Are they sick or is it stress

[JEREMY]

I have two 3" blue discus have had for 2 weeks already and not sure maybe HEX maybe stress tankmates are 10 neons 1 pleco the discus are very dark in color not eating spits fbw and live bw out every day no signs of white discharge hides in corner behind driftwood fins are up tried brine whats next? tank 40 gal. ph6.6 temp 83f R.o. water 25% change once weekly nitrate5 nitrite 0 gh ppm 125 kh ppm 125 Help.

[Merrilyn]

Hi Jeremy, welcome to the forum. Spitting food can be a sign of gill flukes.

If you observe the fish closely, do they appear to be breathing from only one gill at a time, or does their breathing seem to be quite fast?

Are you able to find out from the previous owner, or shop, what the fish were used to feeding on, and last of all, do you have an airstone in that tank. Discus need a lot of oxygen to feel comfortable, and warm water holds less oxygen than cooler water.

[RichVic]

Hello,
My guess is that its the water quality causing stress. You havent mentioned Ammonia reading at all - Have you tested? and I'm wondering if the Nitrite is Zero at the end of a week without water changes? The hardness seems okay. My first aid is simply - if my fish look unhappy, I do a water change 50% straight away, and they start feeding/dark colour fades away pretty quickly. Also, maybe the R.O water needs to be mixed? I've never used it myself, but I think it pretty much has no life-force at all, I mean all natural minerals etc are missing and this is very unnatural for discus - Humans, too (smiling)
Anyway, Hope that helps until one of the more experienced advisors tunes in.
Vicki

[JEREMY]

Thanks all the breathing is rapid but both gills working the store feeds FBW and i have one 10'' air stone Ammonia none nitrite same at the end of the week today i noticed white string from one of the discus not sure could be HEX yesterday did 20% water change with R.O color is not back still dark is parasite clear good to use it has metro in it?

[ellwa]

Thanks all the breathing is rapid but both gills working the store feeds FBW and i have one 10'' air stone Ammonia none nitrite same at the end of the week today i noticed white string from one of the discus not sure could be HEX yesterday did 20% water change with R.O color is not back still dark is parasite clear good to use it has metro in it?

HI Jeremy,

Have you added anything to the RO water? I believe you need to add trace elements to this, as there is no anything in it, good or bad.

[JEREMY]

Yes i had put in discus essentials to the R.O water.

[UK Discus]

Hi Jeremy
I mix my own RO water you also need to add something like Kent RO right or Seachem Equilibrium so the fish can live in it. This will add all the minerals the fish need to live in the RO water,then you need some thing to bring the KH up slightly.


Mark

[JEREMY]

Hey mark what do you think about discus buffer to the RO water?

[Merrilyn]

Sounds like an intestinal problem Jeremy. Is he the only one showing white droppings. Are the others eating anything at all?

I'm not familiar with Parasite Clear, but if it's got metro in it, then it would be the right thing to use in this instance.

[UK Discus]

Is that the Seachem discus buffer?
If so you should not need it as that is used to lower the PH and GH.

what I do is add Seachem Equilibrium to bring the water to the GH I require (this also puts the minerals and electrolyte the fish need in the water to live) then I add a Alkaline Buffer to bring the KH up to keep the water stable.


Mark

[JEREMY]

Ok thanks Mark and Ladyred i have only noticed one discus with white poop :shock: the other discus is really dark at this time like black. I have pure metro 250mg pills maybe use that instead? the LFS told me not to change the water until the treatment of metro is complete. The discus will not eat at all. what now?

[Merrilyn]

Treat them immediately with Metro. There are several 'correct' ways of using metro, so follow the instructions of your LFS.

I use a different method, but if he has had success with using his method, then give it a try.

Keep offering their favourite food, but be prepared to syphon it out if they refuse it.

[JEREMY]

Thanks Ladyred what do you think is the best way to treat for a quick recovery and do i leave the lights out with metro and what about indirect lighting source like a window 3 feet away? How long before metro should show results?

[JEREMY]

Can i treat my fish with gravel in the tank and how do i decide what dosage of metro 250mg or 400mg are water changes important between dosage? If so will treated tap be ok or better with RO water? I plan to treat the discus for ten days is that safe? :?

[marg]

Jeremy.

The cheapest way to treat your Fish is in a small Tank (I use a 20 Litre tank as a Hospital Tank).

Dose rate is 250 mg per 40 lts of tank water every 12 hours, with a 30% water change before each new dose, for 5 days.

The dose can be increased to 400 mg per 40 lts in persistent cases, and the frequency increased to every 8 hours. Lights must be off during the treatment, as Metro is destroyed by light. If the fish is still eating, soak some dry food in metro and water. That way it goes straight into the gut where it does the most good, and put the remainder of the metro in the water.

Dropping the level of the water in the tank is a good way to reduce the amount of medication needed. Just make sure your filters and heater can still function properly.

Dissolve tablets in a small amount of tank water for about an hour, before adding to the tank.

Because you are changing the water frequently you don't really need a Filter in the tank, just an Airstone, but if you feel you must have a Filter in there, just use a cheap box corner filter.

Hope this helps.,

Regards,

Marg.

[JEREMY]

Hi Marg what to do when one discus starts to look better than the other do you stay on the same treatment of 250mg or do you bump it up to 400mg one of my discus is now eating but still hides out the other very dark still not eating no signs of geting better?

[marg]

Jeremy,

I would ask Ladyreds', Goldenpigeons' or Bens' advice on that one - I have never had two sick at the same time.

Sorry I can't be of more help.,

Regards,

Marg.

[goldenpigeon]

soak some dry food with metro. if one eats it the other MIGHT have a pick at it.

keep the one that is eating on treatment still. at your next waterchange bump medication up to about 300 if you can. by the next water change if there is little improvement bump it up again.

keep you lights off and water well airated.

[JEREMY]

Thanks G.P the two discus are now eating but the bigger one is chasing the little one all over the tank and picking at him they were a pair in the store whats going on now?