Parasites and the like...

[Peaches]

Last night a friend that keeps Discus came by, took one look at our fish and said, "oooh...they're sick. Looks like Discus Plague." While cleaning the tank a bit while he's there we find little white wiggly worms...paracites. (The LFS that we got two of our Discus from feeds live Black Worms They were quarantined but didn't show any signs of disease or illness)

So, this dear friend gives us a few bits of advice.

We went to a different LFS and picked up some Discus Buffer (our pH is always between 6.8 and 7.1 but I think I've learned my lesson and will be maintainging a lower pH from now on) and Quik Cure, as well as upping the temp to 87'F.

My biggest question is, while dosing the Quik Cure should we do a water change b/c it recommends keeping the lights off and only using room lights. I don't want an amonia spike. I'm thinking of doing a 25% w/c and then dosing again. AND do we need to re-dose the Discus Buffer with the w/c?

[Mulisha]

With quick cure it will impact your bio filter so like you said w/c would be a good idea. While treating them feed very lightly or maybe not at all as you don't want ammonia spike in the tank..

Goodluck keep us posted how you go!

[Peaches]

I'll definitely keep y'all updated.

My poor fishies I feel like a bad mommy! They had perked up this morning so I'm hoping they're going to look better when I get home from work in about an hour.

[Mulisha]

don't feel bad things like this happen.. you might have nothing wrong with them *Crosses Fingers*. I think good w/c at the moment would be a must as well do i nice large w/c before you add the meds and try and suck up as much poo and organic matter. I was told organic matter can sometimes makes medication less effective..

GoodLuck!

[Peaches]

Yeah, right now we do 25% every other day. For the next three days, while medicating we'll be doing a 25% (maybe more?) before dosing.

I will try to vacum a lot up tonight though. Our poor plants have suffered too.

Thanx for the support

[sharn]

those little white worms might be planaria?

[samir]

maybe a good clean of your tank and a few extra water changes is the way to go. you will rarely see planaria and healthy discus co-exist. if you've got the lil white worms you need to clean more often and feed only as much as they eat in about 10 or so minutes. i doubt if its discus plague, if it was you wouldn't have needed someone else to point it out to you, that there was something wrong with your fish. i'd say its a water issue.

[Peaches]

That makes me feel better. I had read on here about Discus Plague and didn't think it really fit the discription. I also read the Planaria description and don't think so either, but as I've never dealt with them, I don't know.

They're already doing much better with what we've done so far.

Our little dark one (I don't know at this point if it's a Turq) is lightening up and showing his color again.

We've done regular water changes every other day of 25%, and do 4 small feedings a day. There's never food left in the tank. We vaccum as much as possible up every time we w/c b/c we have plants and plant material can cause all sorts of issues. Maybe a second filter to help with filtration? I was thinking about it anyway b/c we have to service our filter right now about once a week. The tank is FAR from over stocked but I think the filter is working too hard. Maybe a second intake?

We've removed the Balas as they were getting a little big and they are happily somewhere else.

I called the LFS and they're having and outbreak of paracites as well so I'm thinking it might have come home with the fish. They're not totally white worms, they're a little pinkish orange.

What else can I say that might help you guys piece it together.

Let me know if there's anything else that you'll need to know.

water parms:
Temp is up at 86'F atm
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrites:0ppm
nitrates: slightly over 0ppm
filter: Rena Xp3
substrate:Eco Complete (we have burrowing snails...any idea what's going on there?)

I know I'm bugging with all the questions but I want my fish happy and healthy. I know you guys have a lot of info to share and hope you don't mind me picking your brains.

[samir]

what colour is the poo ?

[Peaches]

Most is a dark brown, some it red from the color enhancing flakes and pellets.