Need Help with new Discus

[timotel]

I just bought some discus at the local pet shop and the water pH is 7.8, but my tank pH is 6.8. Should I add some tank water to the bag and pray? I know discus can go from low to high pH.

[kelseygirl]

Hi. First of all, the prayer goes a LONG way!! :) But along with that...

When I get new discus I take a couple of hours to acclimate them to the tank water. Every 20-30 minutes I add a cup of the tank water to their bag. By the time I put them in the tank they are fine. You're lucky your ph is low. My tap water is 7.6, but rises to 8.2 in a few hours. (Reason why you use aged water.) But they are just fine. I've had these for almost a year and they are happy as can be. Just don't forget to do those regular water changes!!! Good luck. Janice

[Kindredspirit]

Tim~


Yes, prayer does go a very long way!!! Do not forget pictures and most of all enjoy them! I am learning to enjoy mine. Of course that is after I check them all out and say: "hmm...what is that...oh no....is that a worm? ....he is swimming strange?...." Apply common sense and enjoy them~


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_144_10.gif

[Dave C]

An increase in pH like that won't affect the Discus in the least. I acclimate my new Discus with the grab 'n plop method. Just grab them out of the bag (or pour them through a net) and plop them in the tank. Never lost a fish that way. Prayer might make you feel better but the fish won't notice.

[Elcid]

Hi Dave:

I'm just curious about ur grab and plop method because I never do it. Would you take a discus that's in cold water (say 50-60 F) which is not unheard of during this time of the year and plop it into your tank that's 86 F? What about if that fish in the bag was severly ammonia bound with significant ammonia burn in the bag?

thanks,
Sandeep

[Kindredspirit]

Hey You!!



Sandeep, I hear ya!! However, I do not think many acclimate by setting them in the tanks and adding water, too much anymore for some reason~

I think it is best to get them right out of the bag and in the tank. I am not experienced enough to know why this has kinda changed, except to say that the fish are so stressed and lack of air, it is best to plop them in asap. I actually forgot that, when Dan's discus arrived, and I put them to rest in the bags in the tank, but only for a min... then I remembered that it is best to get them out, esp in my case as they were late arriving as it was~ That is what I was advised on the last two new arrivals that I rec'vd~Grab and Plop! But not the water in the bag~ One can only assume your tank is ready for them, tho~

There are some on here I would never think of questioning there wisdom~

I just do it~


hth

Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_8_6v.gif

[Dave C]

Hi Dave:

I'm just curious about ur grab and plop method because I never do it. Would you take a discus that's in cold water (say 50-60 F) which is not unheard of during this time of the year and plop it into your tank that's 86 F? What about if that fish in the bag was severly ammonia bound with significant ammonia burn in the bag?

Yup, especially if the water is cold or high in ammonia. My goal is to get them out as fast as possible and into clean, warm, ammonia-free tank water. Going from cold to warm, acidic to alkaline does no apparent harm to the fish. If there is high ammonia in the bag the minute you open the bag the oxygen hits the water and the pH will rise, making the ammonia more toxic. So it makes no sense to leave the fish in there while you slowing drip in good water.

[Tony_S]

I agree with Dave 100%...No question.

[Elcid]

Thanks, Maybe I'll be bold enough to try it next time :antlers: I always think that the ammonia is not just in the water but in equlibrium in the fish's body and a sudden rise in pH will burn the fish from inside out. I guess that's a reason to keep the water in your tank acidic when acclimating fish with the plop and drop method.

[Dave C]

Actually you're better off to have higher pH in your tank with the grab 'n plop method. If you have acidic water you should acclimate slower.

[Dissident]

I think the 'grab and plop' method os more orientated to fish that have been shipped and the water in the bag is nice and nasty, and as dave stated before with the Ph change ammonia in the water becomes much more toxic and can hurt the fish.
Comming from a LFS or local breeder I like the float the bag and add water method for ~60min.
I have had no problems useing either method except with some Altums i got about a year ago, but they were diseased when I got them :-/

[Carol_Roberts]

I think you guys read his post wrong . . . the pet shop has the high pH. Timotel is bringing the discus home to LOW pH.

Timotel should raise his pH with pH up or even baking soda to say 7.5 and then grab and plop. ;)

[Kindredspirit]

Timotel should raise his pH with pH up or even baking soda to say 7.5 and then grab and plop


Carol~ How long does that take? Is it instaneous?? Good to know! oh, and how much baking soda?



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_4_10.gif

[Dave C]

I think you guys read his post wrong . . . the pet shop has the high pH. Timotel is bringing the discus home to LOW pH.

Timotel should raise his pH with pH up or even baking soda to say 7.5 and then grab and plop. ;)

You're right Carol, I did misread his post. I don't think I'd mess with the pH in my tank in this case. I'd just put the fish & water in a bucket and add tank water, leave for a couple of minutes, remove 1/2 water, add tank water, leave for a couple of minutes... do that 5x and the fish should be ready to add to the tank. I'm surprised his tank is so much more acidic then the LFS, usually it's the other way. If he's adding something to his tank to lower the pH it might just be a case of stopping that practice and doing a w/c.

[Willie]

Go with the drop and plop. It's never failed me.

pH 6.8 is not acidic. It's close to neutral. More likely it's 6.8 because he has soft tap water. I'm not a water chemist, but it's difficult to imagine having acidic water out of the tap.

Willie

[Dissident]

Not too far off topic i hope:
I always thought fish were more sensitive to Ph swings on the up side. Taking a fish from 6.8 to a 8.0 would stress the fish a lot more than from 8.0 to 6.8. Part of the reson why CO2/planted tanks and discus can stress the fish. Durring the day the Ph will be lower than it is at night, as the CO2 escapes the Ph rises stressing the fish more than when the CO2 starts back up lowering the Ph? Or do i have that backwards, as in the fish are stressed when the CO2 is added lowering the Ph?

I ask because when moveing fish from tank to tank I just drop them in if the Ph of the new tank is lower within about 1pt. But will ballance the Ph if the new tank's Ph is higher by .5 or more buy bucket and add water from the new tank.

[Elcid]

By now it's probably safe to assume that the fish are in the tank and the prayers have been answered

[White Worm]

Grab and plop gets my vote. Snatch em right out of the bag by hand and lay them in the new tank. They will love ya for it. Outta that nasty bag or container and into a nice clean tank.

[Carol_Roberts]

Dissident: It's harder for discus to swing down in pH - easier to go from 6.8 to 7.8 than other way.

Marie: Everyones water is different - you have to test your water to see how much pH up or baking soda to add. It works in several minutes.

[White Worm]

Unless you have really low or really high ph, would it be better just to leave it instead of trying to raise and lower it constantly? I have tried to keep the ph at 6.5 with adding chemicals and I find that it always finds itself back to an average 7.4. I now leave it and things seem to be easier to take care of. Hard to adjust every time during wc's. Stable seems to be the way to go as long as its within safe limits.

[pcsb23]

Mike, spot on - stable is best! Reason your goes back up is because the buffering in the water 'consumes' the acid and it bounces back, if you kept adding acid it would eventually use all the buffering and the ph would stay at the level you want, but why add stuff to your tank you don't need?? - You've got it right! stable IS best.
Paul.

[Kindredspirit]

Dissident: It's harder for discus to swing down in pH - easier to go from 6.8 to 7.8 than other way.

Marie: Everyones water is different - you have to test your water to see how much pH up or baking soda to add. It works in several minutes.


Thanks Carol! I wish there was a home remedy for water conditioner... A few times I thought i was out of Prime, and my tank was already filling back up...talk about panic!


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_4_10.gif