URGENT HELP NEEDED

[carladav]

Hi guy's I need your help!!!
My discus have the following symptom's, they have clamped fin's and white ball's of fluff that are on differant parts of their body's, then it start's to spider web together, after that happen's within 8 hour's it turn's into sore's. They are eating well.
I have treated with the following:
25% w/c daily with 1-2 tbls salt per 10 gallon's(fish were still sick)
Pimafix as per directioin's on the bottle. with salt.(no change in the fish)
Removed medication with carbon.
"Fungus cure"(aquarium pharmacutical's) as per direction's on the package.(they got a bit better )
Removed medication with carbon.
Started medicating with Metronidazole as per breeder's instruction's, made med. food and fed that.(fish got better,then started to show sign's again.)
Changed aquarium's, bleached every thing added all new filter's and air stone's.
Started treatment with Malachite Green. as per instruction's on the bottle.(fish got better part way through the treatment but are now showing sign's of re-infection.
So far I have only lost two discus but I don't want to lose any more.
My tank is at 84 -86 degree's .
I do 25% w/c 's daily .
I wipe the glass every time I do a w/c.
I use 1-2 tbls salt per 10 gallons.
I clean me tank 3-6 time's a day.
my ph is 7.0 .
my ammonia is perfact.
I have a bare bottom tank.
I have bio filteer's.
I have air stone's.
I feed frozen blood worm's, Mysis shrimp, discus bit's, flake, frozen brine shrimp.
Both fish ate up untill the day they died.
Please help me to save my fish. I can't bare to lose another one.
Thank you for your time.
Carla

[Carol_Roberts]

Sounds to me like you have no biofilter now and are relying on water changes to keep ammonia and nitrItes at zero.

Keep up the salt and try furan II (double dose first dose)

Are fish eating all that food? If not cut back and feed sparingly of clean foods like bloodworms and tetra bits

[carladav]

Thank's Carol
I'll try the furon 2.
I have two biofilter's in my tank at this time,( can I get instruction's from you on the furon 2)
I'll keep you posted.
Thank's Carla

[Cosmo]

Carla,

Sounds to me Carol hit it on the nose as usual, after all the cleaning the biofilters haven't had a chance to setup again. You mentioned ammonia is perfect but what about nitrites? Something is building up faster than your WC's can clear it out and preventing your fish from recovering.

Kind of a tough situation to get out of cause increasing water changes increases the time the tank needs to cycle and balance itself, but you have to keep the water quality up so the fish recover. Go with what Carol say's cause she's the expert, but I'm thinking an increase in volume of WC from 25% to 30 or even 50 might be helpful.

How many fish, how big a tank, and how what are you using for biofilters?

best of luck, hope the rest all make it.
Jim

[Cosmo]

Carla,

Another thought... I know a lot of people on th forum don't believe in them, but in your case it might be helpful to add some bacteria cultures into the water to help your biofilters catch up. There are several products out there such as Cycle, tank safe, etc. I've heard good things about Seachem's new Stability but haven't tried it yet.

Jim

[carladav]

Thank's Jim,
I'm going to put the Furon 2 in like Carol said. Your right she is the expert.
The bio filter's I have came from the fish breeder I got my fish from, he made them.
I'm new to discus and the forum too, I don't have a nitrate or nitrite test kit yet, but I will pick them up asap.
I have a 5" Red Snake Skin, two 4" Gold Marlboro's and one 2 1/2 " Wild Green x Brilliant Blue they were in a 90 gallon tank but I moved them into a 33 gallon(yestarday) to medicate with the Furon 2,
Thank's for your time, Carla

[Carol_Roberts]

Good Luck Carla . . .and remember to test for ammonia in the hospital tank. You want ammonia and nitrIte at zero.

[carladav]

Thank's Carol,
I put the Furon 2 in last night a double dose like you suggested, and so far so good,I will put another dose in tonight.
Will my ammonia's and nitrate's be normal with the medication in the water?
Thank you for your time, Carla

[Carol_Roberts]

Furan II may kill some of the good bacteria on your filter. I'm not sure how much good bacteria you have left, so am advising you to test for ammonia and nitrIte.

Your fish produce ammonia all day long which the good bacteria turn into nitrIte and then into NitrAte.

[carladav]

Hey guy's
Sorry I took so long to reply. :-[ My fish are doing veery well. I found a large white creature in my tank, and when I took it to a pet store they said it was a fluke, I also talked to a breeder in Ontario and he said it could have been a tape worm?
I was going to bring it to a friend and take a picture of it, but the pet store threw it out befor I could.
Other than that they are back into their 90 gallon tank and are very happy about that.
Thank you all for your helpful and quick advise.
Carla

[jules]

Hi Carla - flukes are very very tiny and cannot be seen without a microscope.

[carladav]

Hi there, I guess the guy in the pet store was wrong.
My Discus are feeling better which is the most important thing for me .
thank's again for all the help
Carla