Please help!!!! My discus are dying!!

[mxracer629]

I have a 130 gallon tank set up with discus, i have lost three already, and i have spent a ton of money on meds. That have not worked, the symptoms: they will start swimming real fast running into things and darting like something has scared them, next i noticed one that died had small spots on their side the size of a nickel that was lighter in color. Anyone with any info on this would be greatly appreciated, the local pet store jus keeps selling me meds that dont work!! I have six discus left in the tank, size ranging from 4 inches to six inches. Thanks!!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hi and welcome!
I'm sorry for your losses.
Could you supply us with some more info.
What are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?
How often are water changes?
Can you post some pictures?
How long have you had the fish?
How old is the tank?
And any other info you might think will help.

 

[ocean]

Check your heater, make sure it isn't shocking the discus, look for any signs of damage to it. I lost three discus of a heater failure.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

Really sorry about your loses!
If it was a heater failure I think all the Discus or inhabitants of the tank would've been affected by it as well

 

[herp_mommy]

I agree with mumma, we need to know your tank parameters to better help you. I too have lost discus before. sucks.

 

[meegosh]

Sounds like flashing with all the running into things. Need some more info, like the others said, before any accurate advice can be given. I doubt it is heater related from the sounds of it.

 

[kelbaker79]

Some of my cichlids acted like that too when one of the heaters cracked, they were crazy, banging themselves into the sides of the tank...luckily I was home and was able to unplug and remove it. Did water change immediately and they all survived fortunately. Not all of them acted like that though, just a few of them?

 

[mxracer629]

Ok guys, sorry for tha delay of getting back, but all my water parms. Are in the correct ranges, tha ph is 6.5-7.0 water temp was at 82 degrees,but now i have it around 74 degrees, and also i do a 50% water change every two weeks. I have one that is in a sick tank now, it was going crazy, and running into things, and also they are all except one of my big males very shy, they stay hiding behind a big stump of drift wood, it seems to b some kind of parisite to me, this seem to have started after i had a fresh water stingray in tha tank, and i was feeding him ghost shrimp. But he died also! I have lost $600.00 worth of discus and two of them was two large wild tefe greens. I will try to post a few pics of the tank, its a 130 gallon. The local pet shop in my town, has sold me so much meds to treat tha fish but no results. Also i forgot to mention, their appetite is not great either, and on the last tefe green i have, the long fins under the belly that hang down and pointed, has actually shortend up and are blunted instead of being pointed. Thanks to all that has responded.
Chris Townsend

 

[ocean]

Ok guys, sorry for tha delay of getting back, but all my water parms. Are in the correct ranges, tha ph is 6.5-7.0 water temp was at 82 degrees,but now i have it around 74 degrees, and also i do a 50% water change every two weeks. I have one that is in a sick tank now, it was going crazy, and running into things, and also they are all except one of my big males very shy, they stay hiding behind a big stump of drift wood, it seems to b some kind of parisite to me, this seem to have started after i had a fresh water stingray in tha tank, and i was feeding him ghost shrimp. But he died also! I have lost $600.00 worth of discus and two of them was two large wild tefe greens. I will try to post a few pics of the tank, its a 130 gallon. The local pet shop in my town, has sold me so much meds to treat tha fish but no results. Also i forgot to mention, their appetite is not great either, and on the last tefe green i have, the long fins under the belly that hang down and pointed, has actually shortend up and are blunted instead of being pointed. Thanks to all that has responded.
Chris Townsend

I believe the temp is way to slow, it will stress out the discus more, they like warm water. Have you tried lowering the pH down to 5? From what I understand any fungus/parasite won't do well in a low pH, it will slow it down. and it wouldn't hurt to do some large water changes, back to back, discus need fresh clean water. And I am very sorry, wish I could help more.

 

[Sharkbait54]

If the ph is stable don't change it.
As for the temp it really should be 10 degrees higher.

 

[Hondatek]

Temp is way to low for discus. I keep my discus tank at 84 degrees .also 50 percent water changes are a minimum on a daily basis for young discus.

 

[mxracer629]

Ok thanks, but i have raised tha temp, back up, it is set back at 84, also tha fish was dying at this temp as well.

 

[Malawi Freak]

You still haven't given us the parameters. To say your ph is a .5 variance means to me you aren't testing your water. Do you own a test kit. If not, get a small Tupperware full of water from the bottom of the tank down to your local pet store.

If you lost $600 from 4 fish it's time to find a new pet store to get them from. The most expensive you should be seeing a discus for is around $75. Stores that charge over $100 are just ripping their customers off.

 

[mxracer629]

Well, four of my fish was 400.00 and then I had a shipment of twelve, and i have lost all of them but four! So yes!! I have lost 600.00 of discus!!
I have found out the problem! Its parisites, they have infested my tank! And they got there, from the fish i ordered from something phishy! Do not order fish from these guys!! Two of them was dead on arrival, and they did nothing about it!! And few of the ten left had parisites! And thats what has happened!! I have moved all my fish to a 55 gal. Tank and treating them, and im taking the 130 gal. Down to clean and start over.

Thanks guys
Chris

 

[Malawi Freak]

They have a guarantee for their fish and they are good about it. Did you email them within the 6 hours of receipt?

 

[mxracer629]

Oh you will not beleave it, but i will never order anymore fish from them every again! One of the twelve i got was in a bag that the water had leaked out and was dead! As soon as i opened the box and seen this i called, pretty much he said sorry and that was it!!! Even took a pic and sent to him to show him how the fish arrived!! and then had two to die bout three hrs later, and i called again, and got the same thing! Sorry!!! Needless to say, i went off on tha guy on the phone!! I had jus spent almost 400.00 with them, and to get crap shipped to me and crappy buisness. I will not recommend anyone to them, and i wouldnt buy a can of fish food from them ever!! Far as im concerened they are the sorriest people i have ever delt with!! But never ever again! Somethingphishy will never ever get anymore of my buissness or any of my friends!!