i'm in need of an expert

[digz966]

I have a discus tank that over the past 2 weeks has been plauged with fungus. One of the small discus has it mainly on the fins while another has it all over her body and one eye is covered. I have been treating with maracyn two and coppersafe for five days now and don't seem to have much luck in clearing it up. Is there something I should be doing that i'm not.

[Ryan]

Tell us about your tank. Bare bottom tank or decorated? Other fish? What's the water temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? Did you add new fish before the problem started? How much water are you changing and how often, if any? Try to include any information about your fish and your maintenance routine that may help us determine what's going on.

Ryan

[digz966]

my tank is a fifty-five gallon, the ph is 6.6, everything in the tank tests out fine the water is changed every five days. I change between 1/4 to1/2. The tank is gravel bottomed which is cleaned regularly, and has artifical plants and logs that are also cleared regularly. The temp is 80-82.
Other residents of the tank are neon tetras,2 cats,a betta and 2 silver dollars.

[Ryan]

Your temperature is a little low for discus. I keep mine at a minimum of 84. I think with adults you could get away with 82 but I wouldn't let it go any lower than that. How long have you had the discus? Have you added any tankmates recently or did you add the discus recently?

Treatment would be better in a separate hospital/quarantine tank. You will need to change water daily during the treatment unless instructed otherwise. When I've done treatments on discus, I dose whatever medication I'm using, then do a large water change everyday between 50 - 75%, then redose. I repeat that daily for the length of the treatment.

Discus need very clean water, especially if you're treating them for something and you're adding medication to the tank. Do you have a way to isolate them in a hospital tank to see if that helps?

Ryan

[Ryan]

Also, are you sure it's fungus? Here are some links to articles in our Library.

Fungus:
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/external/fungus.shtml

Cloudy Eye:
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/external/cloudy_eyes.shtml

Both of these, at least in the early stages, might be cleared up with lots of clean water (meaning daily water changes with aged, stable water) and salt. I'd try treating them in a hospital tank, do you have an empty 20 gallon handy? It would be easier to keep the water clean and you wouldn't have to change as much as you would in their current 55 gallon.

Ryan

[digz966]

I can't do a seperate tank at this time as my new hospital tank isn't yet ready. Two of the fish in question were added about 3 weeks ago and this problem has gotten bigger since that time.I will raise the temp. I'm going to do a thorough clean tommorrow, should i re-medicate with the same stuff im using now?

[Alight]

You didn't mention how many Discus you have.

Not knowing this, I'm only guessing.

Couple possibilities:

#1 Your discus are establishing a pecking order and beating each other up. The fungus is a result of these injuries. You should have at least 5 if not 6 discus. This helps distribute the pecking, but does not eliminate it. If you do have this many fish, I'd recommend increasing water changes (get nitrates down to 5 ppm or less) and wait it out. No other treatment is necessary. Removing the affected fish to a quarantine tank, and treating for the fungus or columnaris (a bacteria) with maracyn or similar drug will speed up the cure for the affected fish. Once back in the tank, watch for fighting and further injury.

What water parameters did you measure? My best guess is that when you added new fish, your ammonia and nitrite levels spiked, (and may still be up)--or you now have high nitrate levels (<20 ppm) and that any one of these could cause the fungus. Treatment would be the same as above. Increase water changes to 50% every day, for two weeks. No other treatment is necessary.

[Ryan]

It's going to be hard to do in the community tank. I think some heat, salt, and fresh water would probably turn them around if it's just a simple fungus. I've had discus with fungus on their fins clear up with nothing but heat and w/c alone.

Ryan