Help with Sick Discus

[Bad Inferno]

I have 2 (out of 4) sick discus. These 2 are about 12 months old and has been to date perfect looking, what has happened in the last 32 hours:

1. PH has gone from 6.4 upto 6.8 as I turned off the CO2
2. I purchased a new discus (which is not exhibiting any signs of distress)
3. Fed them blackworm at lunch time from the dish that was quite murky ie they had not been washed for a couple of days.

Symptoms
1. Fins clamped
2. very dark
3. 1 facing back of tank
4. 1 skin is not smooth and looks like the slime coating is breaking down (see pic)

[url] http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0117.jpg


The orange DOT on the fish is a reflection ! however there is a patch behind his side fins that seems to has lost his scale and the general condition is very bad.
Really need some help !!!! I will increase the temp from 29 to 31 tonight.

[Bad Inferno]

Maybe should of stated:

tank size 180litres (~40-50gal)
PH 6.3 -6.8 on-line ph probe (CO2 manual yeast method)
KH 1-2 deg
GH 5-6 deg
Temp 29
Water change 30% every 4 days
Eheim 2215 600l/hr
Internal (air stone driven) dual sponge filter
Fish load : 4 discus, red tail shark and 2 cat fish

I have increased temp to 30 degrees PH is now at 6.4 (CO2 backon) and dosed with 4-5 tablespoons of salt.

[Proteus]

Do you have any Metronidazole or Praziquantel???

I would be suggesting a full dose of Metro...

and keep the water as pristine as possible...

btw, welcome to DF.com - hopefully with some further advise we can get you through this, or at least do everything possible to help your little friend.

[Bad Inferno]

Thanks
I got some Flagyl 200mg/tablet so I put 6 tablets into my 180 litre tank, and was going to dose another 6 tablets each 12 hours. I have only 40 tablets so I will get three days out of it. Will also do a 25% water change per day prior to my next dose. Fish are still very dark and will clamp fins when stopped moving and go altiile side ways however are eating. As I only have one tank operational I have to dose all 4 fish.

All I did was to put 6 tablets into a net and let the tablets disolve in the tank, the tablets did not completly disolve however have white particals in suspension.

water temp 30 degrees PH 6.4..

I had also put 5 tablespoons of salt into the tank last night prior to getting Flagyl should I keep the salt up when I change the water or just forget the salt ?

Is this correct ? any other advice......

[Bad Inferno]

a little better tonight, still eating, have done 25% water change and dosed again with 5x200mg metro

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0128.jpg

[Proteus]

excellent news...

it still isnt out of the woods, but it does look better than in the first pic.

[Mattzilla]

i noticed in the first picture that you feed live black worms. in my opinion they are a source of parasites that cause illness in your discus. probably what made your discus sick. i have had the same problem in the past and i was due to feeding live black worms. your fish love them i know.... but they are just too risky in my opinion.

hth
matt

[Bad Inferno]

well its only been two days however the discus are showing signs of recovery. I only dose metro 5tablets@200g today with a 25% water change as I am not really sure of the dose. ...anyhow I dosed a total of 11 tablets day 1 and 5 tablets day 2 and tomorrow I may dose another 5 tab morn and 5tab night with 25% water change again.

Discus do colour up when eating however quickly turn dark, patches on right side are getting better. However my red tail shark today has a patch on his side so I will contiue the metro for another couple of days.

Current plan ..dose Metro for another 2 days making a total of 4 days then follow with 25% water changes and salt treatment for another 5 days.

Anybody know what the dose should be I've read 100,250&500mg per 10gal dosing from every 8 hours to once every other day !!!!!


http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0139.jpg
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0143.jpg

[Mattzilla]

i would also add salt at 1 tbl spoon per 40ltrs for a week or so to help with any skin/scale problems. make sure it is pure salt and replace when doing water changes.

also try doing larger water changes. i mean when you think it is pretty much better i'd do 50% w/c for a week or so to help it fully recover

matt

[DiscusMad]

Bad Inferno
who has been picking at its fins?