HELP!!! PLEASE.....

[alxjss]

DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE


Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish/when and how they started
They are very skittish and I saw one of them scratching yest. Today, i see my little baby rasboras scratching, even cory's. I have had them in my tank since May 7th pm




2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/ white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds)

some darting, hiding, sometimes dark, but goes away, when i stay for a while. I think they r still skittish,




3. What medications/ treatments that you have already tried and results. Include dosages and duration of treatment.
none


Just added Prazi 1tsp/20gal. I added 3 tsps. total.



Tank/Water

4. Tank size and age, number and size of fish

55gal, 3.5 wks old, 6-2.5-3'' discus, 10- .25"rasbora's, 4-juvie cory's

5. Water change regime/ how long has tank been running/ bare bottom or gravel/ do you age your water?

no aging, use prime w/c=.50-80% daily, squeeze sponge and prefilter sponge

6 Parameters and water source;

- temp __86___

- ph ____7.2_

- ammonia reading _0___ the readings for out of tap are all the same except 0 NitrAtes

- nitrite reading ___0_

- nitrate reading __5.0__

- well water ____

- municipal water __y__

7. Any new fish/plants added recently
no

[White Worm]

How often do you w/c and how much?

[alxjss]

How often do you w/c and how much?

i am doing it everyday 50-80% Also, i was thinking that since it was a fishless cycle maybe i got some parasite in there. I put a pc. of shrimp to do this cycle. Now i am worried. Yes, i panick!!!

[White Worm]

smaller discus are more affected by flukes or water quality, prazi is a good med for it. I'm not sure about the amount. I have also used life bearer with good results. PP is also good but you must be very careful with that stuff as a bath or a dip. I'd give the prazi you are using a chance to work and keep an eye on them.

[alxjss]

cool, hope everything is ok:(

[Polar_Bear]

Darting and skittish is a sign of Nitrite (NO2) posioning, I would test for that before adding meds. My guess is that at 3 weeks your tank is not cycled yet.

[Tropical Haven]

I agree with the cycling comment. What it sounds like to me is that the tank just finished the fishless cycle but then when you added the discus to the tank, it might not be able to handle the sudden bioload to it and might have made your nitrites shoot up really high.

[alxjss]

my nitrites are at 0. I have been testing it everyday. Everything is aat zero except nitrAtes @ 5.0 was @ 10 for last 2 days. did wc last nite and now @ 5.0

[poconogal]

Eileen, I would have said that your tank had a cycling issue except that you say you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. Are your test kits fresh? Be careful squeezing out your sponges since they are newly cycled too. If your test kits are fresh, and its certain that your readings are correct as posted, then it seems as if there may be some sort of parasite. Prazi or Prazi Pro may help depending on what's ailing them. Keep an eye on them and check those kits.

[alxjss]

Well, i had the test for 2yrs now. I don't know how long they last. I will buy a small one now just in case. I will get nitrite test to check it out. Thanks:confused:

[pcsb23]

Eileen the tests are probably useless now. Get some new ones, if you can find it get some bio spira or simialr Larry (Polar Bear) knows of another good product. Add that and in the meantime stop squeezing those sponges, or squeeze them alternatively. I think the tank isn't cycled fully just yet.

[SriAngel]

Before you try all sorts of medications perhaps i can make a suggestion. Get some marine/aquarium salt at 2 flat tablespoons per 10 gallons, and increase the temp about 2-4 degrees. Wait for 2 days if it improves then you're all set. If not proceed with parasite/bacteriacide. I had the same thing happen to me..all it took was a little heat and hot water..the fish lightened up after the first 24 hours. Good luck I know when it happens its frustrating especially when youre putting in the hard work. Also did you introduce any new fish without QT?

[Graham]

Just a comment on the last post concerning salt...Unless to have africans marine salt mixes should not be used. They contain additional buffers and mineral content designed for salt water tank witha pH of 8.4.

Other than that any salt can be used from table salt to water conditioner salt. The only thing to watch out for are anti-caking agents called YPS, Yellow Prussiate of Soda...other than that any salt will do

[alxjss]

Thanks everyone, i think i am doing this all wrong. U r right Paul, i will stop squeezing the sponge, but the one on the prefilter, should i clean that w/ the water changes or leave that as well. Or maybe clean the prefilter every other w/c? I am wondering how to find out if the test kit is no good. I don't see an expiration date on anything. If it expires, it should say so. I see nothing. I emailed aquarium pharm, to ask them, waiting for an answer. I bought a small kit tho and it was the same, 0 nitrites....:confused:
Yes, i already thru some prazi in there. When i saw my discus scratch, it bothered me, but when i saw the others also, that did it. I medicated. I used 1tsp/10gal. I have a 55gal so i used 3 tsp. to make up for my fluval. They seem good, i have not seen any scratching so far. Everyone is eating. I think they are still a little scared.
I will not do salt as of yet, and yes, i no i can't use sea salt. I will have to get some more because i used the last of it on my lionheads. I will get more just in case. Maybe i should have epsom salt on hand also.
The more w/c the more the nitrate goes down, that is good right. I am just a little worried about ruining the delicate cycle that is not stable yet. Do u think i could wait a day or 2. I have treated the tank and on the instructions it say not to do a w/c for 3 days. What do u think, pros? I could vacuum the tank, i have a vacuum with a bag to suck up leftover food and poop.

[svdfinally]

I'm going to post this and open myself up to get slammed on. My belief is that most diseases are caused by improper water conditions. I don't treat the fish unless I can positively identify the culprit. I increase my water changes and temperature to be the cure. I believe your tank is cycling and the fish are not diseased just showing signs of the cycle. I got fish from Cary also on Saturday and I had a filter running for two weeks on another tank to get the filter ready. I moved the filter once I released the fish. I had a minor ammonia level 0.25 for two days and then it went to zero. During the time it was 0.25 my fish had the symptoms of darkening, skittish, and on a hunger strike. Once that was over they all swim everywhere and eat like pigs (I actually have never seen a pig eat but I digress). :)

[alxjss]

:) Hii Sean, Where r the pics??? I am changing the water 50-80% daily. I change it @ nite, before it gets dark, so they are in fresh water all night. I went thr the cycle thing. Ammonia spiked, not to 8, but 4 and then the ammonia went down, got some nitrite, went down, then got nitrates.Like i said, the nitrates were @ 10 when i put the fish in on mon. and were 10 all the way to today, which was @ 5.0. If i am doing something, what? I don't age my water, but use prime, w/o problem. I will wait to see what happens, that is all i can do right @ the moment. Thanks for the info:)

Just did another test. GH-140, KH 80 all the others r the same even after the prazi.