1 dead 3 others arent well....PLEASE help me

[krislewis3]

I put quick cure in and they all started doing baldy....im trying now to get it out. HELP

[krislewis3]

I did a complete water change after losing one discus (She wasnt eating, and when I noticed ich on the other one I treated with quick cure 1 drop per gallon) the 3 that are left dont look good) Please advise

[wdeleon01]

Fill out questionnaire for faster response

[dprais1]

wc as much as you can with aged, dechlorinated, temperature adjusted tap water.

[krislewis3]

ok I think I figured it out. (I did fill out a disease form in my origional post) prior to treating with quick cure, I did a 75% water change, and only added 2 ml of prime. then when the fish started going down the tubes, I did another massive wc (thinking the quick cure was toxic to them) and only added another 2 ml of prime. It must be chlorine posining. I CANT BELIEVE that I was reading the instructions on the prime incorrectly!! When it says 5 ml for 200 liters, I misread it a gallons.
Now Ive lost a fish that I cared about, and the other 3 are alive, but not doing well. OMG.......What is wrong with me.........

[Wjmulder]

I'm paranoid about forgetting to treat the water too.....now I fill the cap with prime before I start filling my storage tub and set it next to the filling hose so I see it and add it before transferring water into the tank. When a senior moment comes during the water changes when I inevitably have that sinking feeling that I forgot to treat, I can look for the empty cap and know I did it.
And for you under 50 people, stop laughing......you'll get those moments soon enough!

[krislewis3]

Thank you for the support.........The 3 that are still alive, seem to be reviving. If they do completely revive, when should I treat for the ich on the tail of one of them???? I dont want to stress them right away by using quick cure too soon, however I dont want to loose another fish either.... Please advise

[DiscusDrew]

Give it a few days in my opinion, rapidly medicating could cause more harm than good. Do correct large water changes every day for a few days, then if the fish hasn't started to recover on his own then start your round of quick cure. Ohhh and make sure you treat your water ;)

[Skip]

Ouch

[Chicago Discus]

You can double the dose of prime with no ill affects in fact that's what I would do if I suspected I have been not dosing Properly. If you are sure that the chlorine is the problem, one cap full will treat 50 gallons, and NO MEDS.

[krislewis3]

Thanks guys....The 3 remaining fish do seem to be reviving on their own now (from chlorine poising). If I understanding you, I should treat for the ich with just wc daily right now. Should I add salt?

[Harry Marsh]

I don't think chlorine would do this...in the levels present in water
A healthy fish, in my experience...won't like too little prime, but would not die

I know a few people that do not use any dechlorinator
The fish are not optimal, but still healthy

Just saying I suspect a different root cause

An additional outbreak of iCh makes me suspect too few water changes to start with

[Chicago Discus]

I don't think chlorine would do this...in the levels present in water
A healthy fish, in my experience...won't like too little prime, but would not die

I know a few people that do not use any dechlorinator
The fish are not optimal, but still healthy

Just saying I suspect a different root cause

An additional outbreak of iCh makes me suspect too few water changes to start with


Yea thats true

[krislewis3]

I do 50% water changes 5 days a week., This is the only time I have noticed ich on my fish. Ive never had it before in my discus. Should I try to erradicate the ich with more frequent wc? One

time in the past, I waited too long to add the prime and I had the same thing happen, which I think thats the cause. Perhaps my tap water has more chlorine in it then the average home.

[dprais1]

I think i read that you do NOT age your tap water. aging it will help to eliminate chlorine if you forget to add the prime. in fact, if chlorine is the only chemical in your supply you may not even need prime if you age your water-but i would use it anyway.

if i read wrong sorry.

[Harry Marsh]

Water temp low?

Raise it to help eliminate ich

[strawberryblonde]

Definitely just do large water changes for the next few days and try to take deep breaths and relax a bit.

Once you've gotten a bit more relaxed, I'd advise you to go fill out the disease questionnaire all over again and then to post it in the sickness/disease section rather than in the general questions sections.

Oh and be sure to include a couple of clear pictures of the affected tail that you think has ich.

Just shotgunning meds without being sure of what your discus has can result in dead discus and there's no way any of us can be sure that your fish has ick without seeing pics and reading a description of the spots.

[DiscusDrew]

Solid advice, and Idk what temp you keep in your tank but mine run at 86F and I never get ick. I also agree that aging water is one of the simplest most effective things you can do for overall health of your fish. I think for now at least what we are all saying is do not use medications, just do good water changes preferably with aged water and possibly bump up your temp. Then is there are problems start a new questionnaire thread with photos. Good advice strawberry blonde.

[krislewis3]

Yes......thats probably the safest thing to so.....

[Bill63SG]

I used to get these things on my discus's tail that to the inexperienced seemed like ick,but would,did,clear up with more frequent wc's.Also higher temps do help eliminate ick.You might clear up the fish,but egss are left behind,so a longer treatment is needed.

[jimg]

don't think chlorine would do this...in the levels present in water
A healthy fish, in my experience...won't like too little prime, but would not die+1 but...if a lot of micro bubbles in there too it will bother them more
lower temp to 82-84 when using qc is what I do. something else going on questionnaire would help more.

[ktm4us6]

don't feel bad I once did that with algae killer, big mistake. All fish lived, but massive water change. Good thing I caught it right away. Hope all is well.

[krislewis3]

you read right.....I dont age my water. For wc I use a hose hooked up to the sink that will vacumm and then fill (easy)....since I have 3 tanks. It would be difficult to do the bucket thing. Is there an easy way to use aged water that I dont know about?

[krislewis3]

i run my temp at 86.......how high should I put it?????

[krislewis3]

Your right......In my panic I started doing things without thinking, and I lost a fish that I cared about.......I hope I can control myself next time. And thank you for your good advise.

[dprais1]

you read right.....I dont age my water. For wc I use a hose hooked up to the sink that will vacumm and then fill (easy)....since I have 3 tanks. It would be difficult to do the bucket thing. Is there an easy way to use aged water that I dont know about?

get a big garbage can and clean it well. get a pump (i use a pond pump from home depot) and put it in the garbage can with a hose running from the pump to outside the garbage can. use a zip tie or cable tie to secure the hose to the pump. put a sponge filter on the other end secured witha cable or zip tie.

put a heater and airstone in the garbage can. fill the garbage can up with water from the faucet and plug the heater in. add prime

wait 24hours then siphon out the water feom your tank.

put the hose into your aquarium (the side with the sponge filter) unplug the heater and plug in the pump.
when tank is full unplug the pump, squeeze the spong filter out, plug the heater in and refill the garbage can.

i keep the lid on the garbage can at all times and just cut some holes in it for tubing and cords and hoses.

a garbage can costs$20. get the biggest one you can, I got one equal to 50% of my tank volume but i wish i had a bigger one so i could do bigger wc if i wanted. or bigger wc if i NEEDED to.

-----the sponge filter helps to even out the flow of water into the tank so it is not so violent and helps keep the hose from 'jumping' around

[DiscusDrew]

I agree with all of that but I prime after the aging process, not in the holding barrels. If your going to add prime to your holding barrels I would make sure its a pretty stout container that won't leach chemicals. I use rubbermaid brute containers but like I said, even with those I don't prime the holding water, I prime the tank before I add the aged water.

[krislewis3]

Great information......thank you,thank you.......The three juvies that are left, seem back to normal!!!!! I cringe to think of how many mistakes I would make if I didnt have access to simply discus, and the help of you members.

[Disgirl]

Kris, I did this recently by accident and lost almost a whole tank of angelfish after forgetting to add Safe (the powder form of Prime). The ones who survive will do fine! Hang in there...
Barb

[krislewis3]

Thanks for the support Disgirl!!!!!!!

[dprais1]

so...are you aging your water now?

after reading this thread (and my own advice) i picked up a new aging barrel. over 50 gallons. before i did a 50% wc a day and often to 50%wc a day which would actually mean i changed 75% of the water.

now i can change ALL the water in one shot but i'll shoot for 90% once a day.

see how your questions help others as well:)

dan

[krislewis3]

You just gave me a self esteem boost!!!! How do you get the water from the barrel (I assume it's outside) to your aquarium???

[dprais1]

my water barrel sits right next to my tank.
I use a pond pump (from home depot, the cheapest they had).
i connected tubing, similiar to python tobing, to the pump with a zip or cable tie.
I attached a sponge filter to the other end with another zip or cable tie.

I use the same outlet for my heater as my pump.
So it is onlty plugged in when refilling my tank.
it just sits at the bottom of my barrel (brute garbage can) at all times.

I can refill my tank in 1/3 -1/4 of the time it takes to empty it.

hope that helps,
dan

------sponge filter is not necessity just makes the refill less turbulent.

[dprais1]

I'll take some pics if it will help you...?

[krislewis3]

When my python dies, I'm definitely going to get a pond pump. I assume you use the same pump to get the water from your tap to the barrel!!!!!

[dprais1]

nope, use the python to drain the tank and also to refill the barrel. just use the pump to get the water from the barell to the tank. there is no good way that i know of to transfer water from a sink onto the water barrel other than the python.

[krislewis3]

Ok, so you can't replace the python with a pump?????

[dprais1]

not completely. here is what i just started doing.

I attached the siphon end of the hose directly to the pump and secure with a zip tie
the other end i attach to the faucet hook uo thing.
to drain the water i just put the pump in the tank, disconnect the other end from the faucet adapter and put that end out my back door
turn on the pump. drain 95% of the water in about 10 min.
unplug the pump
put the pump in my water barrel
put the 'free' end in my tank, turn pump back on.
wait for tank to fill, about 10 min.
turn off the pump
connect free end to faucet and refill the barrel (i found there is no need to discoonect the hose from the pump)
done

--the pump isn't necessarily better just a whole heck of a lot faster