My discus ar scratching

[azzndude2005]

Problem
I'm not sure if it means they're sick, but they are scratching themselves against the airline tubbing and filter. I got these 3 days ago.

Symtpoms
Poops are normal, they are eating,

Treatments
7 TSB of salt in 75gal tank, about 70gal water.

Tank/Water
75gal tank, running for 3 days, bare bottom, water aged for 2 months with no airstone. Waterchange 50%

Parameters and water source;
temp 81
ph 7.8
ammonia reading Less than .5 ppm
nitrite reading 0
nitrate reading 0
municipal water

[azzndude2005]

I hope it's not flukes. If it is, I wonder how it got into my fish. I'm thinking about 100% waterchange with 2 TSB of salt per 10 gallon and add an UV sterilizer.

What is the best way to treat flukes if it is?
formalin
Prazi
Flubenzadol
salt dips at 3%
PP dip

[arasto]

hi
scratching themselves against the airline is sign of attacking parasite on the skin.
check the skin by eye and if you cant see anything check it by microscope.
as the kind of parasite you should use different medicine but for beggining
salt and metilen blue may be help.
thx

[Timbo]

hi azzndude

you say your water is two months old and the tank has been running for 3 days; did you run a filter and a bioload (something to feed the filter) for two months as well?

the reason i ask is your ammonia reading should be zero and nitrates should show some kind of presence if your tank is cycled. (your ph is fine but i'd bump up the temp a couple degrees to 84-86)

how long has your filter been running? (with something to feed the bacteria) if your tank is not cycled, it will lead to all kinds of probs with your fish. hopefully that is not the case, but it needs to be checked first before medicating.

[Timbo]

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?p=307623#post307623

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=50123

whoa, i just checked your other posts and you say your tank is not cycled! (and your poll suggests you considered cycling the tank with discus in it..is that what you did?)

if so, there's your problem

[Tony_S]

whoa, i just checked your other posts and you say your tank is not cycled! (and your poll suggests you considered cycling the tank with discus in it..is that what you did?)

if so, there's your problem

At one point, the poll also suggested pissing in the tank to cycle it....high cost of ammonia these days ya know :rolleyes:

Maybe they have DIPS...(drowning in piss syndrome)

little suprise we're in the disease section now.


Tony

[Timbo]

little suprise we're in the disease section now.


Tony

lol the DIPS :)

[azzndude2005]

Hahaha You guys are funny.

The tank should be cycle. I got a sponge filter from the store when I bought the fish. The fish are not scratching themselves like crazy. They scratch like once an hour. I got these fish new, so it could be that they already have them already or the sponge filter contain flukes.

[Tony_S]

Hahaha You guys are funny.

The tank should be cycle. I got a sponge filter from the store when I bought the fish. The fish are not scratching themselves like crazy. They scratch like once an hour. I got these fish new, so it could be that they already have them already or the sponge filter contain flukes.

In plain english....your filter IS NOT CYCLED! OR ISNT OPERATING PROPERLY!

If your filter was cycled, ammonia would/should be ZERO and you WOULD have nitrates in detectable levels.

Ammonia burns gills....fish scratch...simple enough.

Tony

[poconogal]

My suggestion is to get some Stability and Prime, both from Seachem, and fast. Stability will help cycle the tank quicker and Prime will help with ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. You will still get readings with test kits, but ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will be converted into non-toxic forms. Discus really shouldn't be put into a tank that's not fully cycled, though. Good luck.

[azzndude2005]

My discus are fine for now but they still stratching. I got a sponge filter from the store's tank. I think they got flukes. They look a lot better since I got them and eating more. There's no more ammonia in my tank, but there's some nitrate and nitrite. The sponge filter got recycle some how.

[poconogal]

My discus are fine for now but they still stratching. I got a sponge filter from the store's tank. I think they got flukes. They look a lot better since I got them and eating more. There's no more ammonia in my tank, but there's some nitrate and nitrite. The sponge filter got recycle some how.
If your Discus were fine, they would not be scratching and your tank is NOT cycled. If it was, you would have ZERO Ammonia, and ZERO Nitrite. A fully cycled tank ALWAYS has ZERO Ammonia and Nitrite. Nitrite is actually MORE toxic than Ammonia. You can put a little aquarium or kosher salt into the tank. I've used 1 tsp. per 10 gallons in the past. It will stop Nitrite poisoning. Or get Prime, like I said before. It will neutralize Nitrite and Nitrate. Discus should never be subjected to a cycling tank, they are too sensitive and need very clean water. Are your fish breathing with only one gill? If so, that is a sign of flukes. For that use Prazi Pro, by Hikari. Its gentle but works well and won't harm the biological filter. It may very well be that the toxicity in your water is irritating them though. If you don't put some salt or get Prime, you may very well have all your Discus die.