Ich and super stress problems

[greg31]

To start, this is my thread with my stock including pictures.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...d.php?t=396026

Ever since I got these discus about 3 weeks ago, the blue one has always acted very timid and for no reason at all sometimes with hide in a corner and change his colors. The blood pigeon is doing great for the most part.

Since I last updated one of my apistogramma (the less colorful one) has died, but that is the only death.

Besides the discus, ever fish in the tank does great. The water is kept between 80-83 and I feed frozen blood worm, beef heart and brine shrimp.
The blood pigeon for the most part eats very well. In the last week though the blue one with swim under a rock and hide until I am gone which I do not understand. (I later noticed that this one has a slit in the top of his eye. Like a ( but facing downward on top of his eye. I later read this is something to avoid.)

I have also been doing 20-40% water changes every other day, and for some reason during and after the water change the blood pigeon will sit in a corner, breathe heavily and for the most part not act wonderful. His colors will stay great but his actions display how he is feeling I guess. I dont really understand why, please give insight on this.

Now here is the real problem. Now I know if conditions are perfect this should not be a problem for discus but last night I notice maybe 10 speckles of what looks like to be ich on the blue discus who is always stressed. What I don't understand is how he can look beautiful sometimes, then drastically change his colors and hide. Even though he has ich, when I came down to check on them this morning he was swimming around with the other discus, but is very dark (almost black).

I put an additional 100w heater in the tank to help stabalize the temperature at 86-88. I also already have a very large air stone for aeration. Should I take any other steps and does anyone have any other advice on my troublesome discus?

[greg31]

And here is a link to the thread on MFK. Haven't gotten tons of help yet.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399528

[Foxfire]

Try salt (1 tsp/gal) and replace with WC. You might try one large water change (80%) and then the salt treatment (takes a week to ten days to be really effective.) The temp looks good but you could raise it to 90F. Of course, plants will usally die and any other typoe of fish should be removed. Otherwise, more the sick discus to a QT and treat.

[Eddie]

Do not add salt or increase the temp, thats not an all encompassing fix and its purely a shotgun reaction to nothing.


Need more information but it sounds like your water change regimen/water parameters are the issue.

[greg31]

So to make sure I added a 100w heater to my 300w marineland heater to ensure I can keep tempurature around 85+. Turns out my heater &%@$ing sucks and lets my tank get as low as 76 degrees. Any advice on a dependable heater for my 90g?

[TURQ64]

What's your ambient room temp?..all heater's seem to hold temps different than their calibrations, but should stay somewhat steady...that's a large drop unless the room is cold..

[greg31]

The room is generally around 70 or so. What I don't understand is how the temperature is fluctuating so bad.

[TURQ64]

Hmm, strange..I'd be backing that heater up with another, for sure..maybe two and shelve the wierd one..

[greg31]

Yeh, I used the 300w originally, then added a 100w just to help out, and the problem is still going on.