Discus going black

[Ronin]

I just introduced 2 new discus in my tank and now my older discus have gone black 2 of them that is the others not yet I did a wc to make sure but nothing:(

[candyl70]

Ronin,
That was what happened to me. Did you QT? Do you see any white stringy poop, heavy breathing? What are your water parameter? pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temp. Do you have a BB or gravel? what size tank? The more you answer the easier it will be for someone to help you out. For now keep doing water changes, and add salt. Someone with way more experiece than me will be able to help you out soon. Hang in there.

Candy

[Ronin]

Hi Candy
Yeah your right, more info would help... ha ha Well no stringy poop or heavy breathing. For the most part they act normal, eat and swim around but you can tell theyre not ok. I have no way as of now testing the ph nitrates etc as of now till my mail arrives. I have a planted tank with gravel. In regards to what you said regarding salt, What kind of salt should I use I have read that it helps with stress. How many water changes a week would you suggest as of now I am doing a 20% wc every other day. I know I have to be patient till I figure it out but its hard to watch it happen. Your hart just goes pop :(
I just hope they dont suffer to much because of my learning curve.
Thank you Candy for responding I am looking foward to more input from you and other members of this forum.

[candyl70]

Ronin,
Try doing a w/c everyday. I do 50% everyday now. It's also easier to treat your fish in a BB tank. (I just recently took out my rocks and it helped a great deal.) You can use aquarium salt (non iodized) and you can find that at the grocery store. I heard it's cheaper. Someone also mentioned that they used normal salt w/no ill effects. Add 1 tbl for every 5 gal. When you do your water change, make sure to replace the salt that you take out. Hope this helps until someone else can help you out.


Candy

[Barb Newell]

Hi Ronin, what size is your tank? How many fish? What type of filtration? Temp? Did you qt? Are they eating? Any clamped fins, gills?

I'd do as Candy suggested, definitely increase the water changes to daily for a few days because you've added new fish and your bacteria will need some time to adjust, add aquarium salt or non-iodized salt 2 tbsp/ 10 gals and see if that helps.

Make sure your tank is very clean, vacuum gravel thoroughly, wipe sides and walls of tank down.

Candy, you're asking all of the right questions:thumbsup:

Barb

[candyl70]

Thanks Barb,
I feel like i've learned so much from when my fish got sick. That and every few hours i am back on the computer trying to learn more, more, more! lol;) Can ya tell i get a little obsessive?

[Ronin]

Ok I will change the water daily and go get some salt asap. In response to your question Barb I have a 90g tank I have 2 penguin bio wheels until my eheim cannister filter arives on monday. They do eat and yes clamped fin if you mean one fin is stuck to there side more then being used. Candy it is true how much your learn in crisis... hopefully that is, in fear of the siutuation repeating its self or any other unfortold tragedy. Well again I appreciate your help in the matter and will keep you all posted on the progress.

[candyl70]

Ronin,

When was the last time you cleaned your filters?

I almost lost my 4 because i didn't QT my 2 new ones. I had a lot of help from everyone here. I am sure you will receive many more helpful answers. Did you contact the breeder or LFS where you got the 2 new fish? Sometimes they will help you out. In your spare time you should check out the diseases index, you might get some ideas as to what your fish may have. There are even pics posted on the web as to what some of the illnesses look like.

The people here are great and will help you out as much as possible. Just keep up with your water changes in the meantime.

Wishing you luck,
Candy

[Ronin]

Question when you say 2 tbsp of salt for every 10g is that for the whole tank 90g so 16 tbsp or if I add 30 gallons 6 tbsp? Please excuse my ignorance

[candyl70]

Ronin,
I think that it is 18 tbls. 90/5 = 18 ;)

[Ronin]

well it has gotten worse everyone is turning black just about except one of them I am not sure why this is but its sad. Well I will just hope for the best.

[flofish05]

call Tony at Sunrise Tropicals, he has a lot of knowledge and medication about discus.

[candyl70]

Ronin,
Do you see any excess slime on their bodies at all? It will look sort of greyish or bluish. Opaque. What temp. is your tank set at? If it is below 82, you will need to turn it up slowly. Your neons may not like the warmer temp. Do you have a hospital tank you can put them in for now? Also you didn't mention if you qt'd or not. Don't give up. Mine ended up looking much worse before they got better. If you notice extra slime you might want to turn the temp up to around 86-90 but if you do, do it slowly and increase your airation. Keep up with the water changes. It's the best thing you can do for them right now.


Candy

[Ronin]

No qt but I did adjust the temp as suggested by tony thanks for the connection flofish. Candy thanks for all your support I know you relate as I understand it just recently happened to you. Candy they do have slime it looks a little gray. Well I keep my fingers crossed

[candyl70]

Ronin,
It sounds like what my fish had. Don't worry, Tony will be able to help you out. He gave me the meds that made my fish better. Follow his suggestions and your fish will most likely get better. Tony is very knowledgable and will do what he can to help you out. Good luck! Don't worry, they will be ok.


Candy:wave:

[Ronin]

What meds did he give you? He just told me to add salt and turn up the temp. I hope your right and they all make it, boy that would take off all the added stress so I can get some homework done. Wait maybe thats not such a good thing ha ha:p

[candyl70]

Ronin,
The medicine he gave me is on his website, it is for Discus Plauge 2 .
If he adviced salt and raising the temp, then that is probably best for now. Don't worry... it just happens sometimes. Keep up with w/c and they will be on their way to recovery. Good luck!!


Candy

[Ronin]

Not sure why but sometimes they look like they are better and then the next day black something is not right I think with my water or something I am doing daily water changes as well

[candyl70]

Ronin,
They could be improving a little. Mine did that, got colorful, then black again. Have you tested your water yet? If you don't have your kit take some water to your LFS and they will test it for you. Is your pH constant? I am a little lost here myself lately as one of my PB is sick again but with something else i think. For now the others are fine. I tell ya, these discus are sure tricky when they are sick!!!


Candy

[Ronin]

Ronin,
They could be improving a little. Mine did that, got colorful, then black again. Have you tested your water yet? If you don't have your kit take some water to your LFS and they will test it for you. Is your pH constant? I am a little lost here myself lately as one of my PB is sick again but with something else i think. For now the others are fine. I tell ya, these discus are sure tricky when they are sick!!!


Candy
Yeah I sure are. I saw your post sorry to hear that looks like we are in the same boat. Lots to learn yeah ha ha. We will get it right till then... Well am glad your others are doing better, and if you are getting nearly as much help as you have been giving me you will be just fine. Thanks everyone for all your support I feel alot more positive about the situation alot more hopefull. :D By the way one of my fish is trying to rug is side and swimming in bursts as if trying to scratch himself?

[Ronin]

Ok now they have more color but have what looks to be white spots but its not coloration its something on them!

[candyl70]

Ronin,
Does it look fuzzy or does it look like little grains of sugar? Have they been itching, or flashing against objects in the tank?

Sounds like it could be ich, or a fungus.


Candy

[PJs]

I don't know how new you are at discus (I am) - but I almost freaked at a few white spots on one of mine as well. They were gone the next day - seemed to have been sth caught in their slime coat, possibly even tiny bubbles from my diffuser. I could see lot of white specks in the water if I squinted.

(Just trying to give some hope here :D .)

BTW, mine scratched himself the same day, to make matters worse. Probably just marking territory.

[Ronin]

man I hope your right

[Ronin]

Well my fish are just about back to normal I had to use some medicine for flukes and after that they came right back. my heckles look great but my cobalts still are dark with some blue but they are acting normal minus all the nice color they had before. I just want to say thanks to everyone for your help and moral support. best forum ever :angel:

[candyl70]

Ronin,
That is great news!! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_11.gif

It is really challenging when you don't know what is going on with them, but you stuck with them and did everything you could, that is really awsome! Update us sometime with pics, k? We LOVE pics!



All the best,
Candy http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_33_3.gif

[PJs]

Yaaaaaay! And woo-hoo!

[Sandi]

Hi Guys,

I'm having the same proplem. I med with jungle anti-parasite food and and my two greens and two blues have gone black and don't look good. I did a major water change, that helped, but today they look bad again. what should I do?
Sandi

[alron2]

Sandi,
Is your tank cycling? Ck your water parmeters and report back. Sounds like a nitrogen problem to me.
Ron

[Sandi]

Alforn

I think it is, eventhough it's the same plants, and same smaller filter I used 25 gal of water from the smaller tank. I did add a bigger new filter and it's a new 50 gal tank. I also added a large piece of drift wood. I test water everday and the PH has been 6.4, the ammonia o ppm, nitrate 5.0 or less, the temps been steady at 88. there is bac. on the new bio-wheel now, but to late. I lost 5 over the week-end while I was gone. I only have the two fire dragons left. I also have a pair of blue rams that seem to love the water, they have layed eggs three times in theis last month. any way pretty sad

Sandi

[singhamanb]

I am sorry to hear about that. I am hoping to avoid the same outcome as my red turq is having the same problem. It has been dark, nearly black for the past two days and as a result I am doing 40% water changes each day. It does not seem to have clamped fins and it is breathing eating and swimming regularly. Please help!