okay to use epsom salt and aquarium salt together?

[Mep1127]

I noticed today my blue diamond looked a little darker than usual. He swims okay and looks okay but is dark. He is usually THE pig when it comes to eating. He seems a little scuffed up, usually nobody messed with him until i introduced a new red melon a few weeks ago and he has been harassing my blue diamond and a few others. Seems like everyone started to pick at him after the introduction.

I added epsom salt just now after a large water change to rule out bloat or something my blue diamond might need to pass. I wanted to add some salt to aid with his scuff marks and ease him out a bit. He is my favorite discus and I need all and any possible advice to help him recover again.

He ate a few bites of beefheart and some flakes. The real test will come when I feed freeze dried blackworms in an a few.

I already removed the aggressor, added epsom salt and did a 70% water change for now + cleaned out filter.

Any ideas? I'm guessing stress could be a factor for this as i said hes getting somewhat picked on. I want to avoid a possible metro treatment

Quick params Nitrate = 0 Nitrite = 0 Ammonia = 0 PH = 6.4 Temp = 84F

[Skip]

just do water changes..

you would know if fish was bloated.. ie swollen belly..

clean water is best bet..

pecking orders do change.. so you will see fights break out.. the younger ones tend to be more "insecure" and do more fighting then older ones..

[Mep1127]

just do water changes..

you would know if fish was bloated.. ie swollen belly..

clean water is best bet..

pecking orders do change.. so you will see fights break out.. the younger ones tend to be more "insecure" and do more fighting then older ones..

Sure seems that way with the young red melon being super aggressive. But I'd still like to know if its possible to do both epsom and aquarium salt together. Just to know. Regardless ill still be doing large as possible water changes.

[Skip]

Well.. Idk.. I want to say I saw this topic but dont remember who or where.. I am in phone.. Google ur topic and then add simply discus at end.. It should show u results in sd...

[Mep1127]

Well.. Idk.. I want to say I saw this topic but dont remember who or where.. I am in phone.. Google ur topic and then add simply discus at end.. It should show u results in sd...

Gotcha. I'll look around Thanks again.

And you were right

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?31838-epsom-salt-and-aquarium-salt-together

[Eddie]

Yes you can but there is no need for either in your situation.

[strawberryblonde]

I agree with Eddie, no need to add salt at this point. My discus get scuffed up now and then during spats and I just up the water change amounts for a week. They heal up very quickly and go right back to normal before you know it.

As far as being darker in color, I don't worry about that either so long as the fish is eating normally and isn't exhibiting any other odd behavior. My Red Scrib tends to go dark during feeding times, during minor dustups and sometimes just for no reason at all. It passes in a day or so.

[Mep1127]

I agree with Eddie, no need to add salt at this point. My discus get scuffed up now and then during spats and I just up the water change amounts for a week. They heal up very quickly and go right back to normal before you know it.

As far as being darker in color, I don't worry about that either so long as the fish is eating normally and isn't exhibiting any other odd behavior. My Red Scrib tends to go dark during feeding times, during minor dustups and sometimes just for no reason at all. It passes in a day or so.

I hope so... i guess i overly worry =/ Bad "habit" What do you guys think though. I believe territorial disputes are occurring now. All my discus use to shoal peacefully in a bare tank. But i noticed an albino platinum recently claimed one side of the tank to itself from what i see. i was thinking of buying tall fake plants for now and add some driftwood to create a little territory for everyone. The objective is to make some discus stay out of each others line of sight when possible.

[Eddie]

Its the facts of discus, they shoal for sure but, when they are in a comfortable environment, they have a ladder of aggression. Somebody wants to be boss, all the time! They will deal with it. And one day, the little guy might end up becoming the boss too! They grow up and they develop.

[Mep1127]

Its the facts of discus, they shoal for sure but, when they are in a comfortable environment, they have a ladder of aggression. Somebody wants to be boss, all the time! They will deal with it. And one day, the little guy might end up becoming the boss too! They grow up and they develop.

mhm.. nature of the chichlid, but geez i feel my angels were nicer with each other... till they paired off and this is that i didnt have a big group unlike my discus.

Well in any case, I'll be buying some fake plants in a few and re decorate the tank. Hopefully it confuses my aggressors a bit. I did feed my fish a little today but I wont do my usual 4 power feedings today. I want to clean em out and starve em a day so they attack the food tomorrow with a vengeance. BD did come to eat FDBW from my hand so I think he'll be fine. I'll probably do a big water change before I go to bed. He appeared to be a little lighter when i checked just now. Thanks for your inputs guys. Now i have a little piece of mind till tmm :)

[Eddie]

Whenever my fish seem off, not feeding right or acting right, I do a few checks but its usually down to water quality. Big water change and that usually puts them back in check. ;)

[Orange Crush]

I wouldn't worry so much about the aggression also adding plants will not stop it from happening. Plants/driftwood will however make it more difficult to keep your tank/water pristine. I have some plants in my tank and yesterday they were fighting big time, today they are back to normal.
Also, I would not remove the agressor unless he is really doing some damage because then the ones left in the tank will have to fight for a new pecking order to see who is on top. There will always be an alpha and also one on the bottom of the totem poll. Larger #s of discus in the tank help to spread the agression around so it is not so focued on one or two of them.

[Mep1127]

I wouldn't worry so much about the aggression also adding plants will not stop it from happening. Plants/driftwood will however make it more difficult to keep your tank/water pristine. I have some plants in my tank and yesterday they were fighting big time, today they are back to normal.
Also, I would not remove the agressor unless he is really doing some damage because then the ones left in the tank will have to fight for a new pecking order to see who is on top. There will always be an alpha and also one on the bottom of the totem poll. Larger #s of discus in the tank help to spread the agression around so it is not so focued on one or two of them.

Yeah... I've 8 of them most of them pushing 4.5 or even 5 by now except for a runt and the 2 new additions. It was okay when I had 6 but the dynamics must of changed. I know there will always be the top dog and the struggling one, I know plants and DW wont make it cease but I hope it lessens things out. I'll probably plop the melon in tomorrow as I've already added the DW and after I buy some fake plants. I have 3 bullies one of which was doing some real harm. He was out alone for 3 days till today.. he seemed a bit calm. So I hope the new re-scape confuses my melon for a few and has a similar effect. I've searched and read that re-scaping may work if the discus is out of each others line of sight for a bit.