are my discus ok?

[MRQuad]

guys, this is my first time in discus.. and the reason i posted this is because, i want to know if my discus are ok or not?

i can't tell and i don't know if they are fine with me.. so far, they ate like pig.. :D

below are the link of the picture.. thanks!

http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo22/MRQuad81/IMG_1153.jpg
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo22/MRQuad81/IMG_1155.jpg
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo22/MRQuad81/IMG_1152.jpg
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo22/MRQuad81/IMG_1160.jpg
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo22/MRQuad81/IMG_1159.jpg
http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo22/MRQuad81/IMG_1161.jpg

[mikel]

Not sure what you mean by "OK". They look young and if eating well, then "OK"! I would focus on making sure they eat at least 5 times a day, well spaced out, with a varied diet of quality foods (you can do an archive check of what's good food), and making sure there's plenty of "toilet flushing":)....or water changes. If you can do 50% water WC a day with this many discus, it would be very helpful. Keep the water PH constant and water clean and conditioned, and you should be all set. Best mike

[Eddie]

I'm not sure but your fish do look a bit stressed, as if you just finished wiping down the tank and doing a WC. :o If that is not the case, the fish should be up front and begging for food even if they've eaten. What are your water parameters? Ammonia if any, Nitrite if any and Nitrate?

Eddie

OOps, good call Anna, the bottom does look dirty so it couldn't be that you just cleaned it. Make sure you are wiping the tank with every WC. Bottom included

[Roxanne]

Oh Gawd, this should be under horror stories I think...
You sound like you just found them and brought them home. my eyesight isn't what it used to be, but that tank looks filthy. They look like they are looking for an escape route...How big is the tank they are in? Is is cycled? Have you got a test kit?

Rox

[aquadiva]

Your Discus look stressed to me :scared: The tank looks like it needs a Hot Magnum water polisher put on and a good cleaning/water change. Too much food sitting on the bottom, also dirty. I would make cleaning a first priority with this tank but make sure the water temp you replace with is the same temp as the tank.

What size tank is this?
What is your water changing schedule and how much do you change at a time?
What is the temp?
What are readings for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate? If you don't have test kits for these readings, go out today and buy them and test the water.

Give us more information when you can please. Everyone is here to help. :angel:

Anna

[Eddie]

Good call Anna, couldn't have been that he had just done a WC. I missed that but realized it after you mentioned the bottom of the tank. You gotta clean that bottom MRQuad! Clean up any uneaten food.

Eddie

[1077]

I believe the automatic fish feeder may be contributing to the excess food laying on the bottom. As stated this is a no no. It is critical to remove the excess food and or poo with vaccum after fish have finished foraging. You may need to scale back the five or six feedings That I believe you mentioned in a previous post if you cannot be there to clean up afterwards. You can take a clean paper towel and fold it into fourths and wipe the sides AND the bottom regularly so the filter can pick it up. I would also rinse the filter material in old tank water that you take out on a regular basis. I trust you will also keep an eye on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates as these will dictate the health of your fish. Don't panic, Discus are just cichlids they just require a bit more care.

[cyang]

Hi I'm new to discus too...but I gotta say the most important thing is a clean tank and WCs IMO. The bottom of the tank looks very dirt, so you should probably do a large WC to get all the debris and detritus out of the tank. Make sure your WC water is the same temp. And try to feed less, but enough at the same time...if that makes sense. Hope this helps, dawg.

[Roxanne]

You guyyyyys.

he hasn't answered a single question about his water, I get the feeling he filled a tank from the tap...Ipso facto, those fish are suffocating in ammonia from all that extra food....

Dude, it is really important that you tell us if you understand the nitrogen cycle and how you set up that tank. This will tell us what to say to help you...and those poor fish!

Roxanne

[kaceyo]

Come on guys. What is this, scare away the new guy time? He just came to ask about his fish and gets hit with "this should be under horror storys" and you can tell by looking that the fish are suffocating in ammonia?? And that he fills from the tap, which has nothing to do with anything at this point.
I wouldn't have replied either.
MrQuad,
The fish look like they have been well cared for so far so your off to a good start. And they are eating like pigs so that's a good sign too. They do look a bit stressed but that could be due to their new tank or that they aren't used to you yet or? Is this how they look normaly? How long have you had them?
The tank could be cleaner, but I've seen worse, so try to keep things wiped down, keep the water clean by not feeding more than they'll eat in 5 to 10 mins and do plenty of wc's. This should give them a good start.


Kacey

[Roxanne]

Come on guys. What is this, scare away the new guy time? He just came to ask about his fish and gets hit with "this should be under horror storys" and you can tell by looking that the fish are suffocating in ammonia?? And that he fills from the tap, which has nothing to do with anything at this point.
I wouldn't have replied either.
Kacey

Didn't mean to "scare " anybody Kacey;), I noticed he asked a broad question about whether his fish looked ok, and that he just got them..If you read the first part the way I did, it sounds like he had just got them and had been feeding them alot (surefire way to tell he is as clueless as I was in the beginning:o)and no one asked if he has his tank setup correctly. I would expect that he would get as much help as anybody could offer him but how can anybody help him if he doesn't say anything about his tank? I asked questions to get him going, and he hasn't answered. If he is overfeeding them and his tank isn't cycled he would have alot of ammonia, just as I did and his fish would be about as "ok" as mine were! I was trying to get information but if I scared you dude, or stepped on toes Kacey, I sincerely apologise as this wasn't my intention.
:)

[MRQuad]

Not sure what you mean by "OK". They look young and if eating well, then "OK"! I would focus on making sure they eat at least 5 times a day, well spaced out, with a varied diet of quality foods (you can do an archive check of what's good food), and making sure there's plenty of "toilet flushing":)....or water changes. If you can do 50% water WC a day with this many discus, it would be very helpful. Keep the water PH constant and water clean and conditioned, and you should be all set. Best mike
thanks a lot for the reply mike, appreciated it.. i did a 50% WC once a day, i fed them NLS small sinking pellets.

[MRQuad]

I'm not sure but your fish do look a bit stressed, as if you just finished wiping down the tank and doing a WC. :o If that is not the case, the fish should be up front and begging for food even if they've eaten. What are your water parameters? Ammonia if any, Nitrite if any and Nitrate?

Eddie

OOps, good call Anna, the bottom does look dirty so it couldn't be that you just cleaned it. Make sure you are wiping the tank with every WC. Bottom included

thanks for the reply. actually, at the time i took the picture, that's the time, i fed them. i always feed them before a 50% WC. that is why, the bottom is dirty, and the dirty that you saw in the picture is i think, most of it are their poo, not the leftover food, that i gave them. there's always no leftover when i feed them (i guess i gave them the right amount, or just small amount) :(

[MRQuad]

Oh Gawd, this should be under horror stories I think...
You sound like you just found them and brought them home. my eyesight isn't what it used to be, but that tank looks filthy. They look like they are looking for an escape route...How big is the tank they are in? Is is cycled? Have you got a test kit?

Rox

thanks for your honest and prank reply.. i got them almost one month now. the tank looks filthy, is because, i just fed them when i took picture, and that looked dirty in the bottom is mostly their poo.. and the sides, is a little bit of algae.. i didn't really clean the sides because of the pleco that i have in the tank. (i guess my pleco not doing his job, eh?) as of now, they are in a 40G tank. the tank is pretty much cycled is because i had it running for almost 4 years now. and i do have an API test kit.

[MRQuad]

Your Discus look stressed to me :scared: The tank looks like it needs a Hot Magnum water polisher put on and a good cleaning/water change. Too much food sitting on the bottom, also dirty. I would make cleaning a first priority with this tank but make sure the water temp you replace with is the same temp as the tank.

What size tank is this?
What is your water changing schedule and how much do you change at a time?
What is the temp?
What are readings for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate? If you don't have test kits for these readings, go out today and buy them and test the water.

Give us more information when you can please. Everyone is here to help. :angel:

Anna

thanks anna for the reply. can you tell me how to tell the discus that are stressed? i can't tell if they are stressed or not.. (i guess, i really am a newbie?) i posted about the coloration, but no one responded.

size of the tank: 40 G (grow out tank, i have 110G waiting for them) WC schedule: i do water change every i get home from work, and i do 50% now. but before, i did 20%. temp: 28 degree centigrade (two heaters) i haven't test the water yet, for the latest.. i'll keep you posted.

[MRQuad]

Good call Anna, couldn't have been that he had just done a WC. I missed that but realized it after you mentioned the bottom of the tank. You gotta clean that bottom MRQuad! Clean up any uneaten food.

Eddie

i always clean the bottom, and every time i do a WC, there is no uneaten food left, only their poo.. (eww!)

[MRQuad]

I believe the automatic fish feeder may be contributing to the excess food laying on the bottom. As stated this is a no no. It is critical to remove the excess food and or poo with vaccum after fish have finished foraging. You may need to scale back the five or six feedings That I believe you mentioned in a previous post if you cannot be there to clean up afterwards. You can take a clean paper towel and fold it into fourths and wipe the sides AND the bottom regularly so the filter can pick it up. I would also rinse the filter material in old tank water that you take out on a regular basis. I trust you will also keep an eye on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates as these will dictate the health of your fish. Don't panic, Discus are just cichlids they just require a bit more care.
thank you for the response sir. the dirt that you see is mostly not the food uneaten, they are poo. they are still eating, at that time when i took picture of them. if i feed them 6 times a day, meaning i have to vaccum the poo 6 times a day too? sorry for the question, i am just confuse. please, share your thoughts.

[MRQuad]

Hi I'm new to discus too...but I gotta say the most important thing is a clean tank and WCs IMO. The bottom of the tank looks very dirt, so you should probably do a large WC to get all the debris and detritus out of the tank. Make sure your WC water is the same temp. And try to feed less, but enough at the same time...if that makes sense. Hope this helps, dawg.
thanks! i aged the water for 24 hours. i have a heater running on my storage. and the same temp to where my discus are. i am not sure, if i overfed them or i fed them less, cause everytime i do a WC, there is no food left, just poo. hopes that explain.

[MRQuad]

You guyyyyys.

he hasn't answered a single question about his water, I get the feeling he filled a tank from the tap...Ipso facto, those fish are suffocating in ammonia from all that extra food....

Dude, it is really important that you tell us if you understand the nitrogen cycle and how you set up that tank. This will tell us what to say to help you...and those poor fish!

Roxanne
waiting for my response, eh rox? i'm so tired of typing so that i can response each one of your questions, huhuhu.. i need help in typing. sorry about that.. i didn't filled the tank with tap, i aged them.. i have a storage bin beside the tank to replace the water. what should i tell about my setup? i don't know what to tell you.. anyways, for the start.. it has powerhead filter, that will filter for a maximum of 60G tank. it has two heaters, and barebottom.. sorry, i don't know what else should i tell you? please, don't stop helping me, i need this. thanks!

[MRQuad]

Come on guys. What is this, scare away the new guy time? He just came to ask about his fish and gets hit with "this should be under horror storys" and you can tell by looking that the fish are suffocating in ammonia?? And that he fills from the tap, which has nothing to do with anything at this point.
I wouldn't have replied either.
MrQuad,
The fish look like they have been well cared for so far so your off to a good start. And they are eating like pigs so that's a good sign too. They do look a bit stressed but that could be due to their new tank or that they aren't used to you yet or? Is this how they look normaly? How long have you had them?
The tank could be cleaner, but I've seen worse, so try to keep things wiped down, keep the water clean by not feeding more than they'll eat in 5 to 10 mins and do plenty of wc's. This should give them a good start.

Kacey
thanks alot for protecting me.. kacey.. i don't have a problem with them when it comes to eating, they are the champions when it comes to that. thats how they looks like. sorry about my english eh? and thanks again, for the advise.

[MRQuad]

Didn't mean to "scare " anybody Kacey;), I noticed he asked a broad question about whether his fish looked ok, and that he just got them..If you read the first part the way I did, it sounds like he had just got them and had been feeding them alot (surefire way to tell he is as clueless as I was in the beginning:o)and no one asked if he has his tank setup correctly. I would expect that he would get as much help as anybody could offer him but how can anybody help him if he doesn't say anything about his tank? I asked questions to get him going, and he hasn't answered. If he is overfeeding them and his tank isn't cycled he would have alot of ammonia, just as I did and his fish would be about as "ok" as mine were! I was trying to get information but if I scared you dude, or stepped on toes Kacey, I sincerely apologise as this wasn't my intention.
:)
hey rox! don't worry, you didn't scared me.. you are just prank, and straight to the point.. i like that though, atleast you say something to what you have observed. please, keep the advise or help coming.. guys, help me out!

i hope that answers all of your questions guys.. thanks again for your response.. please, if you have something to say, just post it here, to enlighten me up..

[MRQuad]

aside from the dirt on the bottom, is the fish grow nicely? are they not stunted? or, have you guys seen any illness? that i didn't notice?

sorry for the questions.. thanks again!

[Eddie]

They do have potential from what I can see. That bottom needs some heavy cleaning though. That is a ton of poo if thats all poo! It's almost like a red substrate. I'd really be checking those water parameters. Your filter my have been cycled but if it wasn't taking a load like that, it could get overwhelmed and it will take time to catch up. I can guarantee there is some hint of ammonia or nitrite. Doing 50% a day is good, keep it up!

Eddie

[07 Maverick P51]

You just showed us pictures of your Discuses and the mess on the bottom. It is hard to diagnosed what is wrong unless you give us more detail as to what is their behavior. Are they doing anything thing different from what you are accustomed to seeing? Do they have any new spots showing? Are they not getting bigger?

[Roxanne]

Hi MrQuad

That was being Ernest, would you rather I was PRANK?:D Think you meant Frank, yeah? :D
You said you were new to discus, so I assumed the worst. I got the same kind of panic feeling for yours that I got for mine before I found this site and all the great information on it;).....it's a fish saver! If you don't mind me adding this, the single best peice of advice, that encompasses most of what us novices go through, I have read on this site is...Look after the water & the fish will look after themselves...Graham I keep coming back to that over & over again because it seems to me to be the key. The information you get from your test kit says alot about how your fish might be feeling..if you tell the forum your water parameters, they can discern where you might be going wrong and help will come to you sooner.

Good Luck with yours:)

Rox

[aquadiva]

Hello Mr. Quad,

I cannot tell from your response what kind of filter you have other than a powerhead? Let us know when you get a chance. Also, I believe what people are seeing on the bottom of your tank beside "poo" is brown algae growing on the glass as it is on the sides. I would get an algae scrubber and when you do a water change, scrub the bottom and sides of the tank. You shouldn't have to do this scrubbing daily, but as need be when you see a film coming back on the glass.

If your Discus are eating all of the food, then you shouldn't have to vacuum 6 times a day, LOL! Not even I would be willing to vacuum that much! I would do it once a day, unless you should overfeed and see some on the bottom after they eat, then get that out so it doesn't rot. Your daily water changes are great!

Now, check the Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and Ph and make sure they are all where they should be.

I think you'll do just fine with these fish! ;) There are so many knowledgable and helpful people on this forum, not to mention a ton of great info. in the archives to help you along the way. Have fun with these new fish! :fish: And do post new pics once they've grown more.

Anna

[Roxanne]

... can you tell me how to tell the discus that are stressed? i can't tell if they are stressed or not.. ..
.


Mr Quad

If your water isn't right, they will be stressed. I have been through this, so I sympathise with you. Since I got my water right, my fish have never been happier. In fact, I realise how unhappy they were then by how happy they are now.

Rox:)

[mikel]

Hi: You have a lot of good advice....

You need to change the water about 40-50% a day, given the number of fish you have, and your desire to keep them growing and eating. Use a siphon and clean out your barebottom tank (pipe the waste water out the window or door)...leave nothing behind. Add clean water from the tap, and adjust the water with hot and cold tap. What is your water ph? So long as you are consistent, normal ph range should be ok. Dont fuss with ph or water chemistry...the simpler and consistent, the better (And i dont understand it anyway...so inorance is bliss). Keeping discus, I found, is very simple if you are willing to be consistent and dedicated. That means change your water everyday...everyday.

Feed good food, but sparingly each time. No more than they will eat in a minute or two. That's it. Good filter with bio-wheel would be great. Keep the water warm...at around 88F or so (I actually have it at 89F, which is on the high side, but my fish, which i grew out from 2 inches, are very happy with it). I have metro and Quik Cure on hand, along with epsom salt and regular tank salt on hand. Clean water is always the key. If you give your fish clean water, they can usually fight off whatever they might encounter.

I feed FBW, FBS, Omega One flakes, Ocean nutrition pellets, Sera Blue and red....and earthworms from my gaden during the summer (just dig them up, purge of dirt overnight in a small can with newspapers...then chopped up in little gooey pieces, and try not to look, or you may puke). All your food should sink slowly, nooooooo.....floating food whatsoever!!!! My discus hate floaters.

I have a pair of Pigeon Bloods from Al, the owner of this site, and a big Blue Diamond, and a smaller Blue diamond and a nice size red Turquoise. My tank is partitioned as the Pigeon Bloods are vicious to the rest.

Keep reading here and enjoy the hobby. My discus are a great hit with my friends, who dont usually associate a fish with something so big, flat and colorful.

[doc3toes]

Hey Quad, you are fortunate you found this site. i didn't have that benefit when i started. I think your fish are going to do fine. Just keep up the water changes and wiping down the tank. What strain are they?

[MRQuad]

hi guys!

sorry for the late response.. i got the chance to read the forum, but i got no chance to reply, sorry about that.. just now that i have a lot of time, that is why i am able to respond now..

anyways, i am shocked about my water parameters before/after i do a 50% water change tonight.. guys, are my discus gonna be fine? please, help out.. thanks!

here's the result of the water test:

before water change:
ammonia:0.50
Ph:7.6
nitrate:0
nitrite:.25

after water change:
ammonia:0.25
Ph:7.2
nitrate:0
nitrite:.25

what do you guys think about my parameters? what should i do to maintain it? and what should i avoid? thanks guys!

[1077]

Quad. With the number and volume of water changes you are doing I am thinking that another filter would help. Emperor400 with biowheel provides large surface area for beneficial bacteria to develop. I would add one of these to the tank and leave the old one running as well. you really can't have too much filtration. Ammonia and nitrites must be zero for healthy fish. It is my belief that cutting down on food to three or four small feedings per day will help you better control the water parameters. Keep up those water changes and wipe down the tank sides and bottom a couple times a week. Ammonia levels above 0.25 are harmful to lethal same for nitrites. You post zero nitrates which is very hard to achieve I am thinking there is not enough biological bacteria to break down the waste being created. that is why I am suggesting to cut back on food and get more filtration perhaps others will weigh in ?

[Patr1ck]

Hey bud. Going by those readings, if the test kit being used is accurate, it looks like its in the middle of cycling. The best thing to do is make sure your filter isnt plugged with mulm and keep changing the water 50% a day. Where is your new water coming from? ro or tap, etc..? If your fish arent showing any signs of stress than just keep your mechanical filter clean and keep up on you r water changes. The best way to tell if a discus is stressed is look at their eyes. They should be very clear, not cloudy or dingy looking. See the pics I attached. The pair are good, The other one is not so good. Not all discus eyes are red, some white, some orange. Just use it as a clarity reference. hope this helps

Patrick:D

[Eddie]

Also, MrQuad...if you use a water conditioner, I would switch to Prime. It will truly detoxify ammonia and nitrites and your biological filtration can still build while using it.

[aquadiva]

Mr. Quad,

What kind of filter are you using on this tank? I think as someone mentioned your tank is still "cycling" given the test readings. I would continue those water changes and be careful during this time not to overfeed. Feed less until those ammonia readings reach 0. Make sure that when you clean your filter, you rinse whatever bio media you are using in a bucket of the tank water so you don't kill the beneficial bacteria.

When you do get the 110 gallon going for these fish, be sure to put this filter from your 40 on that tank and do it "before" cleaning it so it has lots of bacteria "goodies" in it to cycle the big tank. I think another good thing to do for the 110 is get a large sponge filter, put it in your 40 gallon now so it can mature to help cycle the 110 fast. Even if you don't want to run a sponge filter long term (although they are great for bio) it would be really helpful to use one temporarily even for cycling. Also take plenty of water from the 40 gallon to add to the 110 for cycling purposes.

I think you'll be just fine once this tank is fully cycled and you keep up on the water changes. ;)

[mikel]

To help with the cycling of your tank, you might try to find a product call "Bio-Spira"...or its newer equal. It works wonders and you must have it refrigerated but not frozen...it's real and living Nitrifying bacteria in a bag. Just pour it either into your filter medium, your bio-wheel (If you have an emperor filter), or straight into the tank; leave your fish in the tank. The bacteria quickly settle on everthing so long as you condition your tap water before you pour it into the tank during water change. mike

[aquadiva]

Good point Mike. I think if it were me, I would go with Dr. Tim's "One and Only" over any of the other's since he made Bio-Spira which in my opinion was probably the only one that really worked well. :sun:

Anna

[MRQuad]

Quad. With the number and volume of water changes you are doing I am thinking that another filter would help. Emperor400 with biowheel provides large surface area for beneficial bacteria to develop. I would add one of these to the tank and leave the old one running as well. you really can't have too much filtration. Ammonia and nitrites must be zero for healthy fish. It is my belief that cutting down on food to three or four small feedings per day will help you better control the water parameters. Keep up those water changes and wipe down the tank sides and bottom a couple times a week. Ammonia levels above 0.25 are harmful to lethal same for nitrites. You post zero nitrates which is very hard to achieve I am thinking there is not enough biological bacteria to break down the waste being created. that is why I am suggesting to cut back on food and get more filtration perhaps others will weigh in ?

thanks for the reply sir.. i appreciated it very much..:) i was thinking of another filter, i just have the feeling that the filter that i have in my 40G is not enough, for my discus, because i do a 6 feedings everyday, 4 hours interval. i am afraid that if i cut my feedings into 3-4 times, they might not get enough for them, i had them as juvies, and it's been a month now since i had them, do you think, they should be fine? thanks again sir.. please, keep posting.. :)

[MRQuad]

Also, MrQuad...if you use a water conditioner, I would switch to Prime. It will truly detoxify ammonia and nitrites and your biological filtration can still build while using it.

thanks for the reply sir.. yeah i did use a conditioner for my aged water, i'll see if i can find a Prime here in my LFS.. and will change mine.

[MRQuad]

Mr. Quad,

What kind of filter are you using on this tank? I think as someone mentioned your tank is still "cycling" given the test readings. I would continue those water changes and be careful during this time not to overfeed. Feed less until those ammonia readings reach 0. Make sure that when you clean your filter, you rinse whatever bio media you are using in a bucket of the tank water so you don't kill the beneficial bacteria.

When you do get the 110 gallon going for these fish, be sure to put this filter from your 40 on that tank and do it "before" cleaning it so it has lots of bacteria "goodies" in it to cycle the big tank. I think another good thing to do for the 110 is get a large sponge filter, put it in your 40 gallon now so it can mature to help cycle the 110 fast. Even if you don't want to run a sponge filter long term (although they are great for bio) it would be really helpful to use one temporarily even for cycling. Also take plenty of water from the 40 gallon to add to the 110 for cycling purposes.

I think you'll be just fine once this tank is fully cycled and you keep up on the water changes. ;)

thanks for the reply.. i think i use emperor 400 (i mentioned to my previous thread that i have powerhead, is this powerhead? correct me if im wrong..) when should i clean my filter? once every month?

my 110G tank has occupants on it.. :mad: it was cichlids.. i am getting a used 55G anyway, from a friend, and if they ever outgrow it again, im gonna move them to my 110G or get another 110G tank.

thanks for the steps on how to cycle fast the tank, this is really helpful. :)

[MRQuad]

Good point Mike. I think if it were me, I would go with Dr. Tim's "One and Only" over any of the other's since he made Bio-Spira which in my opinion was probably the only one that really worked well. :sun:

Anna
thank you again anna.. i will look up to this product this weekend..:)

[MRQuad]

Hey bud. Going by those readings, if the test kit being used is accurate, it looks like its in the middle of cycling. The best thing to do is make sure your filter isnt plugged with mulm and keep changing the water 50% a day. Where is your new water coming from? ro or tap, etc..? If your fish arent showing any signs of stress than just keep your mechanical filter clean and keep up on you r water changes. The best way to tell if a discus is stressed is look at their eyes. They should be very clear, not cloudy or dingy looking. See the pics I attached. The pair are good, The other one is not so good. Not all discus eyes are red, some white, some orange. Just use it as a clarity reference. hope this helps

Patrick:D

thanks for the reply patrick. appreaciated it.. i had the tank running for more than 3 years now. i pretty much sure that the tank is cycled. (i think) i kinda suspecting the filter though, that it cloggeds up, because when i go the room, i smell something, that's before the water change.. i aged the water and put conditioner on it, before putting it to my tank. the fish didn't show any sign that they are stressed. (not that i knew off)most people that respond, from 1 page of this thread says, that my fish are stressed. by looking at the color, but their eyes are clear, have red on sides, swimming nicely, eating like pigs, not breathing heavily.. just normal.

i have observed two of my discus are kinda, go on their own way though.. they don't want to be in the group, and if ever someone will go near them, they attacked it, and they wags their tail to each other, i don't know what this sign means, but are they sick? i haven't seen them aftering the food when i fed them, are they stressed? their size is like 3-3.5inch.

please, keep it coming.. i am always here to read.. :D

[Patr1ck]

MrQuad, Are the ones that wag there tails at each other the bigger ones? Either way they seem to be establishing dominancy between them. The fish in your pics look clear and healthy to me.

Patrick

[Patr1ck]

Hey Bud. I just read in another of your posts. If I understand you right you have another tank with ciclids in it. You could use tham to cycle a new tank. Ciclids (Africans?) are pretty hardy fish and could handle the rigors of cycling a new tank.

Patrick

[MRQuad]

MrQuad, Are the ones that wag there tails at each other the bigger ones? Either way they seem to be establishing dominancy between them. The fish in your pics look clear and healthy to me.

Patrick

they are next biggest, i have i think 4.5inch now, the biggest. maybe, the fish in the picture are stressed because of the water parameters, maybe? cause they said it's stress.. :mad:

[aquadiva]

;)
thanks for the reply.. i think i use emperor 400 (i mentioned to my previous thread that i have powerhead, is this powerhead? correct me if im wrong..) when should i clean my filter? once every month?

my 110G tank has occupants on it.. :mad: it was cichlids.. i am getting a used 55G anyway, from a friend, and if they ever outgrow it again, im gonna move them to my 110G or get another 110G tank.

thanks for the steps on how to cycle fast the tank, this is really helpful. :)


Mr. Quad, If you have the Emperor 400 Bio-Wheel, let the wheels build up some good "stuff" on them and only rinse them if they stop rotating. When you do rinse those wheels, only rinse them in a bucket of aquarium water taken out of your tank just before. As for the pads, when they clog up, the water flow will slow down dramatically. That is when you would give them a good rinsing in the same temperature water, better yet in fresh tank water (in a bucket) or, if need be replace them with new filter pads. If you do not wish to use the carbon that comes in those blue pads, take a knife and carefully cut the top open on each pad and dump the carbon into a bag (for later use should you ever need it to carbon out meds in the future). Then rinse the pads and put them in the filter. What you have for filteration is probably fine so long as those wheels keep rotating and are left to mature. Just keep the water clean as you are already doing and things should go smoothly. If you find the filter is not doing it's job so far as bio-load, you might see if you can fit some filter floss in the added baskets that come with that filter. :fish:

Keep us posted on how things go.

Anna

[1077]

Mr. Quad. Anna offers some sound advice as well as others. Cutting back on feedings to four a day IMHO will not harm your fish. I too have several Emperor 400"s And the grey extra cartridges that came with them, I filled with ceramic beads that are very pourus for bacteria(good kind) to gather on and they do not restrict the water flow. I never touch the biowheels or the grey cartridges. The spray bar that allows water to turn the biowheels need to be cleaned on a regular basis/ Do you have the little brush that came with the emperor? that's what it's for. Keep up those water changes.:)

[MRQuad]

hey guys, i'm here again.. with the update of my discus.. please feel free to judge..

[Eddie]

Not bad MRQ,

They are certainly developing and seem to be doing well in your care. I'd say keep up the great work! ;)

What is your feeding/water change routine?

Eddie

[MRQuad]

Not bad MRQ,

They are certainly developing and seem to be doing well in your care. I'd say keep up the great work! ;)

What is your feeding/water change routine?

Eddie

thanks alot, eddie.. in the last two weeks, i did a 50% wc.. but before that, i do 50% wc every other day.. i feed them 4 times a day NLS-Discus Formula..

it's really nice and i feel relieve to hear such a good comment to an expert.. :D

[Eddie]

thanks alot, eddie.. in the last two weeks, i did a 50% wc.. but before that, i do 50% wc every other day.. i feed them 4 times a day NLS-Discus Formula..

it's really nice and i feel relieve to hear such a good comment to an expert.. :D

I'd probably try to hit 50% WC daily and throw in a few more feedings. You will be very content with the growth. Plus if you could figure out how to make a beefheart or seafood mix, it will really put some size on them. But they really do look good, not stunted IMO. Great job!

Eddie

[MRQuad]

thanks alot.. what i mean is, in the last two weeks till now, i did daily wc 50%.. but before that i did 50% wc every other day.. sorry for all this mess.. :D

i will try to make some beefheart mix, as i can access it to the stickies post easily.. is there anything else i should be worry about eddie? i really want them to be happy to me...

i did post some issue of one of my discus though, on the disease thread.. hope you can help me with that issue.. :D

thanks again.. if there's anything else wants to comment, please feel free.. i will accept any prank and honest comments from anyone.. :o

[Eddie]

thanks alot.. what i mean is, in the last two weeks till now, i did daily wc 50%.. but before that i did 50% wc every other day.. sorry for all this mess.. :D

i will try to make some beefheart mix, as i can access it to the stickies post easily.. is there anything else i should be worry about eddie? i really want them to be happy to me...

i did post some issue of one of my discus though, on the disease thread.. hope you can help me with that issue.. :D

thanks again.. if there's anything else wants to comment, please feel free.. i will accept any prank and honest comments from anyone.. :o

I did read your post but not thoroughly, I'll give it a look. One thing I saw was that you had 11 discus in a 55 gallon. Although it is tight, knocking out good water changes and good feedings will keep them growing. I read you have a 110 cycling, I'd move the filter from the 55 to the 110 and throw the 11 discus in there. Thats just me. ;)

Eddie

[MRQuad]

I did read your post but not thoroughly, I'll give it a look. One thing I saw was that you had 11 discus in a 55 gallon. Although it is tight, knocking out good water changes and good feedings will keep them growing. I read you have a 110 cycling, I'd move the filter from the 55 to the 110 and throw the 11 discus in there. Thats just me. ;)

Eddie

i will do that moving of old filter to the cycling tank.. thanks a lot eddie.. and to all that contributed..

[mikel]

Just so that you can get a sense from more than one person, though Eddie is awsome and quite experienced. Your discus looks great in those picture. I think you will have even faster growth with a nice beefheart/seafood mix, but I think they are looking very nice. But remember, even experts can improve:), so your diligence is always going to pay off. Best. mike