New fish seem to have plague or something

[metalman]

I have recently bought 3 more discus and two of them started to show plague like simptoms a day after they were introduced to my tank. they both have stringy bits of slime coat coming off, have burned looking fins,and are very inactive. one just sits in the corner and sometimes turns on his side. the other is staying upright but has more slimecoat coming off. nether will eat. I checked for ammonia and there was none. I have put salt in at 1 teaspoon per 40 liters, and put some pro-discus mineral in too, but I am not sure what to do, also now one of my red turks has gone very dark, and has a small patch of slimecoat coming off. I have just seen him turn sidways and rub againstr the gravel.I have got some metro just in case I am advised to use it. Please help! I will post pics ASAP.

[ILLUSN]

get a small bare bottome tank and start the plage treatment stickyed in the illness section

[metalman]

I tried to take pics to show the slime coat, but the quality was crap, so this is about the only clear one that shows how the fins look burnt.http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/metalad/adsfish3006.jpg

[ILLUSN]

if it is plague its proably fin rot setting in, have your metro ready your in for a fun time!

[metalman]

This ones a bit clearer, but I can really see the slime coat coming off in it. The fins look as if there missing all there ends, compeared to my other fish anyways.http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/metalad/adsfish3005.jpg

[Merrilyn]

I'm not convinced that this is plague. I'm more inclined to think that it's pH shock, in which case simple treating with salt is about the most you can do.

I'm not too concerned about them not eating, that's pretty normal for adult fish that have just been moved into a new tank, but do check the droppings. If you notice they are white and slimey then it's time to start treating with Metro.

Check yhour pH. If it's rather low, gradually bring it up to around 6.5 or 7. The new fish may have been in a very high pH and coming into your tank with a lower pH will be enough to cause the damage you are seeing.

[metalman]

My ph is quite high, just checked, and its 7.6 Im confirming with the seller in an hour or so about the ph there, I was told it to was about 7.6-7.8 Very high for discus, i know. still concerned about the condition of the fins, they were like that when I got them. this morning they seem a little happier, I have put in 2 air stones and rased the temp. still crook though.

[metalman]

I hvae just noticed that on the fish I have pictured, along the base of the top fin and the start of the rear, theres a thicker milky layer. Could this be fugus maybe??

[Merrilyn]

No, I don't think it is fungus.

Discus tend to increase their slime coat in response to an irritation from parasites or water problems.

I think what you're seeing is the excess slime coating. That's really not too serious, so at this stage, I'd adopt a wait and see attitude rather than hit them with meds.

Do some daily water changes of around 30%, keep the temp up and keep adding salt to the water.

By giving them the best possible conditions, you're giving the fish time to allow their own immune system to kick in.

Just a thought, do you have UV on your tank, or did the seller have UV on his tanks? Sometimes if fish come out of a UV treated tank and go into a non UV tank, the additional bacteria they encounter will cause a skin reaction.

[metalman]

I have a UV, the seller did not. I have turned the temp up, And just bought some stuff called proper ph 6.5 and also pimafix. I wont use any of them though unless advised to. I was advised last night to get my Ph down a lot lower. I think it was due to the train of thought that I had hex. I will wait for a response before lowering PH. Oh by the way, Ph at seller was 7.2 Mines around 7.6.

[metalman]

Just noticed two fish with white poo on there undersides. Oh no.......

[Merrilyn]

Hmmmm time to hit them with metro. Better to be safe than sorry.

Follow the instructions on the metro dose in the sticky thread on this forum. The dose may seem high, but it has been confirmed as being the latest and most effective treatment.

http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2475

If you can't move the fish to hospital tank, then you can lower the water level in the main tank to reduce the amount of metro you need.

Keep us posted.

[metalman]

I was only able to get water down to 183 liters. had enough metro for 130 odd liters. It was the best I could do. I will get the correct ammont for next time. I soaked some bloodworm in it before I put it in the tank. It was a bit grainy but as ground up as I could get it. Is carbon (charcoal?) in the filter ok with metro??? I have turned the UV strilizer off. thanks Merrylin and scott for all your help so far, I would be feeling pretty helpless without you both.

[samir]

It was the best I could do. I will get the correct ammont for next time.

you should never underdose, maybe next time it wont work. thats an absolutely awesome fish you have. good luck with it.

[metalman]

I thought it better to put what I had in, rather than do nothing until monday afternoon. I hope I have done the right thing......

[samir]

dont worry it doesn't look too serious, keep the tank clean and do the rest of the metro doses.

[metalman]

The two larger new ones have a lot more energy this morning, the bigger one is chasing the smaller one around the tank. both are pecking at some frozen bloodworm, but not eating properly. Still, it seems like some improvment to me.

[Merrilyn]

That's good news. Glad to hear it.

Take the carbon out of your filter, it will remove the metro, and keep the tank lights off. Room lighting is fine.

Keeping fingers crossed for you, but I really think you're well on the road to recovery.

[metalman]

Just done second dose, fish seem all happy bar one, the smaller new one. He is being chased around buy the larger new one. He now just sits behind some java fern and wont move often. he also wont eat. the fish in the pics above is going great guns. am a little worried about the smaller one though. also my 2 red turks are dark. could it be because the light is not on? (no joke intended)