View Full Version : Discus arrived with barely enough water to cover its head, still alive
jozwikjp
10-02-2012, 11:42 AM
Hello,
I received for discus overnight this morning but the bags they were in leaked. I rush to get water into their bags from the tank, and then put them in the tank.
Two of discus are doing somewhat ok, while the other two I lying totally flat on their sides at the bottom of the tank breathing slowly.
Is there any recovery from this?
Should I move them to a separate 10 gallon tank or something so they don't die with my other fish?
Kal-El
10-02-2012, 11:49 AM
First thing is report to the person you bought the fish from in case they don't make it because of a leak bag. Second leave the lights off and cover the tank if you can so you don't disturb them. Leave them for a day and hopefully they will recover from the stress they went through.
right report the seller first and SLOWLY acclimate them. I would refers drip method, don't just put your own new water which it may not the same parameter that may hurt them.
aalbina
10-02-2012, 12:04 PM
right report the seller first and SLOWLY acclimate them. I would refers drip method, don't just put your own new water which it may not the same parameter that may hurt them.
OP stated that the bags leaked - water was only enough to cover their heads. IMO their water was better than no water...
Adam
Second Hand Pat
10-02-2012, 12:13 PM
and make sure there is plenty of air.
OP stated that the bags leaked - water was only enough to cover their heads. IMO their water was better than no water...
Adam
of course their water better than your water. I was trying to address OP not to rush because what he did is the same pull new fish into your tank without acclimate them. usually it happens when we rush, we don't think thru.
Hello,
I received for discus overnight this morning but the bags they were in leaked. I rush to get water into their bags from the tank, and then put them in the tank.
Two of discus are doing somewhat ok, while the other two I lying totally flat on their sides at the bottom of the tank breathing slowly.
Is there any recovery from this?
Should I move them to a separate 10 gallon tank or something so they don't die with my other fish?
bornlooser
10-02-2012, 12:27 PM
You can add Salt....about 100 gms for 100 liters .
When I get fish.. I want them out of bags.. Asap..
Pull them out.. Drop them in
jozwikjp
10-02-2012, 12:43 PM
Hi everyone,
I did report the problem. I first did a quick drip into their bags and tried to acclimate the water but I felt the situation was kinda dire.
I am hopeful, they are moving around a little more now. They are all 4"
The fish that really had the least amount of water, is now breathing faster (as in not i am taking my last breath slow) and moving around a little bit. So I am pretty hopeful at this point.
I am just going to leave them alone for the day so they can hopefully relax. They haven't got really dark or anything I am not sure if that is always a sign they are stressed.
BobDaniel
10-02-2012, 01:00 PM
I would put them in the clean tank w/ lots of air then turn off/down the lights and leave them alone for a couple of days. They made it this far so they have got to be pretty tough. Just give them a chance to bounce back.
Stuff like this happens on occasion.
aalbina
10-02-2012, 03:44 PM
Hi everyone,
I did report the problem. I first did a quick drip into their bags and tried to acclimate the water but I felt the situation was kinda dire.
I am hopeful, they are moving around a little more now. They are all 4"
The fish that really had the least amount of water, is now breathing faster (as in not i am taking my last breath slow) and moving around a little bit. So I am pretty hopeful at this point.
I am just going to leave them alone for the day so they can hopefully relax. They haven't got really dark or anything I am not sure if that is always a sign they are stressed.
I think you did the right thing by getting them into clean oxygenated water. Salt has a calming effect on fish and also helps osmotic processes - I use 1 to 2 tablespoons per 10 gallons of water. I would let that stay in the water for a few days and remove it with regular water changes over a week. I would turn off the lights and maybe even put a towel over the tank so they don't get spooked in the new environment. Patience - time will tell.
Good luck!
Adam
jozwikjp
10-03-2012, 11:03 AM
Hello,
I just wanted to give a update, I think they are all going to be aok, several are ate this morning, and the other two are swimming around with the rest of the discus. Thank you for all your input. That was a bit of a traumatic experience :-)
John_Nicholson
10-03-2012, 11:17 AM
Glad that they are ok. Also you did all the right stuff. The worse thing to do with fish that are shipped overnight is the drip method. The best thing is to take the fish out of the bag and straight into the tank without any of the shipping water.
-john
Kal-El
10-03-2012, 11:25 AM
Glad that they are ok. Also you did all the right stuff. The worse thing to do with fish that are shipped overnight is the drip method. The best thing is to take the fish out of the bag and straight into the tank without any of the shipping water.
-john
So if I'm readying your post correctly you are saying drip method isn't the way to go for fish ship overnight and to just drop them straight into the tank without slowly adding the tank water to the fish bag until they are use to the PH and water condition? Or is it just for this case.
nwehrman
10-03-2012, 11:30 AM
Yes...that's what he's saying!
Because as they travel ph is dropping while ammonia is being produced...under 7 ph ammonia is harmless (where it is when your fish get to you) then when you add tank water ph shoots up and suddenly your acclimation is causing more harm than good....
So plop and drop...method I use. Check if temp is close (5 degrees or so) then drop them in - no shipping water!
Nicole
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
John_Nicholson
10-03-2012, 11:41 AM
So if I'm readying your post correctly you are saying drip method isn't the way to go for fish ship overnight and to just drop them straight into the tank without slowly adding the tank water to the fish bag until they are use to the PH and water condition? Or is it just for this case.
Yes. The drip method has caused more ammonia burns than anything else on the planet.
-john
Kal-El
10-03-2012, 11:46 AM
Yes...that's what he's saying!
Because as they travel ph is dropping while ammonia is being produced...under 7 ph ammonia is harmless (where it is when your fish get to you) then when you add tank water ph shoots up and suddenly your acclimation is causing more harm than good....
So plop and drop...method I use. Check if temp is close (5 degrees or so) then drop them in - no shipping water!
Nicole
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for this info... I guess I've been doing this all wrong with adding tank water to the bag slowly. Glad i had no issue before. Going forward I will just let the bag sit to get temp up to tank level and drain the water out then drop them into the tank. If this method is the way why do most shipper recommend the drip method?
John_Nicholson
10-04-2012, 08:50 AM
No need to really even worry about temp. As long as your water is warmer and has a high PH the fish should be fine. If they have had a rough trip they might go to the bottom and lay down for a while, but they will be fine.
-john
nc0gnet0
10-04-2012, 09:13 AM
I like to have a sterile, heated QT tank ready for new arrivals. I agree that the drip method is unneccesary, Although I do prefer to temperature acclimate them, then drop and plop. As long as they are in thier own tank and not subject to other fish pecking at them and causing them additional stress then they stand a good chance to recover. Don't add salt, don't medicate unless their condition worsens, this will only add to their stress. Keep the tank dark and make sure it is well oxygenated. If the condition does appear to worsen and their breathing becomes extremly labored, you might try adding a small amount of meth blue.
No need to really even worry about temp. As long as your water is warmer and has a high PH the fish should be fine. If they have had a rough trip they might go to the bottom and lay down for a while, but they will be fine.
-john
What if your water was cooler and has a lower pH, John? What would you have to do to acclimate the fish? Still Plop and drop or other forms of acclimation?
What if your water was cooler and has a lower pH, John? What would you have to do to acclimate the fish? Still Plop and drop or other forms of acclimation?
wow.. that would have to be a heck of a HEATER PACK to keep that shipping water HOTTER then tank.. when shipping over night..
John_Nicholson
10-04-2012, 09:53 AM
What if your water was cooler and has a lower pH, John? What would you have to do to acclimate the fish? Still Plop and drop or other forms of acclimation?
If this is the case then the person receiving the fish is not ready for them. The Ph should always drop in the bag and the water should cool. The temp can be overcome easy enough but the lower Ph can he a significant problem. I realize it depends how much lower it is but you might have to use the drip method in this case...but it is a bizarre case that should not apply to many people.
-john
Wow!!! i learn new thing every single day.
Sorry Adam, I tried to help and in the mean time exchange my knowledge and learn from others. I hope you don't take it wrong way.
~Tony
aalbina
10-04-2012, 12:24 PM
Wow!!! i learn new thing every single day.
Sorry Adam, I tried to help and in the mean time exchange my knowledge and learn from others. I hope you don't take it wrong way.
~Tony
No worries Tony - the day I stop learning, will be my last day on this earth....
Adam
jozwikjp
10-07-2012, 07:11 PM
76010Problem Since kinda part of this same thread :-)
1. Please explain the problems with your fish/when and how they started
My albino that I received 10-2 with barely any water in bag, appeared to have a injured top fin. I can’t say for sure if he received the injury before being placed in the tank. The last 48, the top fin (dorsal I think?) began to swell. Not sure if this is healing or possible infection.
2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/ white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds)
Top section of top fin appear to be injured, started to swell, and look inflamed.
3. What medications/ treatments that you have already tried and results. Include dosages and duration of treatment.
So I swabbed the fins with iodine and placed the fish in a 20 gal, qt tank at 82F
With rock/ice cream salt 15x tablespoon
He is now sitting at the bottom of the tank
Tank/Water
4. Tank size and age, number and size of fish
220gal, 5 months, 16 4” discus
5. Water change regime/ how long has tank been running/ bare bottom or gravel/ do you age your water?
ecocomplete substrate, 20-30% 2-3 times per week.
6 Parameters and water source;
Hell Well -> RO/DI -> heated, stored, circulated, enriched with minerals
- ph 6.8
- ammonia reading 0
- nitrite reading 0
- nitrate reading 5ppm
- well water X
7. Any new fish/plants added recently
Just him and 3 others that do not appear symptomatic
Eddie
10-07-2012, 07:40 PM
Looks to be bacterial. I'd treat with furan-2 as well. Never used ice cream salt before. Did it dissolve?
jozwikjp
10-07-2012, 07:51 PM
Looks to be bacterial. I'd treat with furan-2 as well. Never used ice cream salt before. Did it dissolve?
Hi,
I got the idea for the Rock Salt from this thread.
Rock+Salt+For+Ice+Cream
From John_Nicholson .
If it is bacterial should I keep the temp at 82F or something else do you think?
John_Nicholson
10-07-2012, 07:56 PM
I would listen to Eddie on the meds. Rock salt never hurts anything and it helps quite a few. I would keep the temp at 82 unless the meds require something warmer.
-john
Eddie
10-07-2012, 09:28 PM
Hi,
I got the idea for the Rock Salt from this thread.
Rock+Salt+For+Ice+Cream
From John_Nicholson .
If it is bacterial should I keep the temp at 82F or something else do you think?
Hmmmm, always thought ice cream salt wouldn't dissolve. I've never tried it though. 82F is just fine for the temp. Pick up some furan-2 and dose at twice the recommended dosage on the container. Keep the tank lights out during treatment as furans are light sensitive.
jozwikjp
10-07-2012, 09:37 PM
Hmmmm, always thought ice cream salt wouldn't dissolve. I've never tried it though. 82F is just fine for the temp. Pick up some furan-2 and dose at twice the recommended dosage on the container. Keep the tank lights out during treatment as furans are light sensitive.
I forgot to write, I dissolved the salt in a cup of water. It took a little while of mix it to dissolve.
Thanks for the info, I will pickup the furan-2 tommorrow.
Eddie
10-07-2012, 09:56 PM
I forgot to write, I dissolved the salt in a cup of water. It took a little while of mix it to dissolve.
Thanks for the info, I will pickup the furan-2 tommorrow.
Good to know, I never knew. I generally use plain old table salt or occasionally some coarse kosher salt but I like to keep that for cooking. LOL
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