Strange tank mates...

[ForFunAlaska]

I have had this 75 gal tank set up for about 12 weeks total, 6 weeks with my Discus, a wood shrimp, a couple rainbow shrimp and ghost cats in it. I feed my fish a variety of fresh frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp, vegi mixes and beef heart as well as new life spectrum sinking pellets) all aimed at Discus health. My tank has been kept at 82 and I use melafix whenever I have added more fish. I change out 2 or 3 gallons every few days with my reverse osmosis filter system. I'v had the water professionally tested and every time its coming back perfect.

All that said, my sturdy fish (8 cardinal tetras, and 12 white clouds) have died out for no reason I can see about 4 weeks ago. Now in the last week my tank glass seems to be hosting (first) tiny white zooplankton scooter bugs, then tiny white worms or maybe leach things, and now there have been these little anemone like things (they look like dandelion seeds that retract if pestered) setting up camp under one of my plants on the gravel and seem to be growing on another of the plants leaves. I don't know what to make of these micro animals that have appeared. Any ideas? From what I have read the worms and little bugs are harmless but I would like more feed back from this forum. As for the anemone things, any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated.

A couple of my blue discus (previously the most dominant and colorful) are showing signs of stress and have developed a little bit of white slime on their sides. My red snake skin discus in the same tank are doing fine. What do you make of this?

Thanks much!

[ILLUSN]

I change out 2 or 3 gallons every few days with my reverse osmosis filter system. I'v had the water professionally tested and every time its coming back perfect.
tiny zoo plankton = dahnia
tiny white worms = planeria
anemone things = hydra

you get these things when you over feed and dont clean your tank.

cardinls are an "indicator" fish when thay die something is VERY wrong.

When you say your water is "perefect" i assume you mean the levels of ammonia are 0 the nitrite is 0 and the nitrate is <10ppm. It is impossible to test for DOC's (phenols etc) these must be removed by water changes.

2-3 gallons every other day wont be enough on a tank like yours you will need to do 25gal at least 2x a week ( 25gal 3x a week or 50gal 2x a week would be better) you need to do a thorough gravel vac every water change, you need to feed less, feed only what your fish will eat in 30-60 seconds and feed that ammount 2-3x a day.

[ForFunAlaska]

Thanks for all the information! Ill start doing the big h2o changes and see how things improve. Any idea why the tetras would die and the discus were thriving? do you think that the tank needing cleaning is responsible for the white slime on my blues? I have been taking my water to be tested at one of our local aquarium specialty stores and "perfect" is what they told me when I explained it was a discus tank set up. I'll get more information the next time I go in for exactly what that means to them.

[ILLUSN]

Cardinals have a much lower tolerance of poor water then discus when you restock add some rummy noses as well. When you see their noses not "BRIGHT" red you know something is wrong up your water changes do a good clean wipe down the sides and back wall give the gravel a good DEEP vac and see how you go. Adding a little salt will help your discus with their slime coat. Generally it's hard to say a fish is thriving after only 6 weeks discus should live for at least 10 years.

[Exotic Aquatic]

tiny white worms= planaria?, not nematodes? either way same result i guess, except for the shrimp, but i suppose with hydra in there it wouldnt matter if they were only nematodes.

[ForFunAlaska]

How much salt do you recommend adding for my 75 gal? Also, I have family going to California in the santa rosa area and will be bringing some new fish back for me. Are there any particular breeders you could suggest buying from? I currently have 3 blue snake skin and 3 red snake skin discus One of the reds is mostly white with the snake skin pattern around the outer edges and fins. Is this still a red snake skin style or is it called something else? I would like to get a bit more variety in my tank while everyone is still so young and tennis ball sized.

thank you!

[ILLUSN]

I wouldn't get any mOre fish if I was you you have a 75gal tank and each discus needs 11-12gals of space