Know its HITH, but secondary???

[briggadane]

Any ideas to help either fish?
AT least 2 fish have this, a Discus and a Betta.

There are shrimp and EXPENSIVE plecos in the tank too.

Discus and betta started out with bumps under the skin. This progressed to something white and filmy appearing to come out of the ruptured bumps.

The gill fins are ragged as well.

1. Must treat whole tank.
2. Must know which parasite to treat for.
3. Daily 20-50% water changes do not work(that is my NORMAL water change routine).
4. Melafix did not work.
5. Salt did not work.
6. Bacterial meds did not work.
7. Discus is showing stress pattern for a week.
8. Tank temp at 86*

So, the discus has "hole in the head" disease. A rather bad case, and due to the fishs' color, not detected very soon. Likely cause was vitamin deficiency in my water. Snails were also suffering brittle shell and color changes, so I knew they needed calcium. Now, the betta has the same open wounds as the discus, but his has a white fungus with dark spots along it hanging from the wounds. I know the betta was picked on, as some of his crown tail points were missing. I'm not sure if they are both suffing the same fate or not. Discus is in the main tank, as all discus and fish will need the treatment for vitamins. I am treating the beta separately, as he seems to need more help.

Any ideas to help either fish?


There are shrimp and EXPENSIVE plecos in the tank too.

Discus and betta started out with bumps under the skin. This progressed to something white and filmy appearing to come out of the ruptured bumps.

The gill fins are ragged as well.

1. Must treat whole tank.
2. Must know which parasite to treat for.
3. Daily 20-50% water changes do not work(that is my NORMAL water change routine).
4. Melafix did not work.
5. Salt did not work.
6. Bacterial meds did not work.
7. Discus is showing stress pattern for a week.
8. Tank temp at 86*

Pics of Discus, and some white "fungus?"

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=96&pictureid=588

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=96&pictureid=587

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=96&pictureid=586

[pcsb23]

Upping the mineral content of the fishes diet and ensuring that there are trace elements present in the water will go a long way in sorting this.

You may need to remove the snails from that tank for now. If the fish have a flagellate infection then metro is the drug of choice.

You don't say what bacterial meds it is you have used so not much advice can be offered there, imo salt has very limited use in a discus tank and melafix is best left on the shelf!

[briggadane]

Discus: RIP. :angel:
Betta: recovering.

Trace minerals were added last week, but must not have been soon enough.

Had been putting calcium tablet in the water every few days.

I did not keep the package, but it turned the water yellow. I THINK it was one of the -cyclines.

Now, I am treating with 2/3 the recommended amount of parasite remover that has prazi, metron, and ?. Then I add a touch more prazi to get to recommended amount there. Plecos cant have the full amount of the MN.

I gave the remaining 7 discus a good going over, and see no signs of this on them.

Thanks all.