Discus not good

[rdub]

Had a discus that was injured (see injured male thread). Appeard to "grow" fungus around the injury. Wasn't able to remove injured fish til yesterday. It died today. Question that may be related to the injured/dead discus. After the injury the fish developed what looked like, maybe, fungus around the wound. I now have a "film" on the inside of my tank with the other 5 discus. All were very healthy a couple of days ago and now these are staying in one corner. I did about a 30% water change today. Anything you can think of that might cause the film on the inside of the tank and bothering the remaining fish?

Ammonia .75 ppm
Nitrite 5 ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm

Treatment?

[lpiasente]

You need to do some great big water changes RIGHT NOW. I would be doind 70-80%. Then tomorrow the same thing and keep doing them until you get that ammonia nitrates and nitrites down.I would say that the fish didn't die through the injury, but through water quality issues. How long have you had the filter running? How often do you do water changes?

[rdub]

This filter has only been running about 2 weeks. I normally do about 20-30% WC daily. Will be doing about 80% today.

Where would the high nitrate come from? Fish were great last week.

[boxters]

I recommended very early on in your other post to get a book on the basics of fish keeping. I did not say this as an insult. I picked up that you may need a little more knowledge. Any good aquarium book will give you the basic water knowledge you require

[rdub]

Not insulted at all. Thank you.

[boxters]

Your best chance right now would be to test your water twice per day and do water changes to reduce the ammonia accordingly. Keep doing this till the ammonia has gone and nitrites start to drop. I would also very slowly drop your ph to 6.5-6.8 as ammonia is slightly les toxic at a lower ph. Drop it over a period of 3-4 days.

[rdub]

How would you recommend I drop it? Chemically?

[boxters]

Seachem acid buffer

[rdub]

Well, everyone is still alive. Here is a pic of the "fungus" on the top of the dorsal fin on the one that hangs at an angle.

http://www.invisiongrafix.com/discus/discus4.jpg

I've done major w/c and used ammonia remover and salt.

[lpiasente]

Please keep doing major water changes and keep testing the water. I wouldn't rely on ammonia remover. I would keep the water changes going everday with the salt for that fungus and if it doesn't settle down in a couple of days then some meds to the water. I think with the fish being in those water conditions it will already be stressed and adding meds will add to that. That's just my opiniion some may add meds now?? Clean clean clean water is the best. Good luck. That is a very nice loking fish :)

[rdub]

Thank you. Doing an 80% w/c now.

[rdub]

I have Methylene Blue but the bottle says "it is harmful to biological filtration resulting in a rapid rise in ammonia and/or nitrite levels.

For some reason even after multiple w/c I still have a problem with my levels.

[boxters]

You are not listening and guaranteed doing what you are doing is going to kill all your fish. Harsh words but true. Get a book and learn how to cycle your tank.

[rdub]

Harsh words don't bother me at all. I have listened and done only that which has been suggested. If you have something constructive to say then please say it.

[boxters]

from the posts that you have put up my understanding is that you do not understand the biological cycle. Once you understand this part of your tanks chemistry the rest will fall into place.

[lpiasente]

I have Methylene Blue but the bottle says "it is harmful to biological filtration resulting in a rapid rise in ammonia and/or nitrite levels.

For some reason even after multiple w/c I still have a problem with my levels.

Ok so how it works (basically) fish produce waste which produces ammonia toxic to fish. what has to happen is your filters will grow bacteria that will turn the ammonia into nitrites which is less toxic to the fish. it takes around 6 weeks for the filters to grow enough bacteria to deal with the ammonia. As the filters are not mature enough you will have to remove the ammonia by doing water changes and lots of them. I would not be feeding the fish for a few days and then only lightly after that until the filter can catch up. Now that is saying it in the most basic of basic terms. i would also suggest that you google 'cycling a filter" so you can really understand the whole cycle. :)

[boxters]

100% agree