Discus freaking out

[Peaches]

I added to my last thread, Parasites and the like, and no one responded.

My snow white was darting around the tank crazy, she'd freak out the other fish. She'd skim the top sometimes jumping out of the water a bit and then she'd fload sideways at the top for a while. I did WCs and kept the parameters perfect. We would check everyday. She did this yesterday and the night before.

Well, I found her wedged under a piece of bogwood in our tank this morning. I didn't know what to do to make her stop. The only I could think of was quick cure but we had been dosing that and I didn't want to OD the poor fish.

She had bruising right under her top fin and some around her body. She was stiff as a board, all her gills wer closed.

I'd like to know at least what the hell was going on, even if no one knows how to treat it. I'm worried about my other two discus now. My Red Marlboro has lost some of his pigmentation in the lower half of his body. They dont' get any live food. We're not using the Co2 anymore, the bubbler on the powerhead is turned up almost to maximum, our plants are healthy. The Gourami and Angel Blue Ram are fine. Our Turq is showing a little darker coloring than normal, he varies to extremely light when he's unhappy to extremely dark.

I'm at my wits' end.

[FishLover]

When you say your water parms are perfect, people here may not get the right information. You may want to post some details before people can offer valued help.

Here is some information may help:
water temp
ph
dh
nitrate
ammo
wc schedule, how ofter, how much
list of all tankmates
tank size
number of discus
tap water ph
RO water or tap water
temp & ph of replacement water, do you age water at all?
How long do you have the discus?
Any new additions to the tank lately?

When my discus start darting around, the first thing come to my mind is water issue. The 2nd thing is tankmates. 3rd one is parasites. I would start from the first one, move to the next one only after I'm 100% sure the first one is not the problem.

[Peaches]

Been there done that. Everyone can find my water parms in the other thread I wrote. BUT, here it is anyway...

Amonia, Nitrites and Nitrates = 0ppm
pH = 6.8
temp = 83'F
WC = 25% every other day
number of Discus = now 2...she DIED.
Tank mates = 1 pleco (that she spent a lot of time swimming next to) 1 Three Dot Gourami (before we start with he's too aggressive, he's the sweetest fish you'll ever meet, he swims with the Discus and eats out of my hand) and one Angel Blue Ram.
Tap Water = Has been since the day we got her, the LFS we got her from was the same way.
We had had her for about two months...
No change in the tank, no additions, nothing.

She was just spazing...we've NEVER seen another fish do that and we've been keeping fish for a while (my Fiance has kept them since he was a young kid)

[FishLover]

Something was bother her for sure. Maybe a blockage? Discus are known to have that.

Anyway, if your other discus are fine, I would not worry about it.

I kind of don't like the plecos in my discus tank. They get too big and they could suck on the side of the Discus at night and kill it in the end. That could be the problem too. Maybe she was spooked by the pleco at night. I don't know.

[DR.V]

Turn on the light from early in the morning and longer, say from 7am - 7pm. Use a timer to help you do this.

Do this for a week or two.

I had this problem to, and this works for me.

Good luck.

[clinton _gtr]

dude the exact same thing happend to me the other day with two of my blue diamonds. i think it was a mixture of the tank bein changed around a bit and high nitrate and phosphate. they are fine know thow

[chris]

Not sure If I missed you say but how long has the tank been running for?
Is the tank properly cycled, that what I mean.
Where Is the tank situated. Any walk way traffic, can they see you approach them, sometimes they can get startled.

[Peaches]

The lights go on at 10am and off at 12am.

The tank is in a central location, she swan with the Pleco...I honestly don't know.

The tank it in the living room pretty much in the middle of the room right next to the computer desk.

Maybe she did have a blockage. The other fish seem find even now...so I don't know. Just makes me sad and weary.

[ellwa]

The lights go on at 10am and off at 12am.

The tank is in a central location, she swan with the Pleco...I honestly don't know.

The tank it in the living room pretty much in the middle of the room right next to the computer desk.

Maybe she did have a blockage. The other fish seem find even now...so I don't know. Just makes me sad and weary.

14hours a day. thats alot of light.

[*Chris*]

if your melon is showing discolouration on the lower half are you sure the pleco is not munching on the discus at night
??????????????????????
are you using dechlorinaters??? considering you stated that you use straight tap water and nothing else
it could also be a case of your fish getting blocked up as others have said
if this occurs again your best bet is to put some epsom salt in the tank at a dosage rate of 1tsp per 20litres
this will help whatever fish is effected pass whatever it is blocking them up
EXAI

[Peaches]

By discoloration I mean different from when he is "feeling fine" Fish change colors right? That's what I'm meaning.

Suck Face hardly pays attention to the other fish, let alone suck on them.

The last two hours of the light cycle are blue LED to simulate a dusk.

Can I use the Dr.Wellfish Aquarium Salt instead of Epsom salt?

[*Chris*]

tryst me plecos are renowned for sucking on fish at lights out as they are mostly nocturnal
and i wouldnt know what the main ingredient is inn that salt
epsom salt is like 2 bucks a 500grm bag from safeway
EXAI

[gro]

peaches,

I am with you on the gourami thing in your earlier post. Mine has got quite big lately doesn't bother anyone else and has just started to nibble my fingers....pretty cool!

clinton gtr,

i have done the same as you...fiddled around a bit and now my biggest disc is a little shy and on edge a bit (similar to how he was when first got him) How long did it take for yours to settle down again!

Cheers

[Peaches]

This pleco has never sucked on other fish, and he's nearly 6 years old now.

I'm not saying I can't buy Epsom salt, I use it for my ankles and shoulders all the time, I specifically bought the aquarium salt b/c it is just that and wanted thoughts on that.

[sammigold]

I think aquarium salt is different to Epsom salts which are in essence magnesium sulphate... whereas I think Aquarium salts is sodium based?
the epsom salts act as water softener whereas I think normal salt is a natural hardener? I could be wrong but that is my understanding...
Maybe a chemistry nut could help us here??lol

good luck with your other fishies... btw... I also have plecos in my tank with no issues so far...

[DIY]

Epsom Salt is very different to aquarium salt, both have basic medicinal uses.

Epsom Salt has been suggested earlier to help with a supected blockage problem, it acts like a mild laxative.

Aquarium salt is more used for external infections and the like so it probably won't help you right now.

Do you use dechlorinator when you change the water? When you do water changes is the new water at a similar temp & ph?

I have had discus "freak out" and knock themselves out completely (wierd to watch) when lights go out or come on. I find sudden changes in light will spook some discus.

It could also be the movement of the pleco "startling" the discus when the lights are out, Discus are notorious for smacking into things when they are spooked

[Peaches]

Thank you for answering my question about the two different salts.

Yes, we use dechlorinator, I think it would be irresponsible of us not to. That would be killing the fish. The water is at the same temp and pH.

That's why we have the lights set to come on once the sun has come up and the tank has gotten some light so that it's a gradual lighting that won't scare then and have the twighlight setting at night to keep them from spooking.

I also wanted to ask if the water is supposed to cloud a little when dosing Algae Destroyer? Has anyone used this product. We're still having a bit of a problem. We've added plants that were supposed to be fast growers, and they'll grow at the top and die at the bottom. They start to get holes in the leaves and then they dit. We've only have luck with Wisteria (that grows like a weed in our tank) amazon swords and one that we don't know the official name of.