Pale fish and a spas attack! Whats going on?

[kaceyo]

An hour ago I was watching one of my tanks and thinking one fish looked real pale and some of the others were slightly pale. The last time these same fish started looking this way they quit eating for nearly 2 months. As I was looking on another fish (not the real pale one) started darting around the tank, went to the top and stuck its head out of the water and started spitting streams of water straight up. Then started rolling head over heels, sideways and every which way with its gills barely moving, then floated around and down to the bottom lookin dead. Within 30 seconds it got back up and sat there looking a bit shaken but otherwise OK.
I did a 50% wc and added some salt and put some carbon in the filter in case there was a toxin in the water. After the wc the are all swimming around more active than usual, and still pale.
Is their something specific that a fish turning pale and colorless signifies? Or generaly what would cause it?
They've been eating great since their fast, slowly but surly getting much better. I did see some mucusy looking poop in the tank today for the first time in awhile tho.
Please let me know what you think about this,
Thanks,

Kacey

[Kindredspirit]

Kacey ~

Sounds like something in the water was really getting to them?? I am sure you use Prime or something like it ~ I wonder....did you test your water to be sure? I am glad they are okay now tho~

As far as pale...I have no clue! But they are eating good? I remember when your fish were really sick ~ I know how you feel ....everytime I see a little white spot on mine... I think ....Oh H* No...I so can not do this again!

Marie ~ :bandana:

[Ed13]

Had a client whose discus did the same thing after the introduction of some items into the tank that unknown to him had been exposed to a cleaning agent. His fish did exactly what yours did and he reacted just like you did. But even in an 8' foot tank the small amount of chemical caused him to lose 4 discus.

[Graham]

Kacey I agree with Marie and Ed ...that sounds like something toxic in the water...was anything added to the tank or anything sprayed around the fish room that the pumps could have picked up. Are you using any hand lotions?

G

[kaceyo]

I had just cleaned the countertop I made BH Mix on with Comet. I suppose I could have missed some when I rinsed my hands. I was thinking alng the same lines. Thats why the carbon and wc. They're still OK this morning except the one is still pale and colorless. The paleness started before the possible contamination and spastic attack, does anyone know what that is a symptom of?
Thanks guys,

Kacey

[Graham]

Kacey, Is the paleness the actual skin colour or has the fish secreted excess mucus giving it a pale colour. If you touch the fish does it feel reallyslimy...more so than normal.

I can be corrected here but when discus are stressed they always go dark, not light

G

[kaceyo]

Graham,
It's definitly the fish itself that has lost color and turned very pale and there is no excess slime. I've tried searches to find a cause for it but I just get refs to neon tetra disease, beta's that lose color or vague lists of symptoms that include loss of color but don't address it specificly. Their must be particuler conditions that will cause paleness but I can't pin it down. As I said before, this particuler fish looked the same during the long fast which was eventually cleared up with Dylox and then Metro when long white poop started as they began eating again.

Kacey

[White Worm]

Kacey, Is the paleness the actual skin colour or has the fish secreted excess mucus giving it a pale colour. If you touch the fish does it feel reallyslimy...more so than normal.

I can be corrected here but when discus are stressed they always go dark, not light

G
I'm no expert but a couple of mine will fade when stressed. My cobalt especially. He fluctuates between dark blue (when he has eggs with his girlfriend....Medium blue (most of the time)... and light blue (faded color) when he has been stressed a couple times in the past (bloated). Come to think of it, I have not had any darken of my current discus. Most of mine will lighten. I wonder if that is rare?

[grelot]

my golden melon are almost white when stressed. They become very pale but the very little amount of pepper they have become very dark and proeminent