HELP! DISCUS!

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#1
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#1
i dont know what it is, i noticed it yesterday night but everybody was acting as usual so i didnt htink much of it.
now thier all hiding and wont come up and see me.
one has these white patches on his side...almost looks like a concentrated area of ich except the spots are finer...almost cottony.
also he has a little coat of slime coming off him.
thier all very stressed out and im getting very worried...any ideas?

params
ammonia: 0
nitrate: 0
nitrite: 0
pH: 6.7

will do a big wc now.
 

F

Fishywishy

Large Fish
#6
Sep 19, 2006
184
2
0
#6
never owned a discus, so take my advice with a huge "she's talking out her butt"



the cotton growth sounds like a fungus, the scrapes are probably where it scraped against something trying to get it off (would explain the slime coat coming off as well). I haven't had much look keeping angels alive once I actually see the fungal growth therefore, I would suggest using a more aggressive fungal medication, I am still waiting on an order that someone here suggested (lotus i think), which also has a bacterial ingredient as well as fungal.

As your discus looks very young (small), your problem may be resulting in the conditions it was kept before you got it.
 

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#7
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#7
he was stunted, and hes about 3.5-4" right now.
and ya i talked to someone and he said it is most likely abacterial infection, so for now im treating the tank with melafix because the 3 have gotten it...but i think my marlboro is a demy god or something. im also going to start doing anti-bacterial mediceine dips

hopefully...mine dont die...heh
 

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#8
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#8
ive become desperate for help and a little saddened from the lack of help im getting...good or bad. i thank those who have put thier thoughts in

its getting worse. its spread to the others and i have moved out the breeding rams hoping it will lower the stress. 2 seem ok but the other 2 are dark to nearly black. the white film is coming off them and the white patches on them are bothering them more and more.
doing 2 40% wc's a day, using melafix at every wc.

 

Big Vine

Big Vine

Elite Fish
#9
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
9
0
47
Florida
#9
Fuzz...sorry to hear about your discus.
I've never had them before, so I don't feel comfortable saying for certain what you should do...

But you did mention the word "fungusy," right?
What I can tell you is that when several of my angelfish starting getting fungus growth on them (from tetras that had been introduced and not quarantined...my bad :eek: ), I treated successfully with Pimafix. The fungus went away within about a day or so. Are you familiar with Pimafix?

It claims to treat "fungus or cottony growth, mouth and body fungus, and reddening of fins and body."

Might be worth a shot.

Other than that, I'd try to talk to local people (if you have any remotely decent ones with discus experience) at your LFS's and see what they recommend.

Something that popped into my mind briefly is that the damage on the sides of the fish might be caused by some sort of sucker-mouthed fish sticking onto the sides of them. But, to my knowledge, clown plecos and ottos don't do this...right? :confused:

I hope you get this figured out soon.
BV
 

Phinx

Phinx

Small Fish
#10
Jan 17, 2007
24
2
0
new Mexico
#10
I am sorry I can't make out the video very well. My monitor is bad. But I'm a little confused. Is the slime coat peeling off as you watch them?

I don't know if you are the only one there at the time. Or if you had any company (guests). My guess is an unwanted chemical of some kind if you are seeing it peel off. Sorry I am just not sure what all to say at the moment.

I hope they hang in there. Good fortunes to you.
 

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#11
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#11
i was thinking about that too and questioned myself whether i should remove the pleco and otos, but then realized thier scratching themselves on the rock...which is kinda sharp for them.
yes ive heard of pimafix..sadly i wont have time to get it today before work, but i will try that and get it ASAP...maybe during break i can run over to petsmart.
and suppodely..if any suckermouthed fish gets the taste for it then they cant get away from it. if worse comes to worse ill be setting up the 20g, doing a 90% wc and treating with something stronger than melafix or pimafix

EDIT: and Phinx it isnt peeling off in the video...it just shows some cuts on one and some white patches around his face. its not peeling off so much anymore but it was a problem at first. and no, no new guests. im guessing the stress was brought on by the rams breeding. they cornered the discus...moved them out to thier own tank in hope it will help the discus.
 

Last edited:
Phinx

Phinx

Small Fish
#12
Jan 17, 2007
24
2
0
new Mexico
#12
Fuzz. I don't know what all else to say. But I don't know if this will be good advice. Or if you are doing this yet..

Can you dim their lights enough to where you dont have to turn them on or off? That way they wont go through a stress period in this critical state. And if the lights are dim enough they can still rest. Yet look for food. It's what I did when I had dime sized fry.

Just a thought. You can disreguard that if you like.
 

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#13
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#13
lights have been off except for pictures, thank you though. one decided that hes feeling good enough to come see me, so hopefully they will be getting better soon.
started medicating with pimafix
the rams looks a little...stressed and they are ignoring the eggs. hopefully i dont loose my rams though...
 

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#14
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#14
i spoke to a veteran discus breeder this morning to find out what was wrong with my discus. he said that it sounded like the discus plague. im terrified now. i feel as though i did something completely wrong and i feel nearly ashamed now.
i did some research...and all the symptoms make sense now. the fin rot, slime coat peeling, skin bunching, loss of appetie, darking of color.
 

Big Vine

Big Vine

Elite Fish
#15
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
9
0
47
Florida
#15
That sucks.
So...now what happens?
Is this something that is treatable?

You said they seemed to be getting better with the Pimafix treatment---have they gotten worse since then?

BV
 

Fuzz16

Fuzz16

Superstar Fish
#17
Oct 20, 2006
1,918
3
0
Wellsville, KS
#17
my big snakeskin male is to the point where his skin is literally wrinkled. my marlboros skin is peeling and he spends his time either floating on his side or trying to shake the peeling akin away. my turq...my fovorite, has tail rot and peeling skin but is getting better and likes to come greet me sometimes. then my stunted on is perfectly healthy it seems. hes rarely dark anymore, but i just cant get him to eat.

picked up a few different medications and will start treatment now...then ill introduce a new treatment when i go to the bank later and get more money.

at the stage one of my fish is in...the breeder says it is highly unlikely that hell survive.
the onlly good news out of this is that suppodely the discus plague is like the chicken pox. once the fish has it it cant get it again.
 

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