sidra
02-24-2005, 05:14 PM
Can anyone give me a basic rundown of routine preventative treatments for discus?
I have only had discus for two months and had NO IDEA how much more attention and care than other tropicals discus need. Not that I am complaining because they are truly exceptional fish. All of mine greet me and eat out of my hands already and I've seen amazing behavior amongst them.
In the last couple weeks I had my first issues of fin rot and external parasites which luckily I have solved and all of my fish survived. During this time I spent hours in the LFS looking at all different medications and treatments and consulting what books I have. I have live plants in my tank which limited what medications I used. (I have since bought a hospital tank).
I bought my first two discus (a cobalt and turquoise about 1 1/2" to 2" inch fish) so I didn't quarantine them. I have them in a 29 gal tank. A few weeks later I bought a 4" blue snakeskin and the three get along well.
I recently also purchased a 1 1/2" red alenquer (sp?) and a 4" cobalt and they are in a quarantine tank.
Soon I will get my 70 gal and all will go in that and the 29 will be........I'm afraid to think. Anyway...
While reading all the medication bottles and getting tons of conflicting advice from LFS stores (out of them all I did find 2 guys who were a great help) I got very confused.
I have now learned clean water, clean water, clean water!!!! I also know what anchor worms, flukes, hydra and nematodes are and what snail eggs look like and lots more.
However, what I'd like to know is what basic preventative measures should someone should take who has their fish in show tanks with live plants. I don't need to get crazy as I don't plan to breed much, if at all (though I'm hoping I have a pair) and am limited on space and won't be able to keep adding fish. I just want my fish to be healthy and thrive.
(I've read discus are quite addicting....I've had them 2 months and already have five fish in 2 tanks plus a 10 gallon tank of starter fish I cycled the tank with) and I just found my 70 gal dream tank in PA last weekend. If I didn't rent and have to worry about my landlord having a fit, I think I'd be out of control.
I have only had discus for two months and had NO IDEA how much more attention and care than other tropicals discus need. Not that I am complaining because they are truly exceptional fish. All of mine greet me and eat out of my hands already and I've seen amazing behavior amongst them.
In the last couple weeks I had my first issues of fin rot and external parasites which luckily I have solved and all of my fish survived. During this time I spent hours in the LFS looking at all different medications and treatments and consulting what books I have. I have live plants in my tank which limited what medications I used. (I have since bought a hospital tank).
I bought my first two discus (a cobalt and turquoise about 1 1/2" to 2" inch fish) so I didn't quarantine them. I have them in a 29 gal tank. A few weeks later I bought a 4" blue snakeskin and the three get along well.
I recently also purchased a 1 1/2" red alenquer (sp?) and a 4" cobalt and they are in a quarantine tank.
Soon I will get my 70 gal and all will go in that and the 29 will be........I'm afraid to think. Anyway...
While reading all the medication bottles and getting tons of conflicting advice from LFS stores (out of them all I did find 2 guys who were a great help) I got very confused.
I have now learned clean water, clean water, clean water!!!! I also know what anchor worms, flukes, hydra and nematodes are and what snail eggs look like and lots more.
However, what I'd like to know is what basic preventative measures should someone should take who has their fish in show tanks with live plants. I don't need to get crazy as I don't plan to breed much, if at all (though I'm hoping I have a pair) and am limited on space and won't be able to keep adding fish. I just want my fish to be healthy and thrive.
(I've read discus are quite addicting....I've had them 2 months and already have five fish in 2 tanks plus a 10 gallon tank of starter fish I cycled the tank with) and I just found my 70 gal dream tank in PA last weekend. If I didn't rent and have to worry about my landlord having a fit, I think I'd be out of control.