I wasn't sure if I should post this in the discus section but since my question really isn't fish specific I didn't think it would be that much of a difference. I recently aquire some great 3-3.5 inch discus. i checked on them before going to bed last night and they were at the top of the water gasping for air. Ran all the tests (ph/amonia/nitrite/nitrate) and they all checked out. I did a 30 percent water change and very reluctently went to bed. I woke up this morning and checked again. Same thing, fish at the top of the tank. Again checked everything and did a 30% water change. any ideas what might cause this? Thanks!
Discus in need
- Thread starter jts112278
- Start date
R
What about the water that you are using for a wc? Straight Tap water? Are you also using water conditioners? Is the tap water different than your tank water? You can test it by letting a container filled with water stand open for a couple of days. My tap water ph started at 7.0 and then sky rocketed after 3 days to 7.8+. This was because of the C02 dissapating. Something to be aware of.
Thanks ronca.
The water for w/c is conditioned with Novaqua & Amquel. Thats it then it goes straight into the tank. I had done a ph/time elapse test and it checked out okay. However, i lost trust in my ph test kit so i went and purchased another one today and will be doing the test again.
If it is the lowering of the ph due to gas evap. then how is this corrected? Aging of the water? Commercial buffers? Thanks for all of your help
The water for w/c is conditioned with Novaqua & Amquel. Thats it then it goes straight into the tank. I had done a ph/time elapse test and it checked out okay. However, i lost trust in my ph test kit so i went and purchased another one today and will be doing the test again.
If it is the lowering of the ph due to gas evap. then how is this corrected? Aging of the water? Commercial buffers? Thanks for all of your help
u could drop the ph and hardness with peat extract im no expert but i believe they like a ph of about 6.5-6.9. they actually like it lower but that isnt practical in the home aquaria and a stable ph of 6.5 is better than it fluctuating up and down trying to get it just right. good luck keep us updated. peace
nick
nick
Okay, I don't know a whole lot about discus, but temps of 88oF? Ain't that a bit high? Warm water, especially water at 88oF does not hold very much oxygen at all, and if all your chemistries check out and you're all worried about the O2 content, try dropping the temp to say 82oF if that is acceptable to discus. I know many tropical species can be dropped as low as 72oF and not suffer (heck, my tanks drop to 68oF in the winter and the fish are fine). Dropping the temp will also help slow down their metabolisms so they don't have a heart attack before you figure out what is wrong.
~~Colesea
~~Colesea
Update: after reading replies here and a few discus boards as well as talking to the breeder I decided to add airation via airstone/tetratec pump/lower the temp to 84 and do a 50% water change. Damned if they didn't turn right around and are doing great now! Even ate bloodworms like pigs last night! Thanks everyone!