Erratic/odd acting fish and ill discus.

[Hobnobelisk]

Hey guys, so ive been treating my discus for what i thought may be dicus plague, he had swim bladder infection which was treated and then he turned black and had by the looks of things a bacterial infection which we have now finished treatment for with melafix. Water parametres are fine apart from a slightly alkaline water.
Ammonia & Nitrites 0
Nitrates 15
PH 7.5-7.8
Started using RO water for water changes to cure the higher PH. But now the other fish are losing color especially the RTBS who is more a Red Tail White Shark now and they are all up near the surface. The only ones acting normal are the YoYo loaches. The fish near the surface always poke there mouths out. So im looking for help on 2 fronts here. Discus and other fishes odd behaviour. Much appreciated.

 

[jetajockey]

How much RO are you using in the water changes? Are you oxygenating the water before adding it? Adding any trace minerals back to it?

 

[Hobnobelisk]

This was happening before i used the RO water as for the amounts i dont know as its shop bouught and i dont knwo if its being oxygenated.

 

[jetajockey]

well the thing about the fish being at the surface leads me to think that the water being added might be low in o2 causing them to go up.

How long has this tank been running? What size is it and what are the stocking levels?

 

[Hobnobelisk]

120L (33 Gal) 3 young discus no more than 2-3 inches, 3 YoYo loaches same size, rtbs 4 inch, 3 hatchet fish, 2 swordtails and an ADF. yeah our HOB filter isnt producing bubbles when filtering now so that could be a cause. What about the Discus any info on them aswell?

 

[jetajockey]

Small discus can be touchy as it is. I've never kept them in a type of community like that, but I don't see any immediate threats in the stocking choices apart from possible temperature incompatibilities. What temp are you keeping them at?

And how long has the tank been running? Discus are very sensitive to water quality so even minor spikes in newer setups can have adverse effects.

 

[Hobnobelisk]

Tanks been running for 7 months, as you say community wise there hasnt been any problems i have never had any miny cycles any water quality spikes in the time ive had it. The only thing i can think of is the alkalinity and the filter not causing enough movement to oxygenate the tank.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I have friends who keep discus in a pH of 7.8 with no problems. So I highly doubt that's it. What temp are you keeping them in? They really need to be in warmer water, usually 82-86.

 

[Hobnobelisk]

Sorry guys forgot to put in temparture I keep it at around 30 degrees celsius. Not sure what that is in fahrenheit. should be 84-86.