the older discus around 10am this morning and then came home this evening to a dead pleco. I have one more pleco and a (very sick looking) discus, plus 6 neon tetras. I did a 50% water change this morning after losing so many fish. Here are my stats: Temp: 86, PH: 6.8, nitrates: 40. I tested ammonia- my levels are perfect. I don't know what to do-I am getting so upset losing fish after fish!!!

[Carol_Roberts]

Not a parasite. Read this thread and see if it is similiar to your situation.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=16440

[new2discus]

It sounds very similar in as much as I have excessive slime coat floating around the tank. Is MelaFix the right treatment? Should I be adding salt? Should I be using a different antibiotic?

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi:
I'm pretty sure I answered your email this morning - did you not receive it? (I had to reinstall Outlook Express last night)

In it I said stop the Melafix - it's only for mild external scrapes. I said to add salt and furan 2. Follow the advice given in the link I posted above.

. . . . I also said since so many have died so quickly there may not be much you can do. . . .

[new2discus]

Carol: Thanks for the quick reply... I will get the Furan 2 in the morning and don't happen to have any salt (other than the typical Morton's salt for food)- I have read that iodized is not good. Can I get by with using the iodized salt for tonight only?

[Carol_Roberts]

1 or 2 tablespoons of iodiozed salt won't hurt for a day or so. I don't know about 5 or 10 tablespoons of iodized salt per 10 gallons. Maybe wait until tomorrow for salt too.

Did you get my email earlier today? - I need to know if not working . . .

[new2discus]

I didn't get your email- wish I had!! I just added some salt (1 TBSP/ 10 gallons) and I am crossing my fingers! Please do the same! Thanks for your advice- I will keep you posted.

[new2discus]

Well, my discus continues to hang in there... I do think that he/ she has lost most of his/her eyesight- I find that he bumps into the glass alot. The good news is that what used to be cottony masses seem to be disintegrating into goldish- colored dust- like spots. I am continuing with 50% daily water changes, increased temp (88-89 deg), lots of salt (I have increased to nearly 1tbsp per 2 gallons) and doubled up on Fural 2. Any other suggestions?

[Carol_Roberts]

Just keep doing what you're doing . . . .

[new2discus]

I have been doing some more research and think the goldish dust- like spots may be oodinium. Would you suggest treating with something like Hex-A-Mit to treat? Will doubling up on the salt & Furan 2 do the trick?

[Carol_Roberts]

No to the Hex-a-mit. One treatment at a time . . .

Salt and furan 2 will handle many external discus problems.

[new2discus]

Thanks for all of your advice- my dear little discus would have no chance without your help!!

At this point, I have completed 4 days of double dosing Furan 2 accompanied by lots of salt and 50% water changes daily. Should I continue? I suspect "yes" but don't know for how long. Discus still has goldish dust with rapid gill movement.

[Carol_Roberts]

I'm not sure . . . . Is your discus getting better or worse?

Check your ammonia levels too as furan may impact your filter.

[Wahter]

I have been doing some more research and think the goldish dust- like spots may be oodinium. Would you suggest treating with something like Hex-A-Mit to treat? Will doubling up on the salt & Furan 2 do the trick?


Just 2 points:

-Hex-A-Mit is metronidazole and is typically used to treat internal flagellates. (looks like your fish has external problems - so don't use Hex-A-Mit).

-The rapid gills may be from the higher temperature (higher temps hold less oxygen).

[new2discus]

My ammonia level has increased to 0.25. Should I stop the furan 2 and put the activated carbon in the filter? The discus has just a few goldish dust- like spots and seems to be much better. The eyes are clear and I think his sight is better, too. What about salt- should I keep it up? Temperature?

[Carol_Roberts]

Are you doing 50% water changes every day with aged water? You need to keep ammonia close to zero.

You need to dose the furan and salt for 10 days

[new2discus]

I really don't have the space to do aged water. Any suggestions- as I would be open to anything! As respects the water changes, I am religiously doing 50% water changes every night between 10-11pm. (There are some good tv shows on at that time!) I have been using straight tap water and treating it with a general water conditioner prior to introducing it to the tank. My tap water is very similar to my tank- low ph (6.4 ish), very soft.)

I continue to double up on the furan and am hitting it with a good dose of salt (approx 3tbsp/ 10 gall, maybe more with trying to compensate after water changes).

Advice on managing the ammonia?

[Carol_Roberts]

Since your water is so close in pH you should be fine. Be sure to add your dechlor product prior to adding water from the tap.

If you have trouble with ammonia do a smaller water change in the morning.

You can easily have 5 tablespoons salt per 10 gallons.