Please help

[tanzy]

I would like some advise on what to do about my discus and blue ram.
My ammonia readings are - 0
Nitrites - 0
ph - 6.2
nitrates - 0
Temp - 30c
tank has been set up for two years

I keep four discus, 10 neons, 10 rummynose, 2 bristlenose, 1 SAE, 5 corys, & 1 blue ram in a 210L planted tank, with a aquaone 1000 canister filter.

I noticed that my Marlbro red had a small amount of fin damage last week and was holding it close to his side, I done a 50% water change and added some melafix to help him heal, but he stopped eating.

I placed him in the 2ft QC tank with 1tsp of salt and treated him with Metro tabs with the rec dose of 250mg per 10L water. I had 400mg tabs so we calculated 3.3 tabs. His slime coat started to shed, I thought that this was from the salt in the water. After two days I done a 30% water change and added the seconded dose of metro. Sadely he died within 2 hours of the second dose. Did I get the calculations or the rec dose wrong?

Now my other 3 discus and blue ram have virtually stopped eating, they are only picking at a little bit of bloodworm. Normally they are huge gutses. I treated them with prazi,for one time and are due to repeat in 5 days, but no change has occured. My big blue dimond is getting very skinny(he is normally very fat). All fish look very healthy in colour and fin formation, they also approach the front of the tank, but are just are not eating. I could not stand to lose anymore of my beloved fish (losing Marlbro has totally devistated me).

What should I do? I am terrified to treat with Metro again but feel that it is Hex which is the problem.

All water parameters are the same as they have always been. The only change in the tank was that I removed some java moss from a log and added some seachem fert tabs to my sword plants.

Kell

[ILLUSN]

if hex is the problem(sounds like it is) metro is the drug of choice, you may as well do the main tank as all fish in it are probably harboring the bacteria.

how big are the fish? smaller weaker fish will not handel the treatment as well as adults.

[JoeDiscus85]

i just got done treating with some metro/prazi in my tank. Before i could get my hands on the meds i couldnt get them to eat so i experimented a little bit and used a product called garlic extreme from kent marine it worked AWESOME my one sick fish wouldnt eat for anything i would drop 4 drops of the garlic extreme pretty much right on top of him and give it 5 minutes and he would eat! I was shocked theres another product out there called garlic guard. Good luck


Joe

[tanzy]

Thankyou so much for your fast replys.

My Marlbro red (which died) was the size of my hand and my blue diamond also. The other two are a bit smaller.

I have looked at garlic guard but you can not get it where I come from, I
did try soaking some tetra bits in water that had crushed garlic but they still didnt eat it.

So the dose I gave my fish was correct. I did not over dose him?I think that I will dose the whole tank.

Thanks

Kell

[ILLUSN]

the dose was correct, make sure you have plenty of airation in the tank during treatment.

[tanzy]

Is it posssible that my Marlbro had kidney failure. The man from the LFS said that it was highly possible?

I have placed two air stones in the tank and removed the Corys and Bristlenose's. I have calculated 12.5 tabs at 400mg.

I am feeling very nervous.


Thankyou so much for your kind help

Kell

[ILLUSN]

metro is a nasty drug, the fish should pull through.

next time, when you first observe symptoms of hex, try adding it to the food instead, the dosage is much lower, it works much more effictivly and you wont have remove your other fish.

[tanzy]

Just a short update on the treatment of my precious fish. I am currently on the second day of my second treatment and all my discus are looking great and eating again :D .

I am so happy that the metro is working and my fish are eating, even my white discus (Casper), who has never eaten flake only bloodworms is eating the flake now.

Sadly I dont think that my Ram (Virgil) is going to make it through, as he still has not started to eat and the higher temp of the tank is knocking him around also :cry: .

Thankyou for your help

Kell

[ILLUSN]

good to hear they're recovering.

you didn't mention you had a ram, i dont think he'll survive the treatment, even once the treatment is over, keep your tank temp up for another month or so, just to make sure they are over the bug.

[tanzy]

Would it be kinder to euthanas him. If the answer is yes, how would go I about it? I have never had to do it before.


Kell

[ILLUSN]

if your up for it, the best way is to pop him in a bucket and add a few drops of clove oil (4 should do it) wait till he stops swimming and his breathing slows, then add 1 more, his gills will stop moving, give him 20 minutes and dispose of respectfully.

theres still a chance that he will survive, i find it hard to put a fish down especially once i name them, thats why i dont name my fish anymore.

[fishgeek]

keep naming them and stop euthanasing them, well thats my preference

[tanzy]

Thankyou for that info, thats something I never have heard of before and the process sounds gentle but quick.

Virgil is a really special little fellow, with personality plus. I have had him along time, he is my favourite fish. Putting him to sleep is going to be so hard, but I just cant stand watching him suffer.

I thought that fish keeping was suppose to be fun. This experience has been devastating.

Kind Regards

Kell

[tanzy]

I decided to give Virgil another chance, because tonight was my third treatment of metro and he was still alive, so I thought that I would be able to have a good look at him while I was cleaning the tank with the lights on. He still looked in good shape, no thinning and great colour, he was just breathing harder than normal. With a closer look at the little man, I noticed a white fluffy growth on his stomach. Is this a fungal growth from an injury? All the fish became quite aggressive with each other when the illness took over.

The only medication I have at the moment is melafix and multicure. Could I possibly net him out and apply melafix or multicure directly to the fungal growth? I really want to save him if it is possible. I know that I don't have a lot of choices, but is it worth a try.



Kell

[ILLUSN]

dont put any more meds on till you finish the metro treatment.

give him a chance to rest, then if its still there you can try to apply some multicure directly to the area, but WAIT till youve finished the metro treatment and given a water change or 2.

[tanzy]

Another update on my fish. Very sadly Virgil, my Ram did not make it through the battle. He was one though little fish though, he put up a huge fight. The tank is not the same without him, it seems so bare.

On a happier note three of my discus are healthier than ever and eating like they have never been fed before. They also have nice black poo, which is a really good thing to see.

Thankyou so much for the wonderful and kind help.

Kell

[JoeDiscus85]

I have never named my fish dont know why, Im not against it. Maybe dont want to get too connected.... Sorrybout Virgil


Joe