Not sure what my discus have...

[mourt]

I have a relatively new San Merah to the tank who has developed what I first thought was fungus, but now I'm not so sure. Some others of my discus definitely had it. My red turquoise was able to battle it off her self (never seen such a fighting fit discus) and the blue turquoise white patch disappeared after protozin treatment, yet is still quite dark and is obviously not well itself.

Initially I treated with protozin, but the San Merah has not recovered. It's still eating, but it's slime coat remains thick and the white patches on it has not receded. It looks as if its slime coat is peeling almost.

Currently I'm into day two of a metro course, but i had accidentally left the lights on on the tank 8 hours or so before turning them off. I don't have UV.

Any suggestions as to what to do next if neither works. I thought maybe I should try some myxazin.

Most other fish in the tank are fine except for blue turquoise who had fungus (i think), but is still quite dark.

EDIT: Oh, i also have salted the tank during treatment.

[mourt]

OK, the san merah is not eating any more.. and is not moving from its one spot. It seems to also be having trouble keeping upright.

[ILLUSN]

finish the metro treatment, after that give it a couple of day befroe trying myaxin, any chance of a photo?

[mourt]

I'll rustle one up shortly. Need a better camera.

[mourt]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RzVhpPfwIUQ/SkmPTsm9ICI/AAAAAAAAACE/qa-tSYwN8yo/s640/P1010003.JPG

[mourt]

There was a flash which made the fish look a little different. The fish is actually a lot darker and the white is more prominent.

[Andrew Soh]

Try treating with Dipterex @ 150mg per 100 litres of water for 24 hours and repeat on alternate days.

IT should work.

Andrew :wink:

[Andrew Soh]

After looking at the photo, I feel your water quality is not at optimum....so high level of water replacement and cleaning are needed.

Also, it is possible that your water is cold.....

Take care,
Andrew

[mourt]

Thank you for the the reply Andrew. My water quality is usually very good. I have a planted aquarium which gathers a lot of mulm (which i regularly clean) but I am seriously over filtering my tank at the moment.

I will try the dipterex treatment.

[Andrew Soh]

Dipterex will remove the slime coat and eliminate most external parasites and organisms in the water.

As for a 24 hour bath, it should not affect your plants. After the 24 treatment, youe discus colour will be lightened.

Regards,
Andrew :wink:

[mourt]

Is Dipterex the product name or the chemical name? Trying to hunt it down in australia, but seems tricky to find.

[Andrew Soh]

It comes in different brand names...go to the gardening store and ask...for fresh compound....active ingredient is Trichlorfon.

Some brand it as Masoten; Neguvon; Metriforate or dipterex.

Andrew

[chorrylan]

I haven't cme across any of the brand names Andrew mentions but Trichlorphon is the active ingredient in many of the anti-parastite treatments you'll find in LFS' (eg wardleys's para-ex) and one of the ingredients in clout (which aiden sells on planetcatfish http://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73548 and possibly here also )


be careful if you have armoured catfish (eg bristlenose or peppermints) in the tank as trichlorphon can kill 'em

I don't keep discus (yet) but symptoms like white patches and excessive slime produciton indicate irritation from some sort of macro-parasite (eg flukes?) so if it was mine I'd trying one of the broad spectrum anti-parasite treatments like clout (containing malachite green, trihlorphon and dimetridazole) or jungle parasite-clear tabs (containing praziqantel, diflubenzeron, metronidazole and acriflavine)

[mourt]

I've tried a round of praziquantel but the discus is still unhappy. I used prazi as I have BN Catfish and the (quite knowledgeable) LFS owner advised to try it first, as Trichlorfon is quite harmful to armoured catfish apparently. I'll be trying Trichlofon next.

I've also tried metro in food and a metrozidnole dose to no avail.

[Hollowman]

I would give the poor fish a break from the meds for a week or two. Throwing lots of medication at it will do more harm than good imo.

Lots of good water is the best med right now.

Steve

[mourt]

The praziquantel fixed him up.