Just got my discus, really nervous

[DiscusFreak123]

Ok, so my discus arrived about 2 1/2 hours ago, from Hans. I immediatly turned off all the lights, and opened the box. I cut open the bags and poured them into a bucket with an airstone and water dripping from my tank. Was that right?

Then I let the water double, removed half, double, remove half, double, remove half, double. Then I netted them into my tank. Was that good?

Now, four of them look perfectly fine, in one corner, spread out, but togehter, on the side that I put up paper to block out light. But the fifth one is in the opposite corner, almost on it's side, but floating, hiding somewhat behind my sponge filter. Is it just adjusting? Or is something wrong? I'm going to add a little bit of aquarium salt. I'll post pictures later.

Nick

[Tito]

Nick

Do me a favor.

From this poiint on ...

Float the bag 15 minutes in your tank.

Then net the fish out of the bag they are in and just drop them in your tank.

Good luck with the fish.

The procedure you are using is outdated.

[peterhql]

yea and give them a day or two of peace and quiet, they'll be fine. they just need some time to adjust to their new home. especially young ones.

[DiscusFreak123]

Nick

Do me a favor.

From this poiint on ...

Float the bag 15 minutes in your tank.

Then net the fish out of the bag they are in and just drop them in your tank.

Good luck with the fish.

The procedure you are using is outdated.

It is? I just assumed it would help them adjust to my water better. I saw people do it on Youtube.

[halo_demo]

I had a new discus do that, but it was in the bag that I noticed it.. I was told to add an airstone and that did the trick.. maybe you could add an airstone to the tank.. increase the O2..

[peterhql]

my 2.5 inch juvies did that too. Make sure the lights are off and he'll be fine in a day. that is... unless there are problems in the tank.

[DiscusFreak123]

Oh, well I do have 2 Hyro 4's running in the tank, and I have another small airstone in it. I'll turn up the flow. Thanks for the help. I'll give you an update in about an hour.

[mmorris]

The procedure you are using is outdated.

I don't know that it's outdated. I recommend it if young discus are going into water with a lower ph, just like it was recommended to me by a sponsor here.
Did you cycle your tank?

[golden29]

New Discus can do that. Check your water quality. Also check to see if the sides of the one that is acting funny are bloated more than the others. Sometimes stress can trigger intestinal problems. If this is the case let us know and we can give you some advice.

[DiscusFreak123]

Oh yes, mmoris. I cycled it for about 2 months, after about a month I added a pleco, whose been in the tank with a lone danio for about a month. It's still doing it by the way. I'm getting really nervous. I don't want them to die.

[DiscusFreak123]

It doesn't really look bloated, but it's hard to tell, because it's almost wrapping itself to the sponge filter.

My readings are as follows:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
pH: 7.4
Nitrate: 3 ppm

[halo_demo]

If it is not bloated, it may just be stressed.. make sure the tank lights are off, don't try and feed them, pretty much leave them alone for some "quiet time" It should at least turn upright in a few hours or possibly sooner

[Eddie]

Oh yes, mmoris. I cycled it for about 2 months, after about a month I added a pleco, whose been in the tank with a lone danio for about a month. It's still doing it by the way. I'm getting really nervous. I don't want them to die.


You had a pleco and a danio in the tank that you just put new arrivals in?

[jball1125]

In my experience that is very normal. The fish just went through a huge amount of stress being shipped and he needs to recover. Just keep up with Good water changes make sure your temps and your ammonia levels are fine and he should be OK. I also agree that the system you used is not out dated. Better to take the extra time and effort on an expensive fish than risk getting Ph Burns.

HTH.

[DiscusFreak123]

Well I have great news. I put up another big piece of black construction paper, to block out the light. I came back and checked, and now it looks perfectly fine and is with the rest of the group. I feel so relieved now.

[mmorris]

Heaven help us when they lay eggs. :)

[DiscusFreak123]

Lol

[nc0gnet0]

That method is not outdated, but there is a much easier, less stressfull way to do it. Rather than handle the fish several times, spend about 5 dollars on a good hyperdermic needle. Float the bag and every 5 minutes or so add 20-40 cc's of tank water to the bag. You can also remove water from the bag the same way.

[Eddie]

Everybody is concerned about the method for acclimation but I'm more concerned about the pleco and danio being in the tank. Quarantine procedures are not an option, its a must. :o The stress of shipping and handling make the fish vulnerable to everything.

[roclement]

Everybody is concerned about the method for acclimation but I'm more concerned about the pleco and danio being in the tank. Quarantine procedures are not an option, its a must. :o The stress of shipping and handling make the fish vulnerable to everything.

Agreed! You did the right thing getting your fish from a good source and aclimated it acording to a good method but didn't quarentine your fish that are now exposed to anything and everything you danio may be carrying during a phase where they are very open to disease...

Rodrigo

[DiscusFreak123]

Agreed! You did the right thing getting your fish from a good source and aclimated it acording to a good method but didn't quarentine your fish that are now exposed to anything and everything you danio may be carrying during a phase where they are very open to disease...

Rodrigo

Well, the only option I have would be to move the danio and/or pleco to my 29 gal community. Would it be better if I did?

[DiscusFreak123]

I just spoke with Hans (he left me a message on my phone), and he said that I should take most of the construction paper off because it might shock the discus when I take it off tomorrow. The only problem is that the tank'll be REALLY light if I take it off. I have a huge window with no blinds that just pours in light. Do you think it's better to take off the paper, or leave it on?

[DavidH]

Listen to Hans

[roclement]

listen to Hans...and yes I would move the other fish

[DiscusFreak123]

Well, when I wen't upstairs to move the other fish. The discus were swimming around the tank! They all seemed perfectly fine! I moved the other fish. I'm so excited that they're fine! I'm so happy!

[Tito]

Good to hear all is well.



There has been a lot ot say about placing fish in the tank once delivered to your front door. Practically every fish forum has plenty of threads on the subject.

The going trend for many is that they rather drop the fish in rather then drip them - many have found that the slow drip actually causes the burn.

I never slow drip - don't beleive I've lost anything yet brand new.

[DerekFF]

Taking off the paper tomorrow will just shock them again its true. Also with the tank in front of the window with no blinds, watch for temp swings in the day time. Depending on how big/much of the tank is exposed and temps outside you could swing your temp big time. They do need a few days of non-pesterence.

[DiscusFreak123]

Taking off the paper tomorrow will just shock them again its true. Also with the tank in front of the window with no blinds, watch for temp swings in the day time. Depending on how big/much of the tank is exposed and temps outside you could swing your temp big time. They do need a few days of non-pesterence.

It's not right in front of the window. It's one of those large arch windows over three normal windows, so it's not really shining on it. It was just making the room very very bright, which was making the tank very bright. And I've actually check the temperature swing thing, it actually swings about 1-2 degrees F per day.

What should I get to replace the pleco? Would ottos be fine? How bout one of those suckers that's really long and has a huge nose? (sorry I can't remember the name)

[PatronFishMan]

glad to hear they're alright...

more pics please :D

[DiscusFreak123]

Do you think it'd be okay to turn on the light, or feed them a little? It's been almost a day?


I'll post more pix soon.

[Jennie]

AMEN Martha!


I don't know that it's outdated. I recommend it if young discus are going into water with a lower ph, just like it was recommended to me by a sponsor here.
Did you cycle your tank?

[Jennie]

Is there any natural light in the room? I think you'd be ok to feed a small amt today.

QUOTE=DiscusFreak123;675646]Do you think it'd be okay to turn on the light, or feed them a little? It's been almost a day?


I'll post more pix soon.[/QUOTE]

[DiscusFreak123]

Well, I turned on the lights, and they were a little startled, but are fine now. I fed them, and viola! They ate up all the freeze dried bloodworms! I waited about half an hour, and then just vacuumed the scraps. They seem to be perfect. And here are the pictures, as promised:


P.S: Sorry about the quality, I had to use my phone.

[tcyiu]

What should I get to replace the pleco? Would ottos be fine? How bout one of those suckers that's really long and has a huge nose? (sorry I can't remember the name)

Hi. Eddie's comment about removing the danio and the pleco refers to the possibility of disease they may be carrying. Which in turn may infect your stressed out, newly arrive juvies. It wasn't a knock on plecos per se.

I don't think he was telling you to replace the pleco with any other fish. Just follow quarantine quidelines before putting the pleco back in.

Having just said that, I am not really sure which kind of pleco you have and whether it the type that develops a taste for discus slime. If it is one of those, you would be better off replacing it. If it is a bushynose or other type that is known to be compatible, no need to replace.

Tim

[Keith Perkins]

What's the point of removing the pleco from the tank? The discus are in the same water the pleco has been living in for a month and have even been with the pleco itself. If the pleco had something hasn't the damage already been done?

[Eddie]

Hi. Eddie's comment about removing the danio and the pleco refers to the possibility of disease they may be carrying. Which in turn may infect your stressed out, newly arrive juvies. It wasn't a knock on plecos per se.

I don't think he was telling you to replace the pleco with any other fish. Just follow quarantine quidelines before putting the pleco back in.

Having just said that, I am not really sure which kind of pleco you have and whether it the type that develops a taste for discus slime. If it is one of those, you would be better off replacing it. If it is a bushynose or other type that is known to be compatible, no need to replace.

Tim


Yup, this is correct. Strictly quarantine issues since the discus are new arrivals.

Eddie

[DiscusFreak123]

Well, I'm not sure if I'll ever add it back. Now that it's gone, I see how much it pooped, and I think it'll just be easier on me and the discus without it.

[nc0gnet0]

Yup, pleco's poop. However, they can only poop out what they have taken in, be it algae or food left uneaten by your discus. Anyway you slice it it's a wash.

[JaVia]

It is? I just assumed it would help them adjust to my water better. I saw people do it on Youtube.

OK NEVER FOLLOW YOU TUBE, FOR ANYTHING. If you look on you tube there is a guy feeding his chameleon out his own mouth, do you know how bad that is for him and the chameleon!?!?


People are dumb, come here first.

I know this is an old thread lol I Just needed to say that

[DerekFF]

I never saw this post, but I think along with starting the discus hobby some people need a xanax prescription

[discuspaul]

I'm 100% in agreement with Cozykeith's comments above re: quarantine. Who do you say is being quarantined to begin with - the discus ?
Well, after the quarantine - no matter how long it is - the discus would still be at risk of contamination from the Pleco & Danio. If the discus have something they're resitant to, and pass it on to the Danio &/or the Pleco - what have you lost - The discus are the primary focus.
Before having adding the discus, perhaps the only sensible thing to have done, would be to have removed the Pleco & the Danio - even then, what has perhaps been retained in that tank ??
What have I missed here ?

[discuspaul]

Small follow-up to my above post:
As I see it the only possible benefit, if any, from quarantining the discus, would be to lessen their stress level (maybe), hence perhaps making them more resistant to anything the Pleco &/or Danio may pass on to them. But even that's a stretch.

[tbone83]

the drip loop method that u dicribed is the best dont listn to dikhead, some discus just dont make it i bought 6 red line torpedo barbs acclimatized them in the bag ect added water slowly, and released them 30mins later, all 5 where good but one was in the corner on his side?, so what i did was add a crap load of easy life and cut the lights for 20mins and later they where all fine, its prob a stress factor in some fish how long where they in the bag for?