Please help with diagnosis and treatment

[hadji25]

Hello all I have some ill discus. They have som white areas on them that are 3 demensional and fuzzy like. They almost look like sores of some type. I have noticed that their breathing seems a little more rapid than normal and their appitite seems deminished. Also they seem to a peppered up a little also. I am enclosing a couple pics but they are not great. I do 50% water changes every other day. NO2 is <0.3 mg/l, NH3 and NH4 is 0 and my ph is 7.0. They are housed in a 60 gal. low tech planted tank with a rena xp3 filter. I love these guys and I will do anything to get them healthy again. Thanks in advance.

~Brian

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c305/hadji25/Picture317.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c305/hadji25/Picture316.jpg

[brewmaster15]

Hi Brian,
I can see them in the second pic... How long has the fish had these patches?

-al

[hadji25]

Just about a week, i had thought that they were just from pecking and playing with eachother. Now I dont think so!!

~Brian

[brewmaster15]

What I can see looks like a reddish patch... with a white raised area...almost like a spike coming up off the surface of the fish... is that pretty accurate.?

Have the patches grown in size or number in the week? and have you treated with anything?

-al

[hadji25]

That is a pretty accurate statement, Maybe grown a little but not alot have just gotten Fuzzier(is that a word?). I havent treated with anything.

[brewmaster15]

I'm guessing since its so localized that you may have some parasites feeding on the fish there...Parasites can open a fish to a localized infection.


Can you get them into a hospitol tank?

-al

[hadji25]

No I dont have a hospital tank. Is there any way to treat them without harming the other fish in my tank. This only effects 3 of my 6 discus in the tank. And my 2 rams seem fine also. Thanks for all you help Al.

~Brian

[Graham]

That looks like a minor bacterial infection at this point maybe due to some parasite. Since you don't have a QT and are reluctant to dump meds into the main tank at this point ......swab the spots with some iodine on a Q-Tip. Cleaning away any of the dead tissue. Do Not get it in thier eye's, gills or mouth. Do this only once

Then apply a topical antibiotic, such as Debride


http://www.pondrx.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=7&cat=15&page=1

If the sore was caused by a parasite then that bug has to be cleared 1st...this is where a microscope would be handy. Shotgun meds such as Quick Cure would be handy here also but it will do a job on the nitrifiers

anyway swab for now and see what happens

G

[brewmaster15]

Since you don't have hospitol tank, Grahams advice is good here Brian, I too would try to treat those few patches topically.. I have used Iodine as well as hydrogen peroxide.. If you use the peroxide, take a dry paper towel first and gently dab the affected area...then dip the q-tip into the peroxide and apply to the wound.

Just have everything out when you net the fish, wet paper towels work well to place on the fish and under while its out of water.


I have not used the Debride recommended but it looks like it would work fine... may be worth a try..I think I will give it a try next time I have need of it for something similar.

Watch the fish closely and if the patches widen or become more numerous...Then I think we better try something more broad spectrum...in the whole tank....maybe oxytetracycline or maracin 2(minocycline) both are pretty safe across species.

Hth,
al

[brewmaster15]

Hi Brian,
How are things with these fish?


-al