DYING DISCUS! NEED HELP URGENTLY

[lafleur]

Hi guys, unfortunately after years of having discus i have to finally post here. This tank has been set up for about 2yrs.

Tank: 200L, Aquaone external canister, 1 airstone, Living timber, 2 clown loaches, 10 black widow tetras, 10 Serpae tetras, 2 bristlenose, 4 discus

To start off- for around two weeks i have been having an algae problem (too much light) so i decided to do an 80% water change take out the plants and tank clean last night. Ph has been fluctuating wildly too.

Today i find one of my discus nearly black with cloudy eyes, not moving in the tank. 2 loaches and 4 black widows dead, and the rest of the tetras showing fin damage. This afternoon more tetras dead and other discus dark showing minimal fin damage and some with slightly cloudy eyes.

PH 6
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10

How can the ammonia be so high straight after a water change? Can someone pls help! Do i do another water change immediately? Now noticing some tetras near the surface as if unable to breathe! Discus do not look good at all :(

[Hollowman]

If you have disturbed the substrate to remove the plants, you have probably uncovered anerobic areas of substrate that have released toxins into the water.
I am guessing that you dont water change very often? can you tell us what your water change regime is and cleaning regime?? What and how much you feed? Do you remove uneaten food?

All of this rubbish gets worked into the gravel, and dead rotting areas (anerobic) are formed in the gravel.

Immediately do a 50% water change with treated (de-chlorinted) heated, airated water. Do not feed. Continue water changing at least once a day, more if you can to remove the ammonia.
I would also say that you are overstocked, remember that each adult discus needs 50 litres of water, so this is not helping.

Keep us posted.

H :wink:

[lafleur]

Hi, thanks for replying so quickly!

I do 30-40% water changes every 3 days. When i removed the plants there wasnt much debris at all. I also do remove food remains once discus are finished feeding. Yep- one of the discus is being given to a friend as i want more room in the tank!

Does the tetras at the top of the tank suggest it needs more oxygenation?
Should i set up a hospital tank just in case things go bad?

I will do a water change now and keep you posted.

[ILLUSN]

tetras near the surface says theres too little oxygen, when you did your change did you use aged heated water?

[lafleur]

yep of course have been aging and heating water when i do changes.

After current water change PH 6.8 and ammonia between 0 and .25 (have liquid tester)

Maybe i should put in another air stone for the tetras?

[Hollowman]

Adding an airstone can only help.

[Boyam]

Sounds like possible PH burns to me. You can burn fish with quick PH changes. I'm aware PH burns can cause such things as cloudy eyes, slime coat problems and or fin problems, and even breathing problems due to burned gills.

co2 effectively controls/changes PH. During the day plants use Co2(give off O), during the night they use O. For this reason make sure check your Co2 system if you have any(for the moment). its possible that now that your plants have been removed there is too much co2 and not enough O. it is also possible since you removed some plants there is an significant amount of extra co2 not being consumed by the plants- causing PH fluctuation.

Im not expert, but if you have had your system for as long as you said i believe this to be the only problem.

[Pheonix]

Hi Lafleur,

when you say you did a tank clean did you clean your filter? Also where are you located, we are at that time of the year where the water out of the tap can fluctuate in parameters (end of the dry, start of winter) even aged water can contain nitrate levels and other contaminates.

Is there any chance that any equipment you used to clean the tank may have had anything on it?

[lafleur]

Guys things have turned for the worse.... Have been doing daily 60% changes and now all blue turq discus are dark, and i have 2 marlbro swimming or shall i say lying horizontal on the top of the tank :(

Shall i keep lowering the PH? I need help desperately!

[Hollowman]

Why re you lowering the Ph ??? get things stable!! Check your parameters for me, post results, add and airstone

let us know asap

[zar]

Sounds like you've poisoned them with something....

[Ozboc]

Silly question , but have you tested the new water before you add it to your tank ??

I had same prob about a year back --- before water changes all levels were very low -- after water change -- had a huge spike .... after checking the water ( sydney water ) it nitrate and nitrite levels were high ??

Boc