Discus freaking out

[Peaches]

I added to my last thread, Parasites and the like, and no one responded.

My snow white was darting around the tank crazy, she'd freak out the other fish. She'd skim the top sometimes jumping out of the water a bit and then she'd fload sideways at the top for a while. I did WCs and kept the parameters perfect. We would check everyday. She did this yesterday and the night before.

Well, I found her wedged under a piece of bogwood in our tank this morning. I didn't know what to do to make her stop. The only I could think of was quick cure but we had been dosing that and I didn't want to OD the poor fish.

She had bruising right under her top fin and some around her body. She was stiff as a board, all her gills wer closed.

I'd like to know at least what the hell was going on, even if no one knows how to treat it. I'm worried about my other two discus now. My Red Marlboro has lost some of his pigmentation in the lower half of his body. They dont' get any live food. We're not using the Co2 anymore, the bubbler on the powerhead is turned up almost to maximum, our plants are healthy. The Gourami and Angel Blue Ram are fine. Our Turq is showing a little darker coloring than normal, he varies to extremely light when he's unhappy to extremely dark.

I'm at my wits' end.

[FishLover]

When you say your water parms are perfect, people here may not get the right information. You may want to post some details before people can offer valued help.

Here is some information may help:
water temp
ph
dh
nitrate
ammo
wc schedule, how ofter, how much
list of all tankmates
tank size
number of discus
tap water ph
RO water or tap water
temp & ph of replacement water, do you age water at all?
How long do you have the discus?
Any new additions to the tank lately?

When my discus start darting around, the first thing come to my mind is water issue. The 2nd thing is tankmates. 3rd one is parasites. I would start from the first one, move to the next one only after I'm 100% sure the first one is not the problem.

[Peaches]

Been there done that. Everyone can find my water parms in the other thread I wrote. BUT, here it is anyway...

Amonia, Nitrites and Nitrates = 0ppm
pH = 6.8
temp = 83'F
WC = 25% every other day
number of Discus = now 2...she DIED.
Tank mates = 1 pleco (that she spent a lot of time swimming next to) 1 Three Dot Gourami (before we start with he's too aggressive, he's the sweetest fish you'll ever meet, he swims with the Discus and eats out of my hand) and one Angel Blue Ram.
Tap Water = Has been since the day we got her, the LFS we got her from was the same way.
We had had her for about two months...
No change in the tank, no additions, nothing.

She was just spazing...we've NEVER seen another fish do that and we've been keeping fish for a while (my Fiance has kept them since he was a young kid)

[FishLover]

Something was bother her for sure. Maybe a blockage? Discus are known to have that.

Anyway, if your other discus are fine, I would not worry about it.

I kind of don't like the plecos in my discus tank. They get too big and they could suck on the side of the Discus at night and kill it in the end. That could be the problem too. Maybe she was spooked by the pleco at night. I don't know.

[DR.V]

Turn on the light from early in the morning and longer, say from 7am - 7pm. Use a timer to help you do this.

Do this for a week or two.

I had this problem to, and this works for me.

Good luck.

[clinton _gtr]

dude the exact same thing happend to me the other day with two of my blue diamonds. i think it was a mixture of the tank bein changed around a bit and high nitrate and phosphate. they are fine know thow

[chris]

Not sure If I missed you say but how long has the tank been running for?
Is the tank properly cycled, that what I mean.
Where Is the tank situated. Any walk way traffic, can they see you approach them, sometimes they can get startled.

[Peaches]

The lights go on at 10am and off at 12am.

The tank is in a central location, she swan with the Pleco...I honestly don't know.

The tank it in the living room pretty much in the middle of the room right next to the computer desk.

Maybe she did have a blockage. The other fish seem find even now...so I don't know. Just makes me sad and weary.

[ellwa]

The lights go on at 10am and off at 12am.

The tank is in a central location, she swan with the Pleco...I honestly don't know.

The tank it in the living room pretty much in the middle of the room right next to the computer desk.

Maybe she did have a blockage. The other fish seem find even now...so I don't know. Just makes me sad and weary.

14hours a day. thats alot of light.

[*Chris*]

if your melon is showing discolouration on the lower half are you sure the pleco is not munching on the discus at night
??????????????????????
are you using dechlorinaters??? considering you stated that you use straight tap water and nothing else
it could also be a case of your fish getting blocked up as others have said
if this occurs again your best bet is to put some epsom salt in the tank at a dosage rate of 1tsp per 20litres
this will help whatever fish is effected pass whatever it is blocking them up
EXAI