Needing help after ice storms

[phidelt85]

Well, I've recovered for the most part from the ice storm that knocked power out to our house for about 3 days. I thought the discus tank had made it but I'm not so sure. Just to let you know the tank temp did get down to 76* during hte outage. I didn't feed them and wasn't able to do any WCs. Since power has been restored I've tried to do daily water changes but haven't been able to because the storage tank temp and pH hasn't stabilized fast enough. I haven't lost any discus out of the tank; however, I have lost 1 farlowella cat and two cories over the last two days. The discus obviously have lost some weight they look a bit slim. Some of them are just spitting out the food and not eating. A couple of my BDs have very dark eyes and most have sunken stomachs.

[hironobu]

My first advice would be to raise the temperature to 86+ even to as high as 90+ and keep the temperature steady for at least couple of days. The discus should feel much better in that temperature. Their activity and appetite should also increase with the rise in temperature. I think they're fine in general, unless you observe white spots on the fins/body or white feces. I have found discus to be very sensitive to large temperature drops and can act timid and disinterested in cooler enviornments. Hope all is well with your tank. Best!

[alxjss]

Wow Jose. Hope everything is ok. That really sucks. Glad Al didn't send out those fish. Good luck to you bud;)

[Tropical Haven]

I agree to raise the temps to 90 for a couple of days and see if they start to eat.

[brewmaster15]

Jose,

They should bounce back, temp up and they start feeling much better... the one thing you may want to do is check your ammonia and nitrites if the filters stopped working for any period of time...the bio filter may have been impaired...and that alone can really make the discus act off.

hth,
al

[reelay0]

Hey Jose,
Even if you do see white poo... Don't sweat it. Just keep on keeping on with the water changes and checking water parameters. IME i had white poo for about a week from two of my fish, and once I started daily water changes, he started eating again and the white poo dissappeared.

Temp changing it back to nice and toasty is important as well.

Ray

[poconogal]

Jose, I agree with the others. They should be fine. I was told by a Discus importer whom I've ordered from in the past that his Discus routinely arrive from Asia in water about 65 degrees, and I myself received a shipment of Discus in 60 degree water. Those Discus are just fine.

[phidelt85]

Thank you everybody. I will raise the temp up to around 90*. I have seen some white spots on a couple of their fins and somebody has white poo. I haven't found the culprit but I'm pretty sure it's my runt BD. Everybody else that I have noticed is passing good black poop. My biggest problem is getting the change water up in temp. fast enough.

I'll check the nitrites and nitrates and see where that stands as well.

[Wahter]

When an ice storm hit this area a few years ago, the temperature in the tanks fell down to below 69ºF, the discus were sluggish, but as soon as the electricity came back on, I moved them into a large rubbermaid tub placed a spare heater and an airstone in the tub and all of them "thawed out" fine. That way, I could do the larger water changes on the tank with warmer water. I think your fish should be okay. Even my clown loaches didn't get sick after that ordeal.



Walter

[phidelt85]

Thanks, Walter! Good news to hear. They seem of good spirits except that one damn BD. I tested NH3, NO2, NO3. 0,0,5-10, respectively.

[phidelt85]

Ok, for the most part the Discus are doing fine. But I just lost another C. trilineatus. This is the fourth one. I don't get it.

[alxjss]

Bummer Jose. I sure hope u don't loose anymore fish. Wow, that hurts. Fingers crossed for u:)

[phidelt85]

I hope I don't lose anymore either. It's frustrating because I don't even know what's killing them.

[pcsb23]

Jose,

It may be down to the temp swings...C. trilineatus don't take discus temps too well from what I understand, with 77f (25C) being the top end.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=508