Discus got worms??

[insanedoh]

Hello :)

Just been reading through the forums on some worming advise (and there's plenty of good advise around!) but I just want to confirm my worming plan. (think my fishies have worms :( )

Bit of background info, I have a standard 4ft community tank with 5 discus, BN, pleco, cory, apisto, nanocara, syidontus and other cichlids, all seem happy enough together (and the plecos don't seem to touch the discus, probably they're too fat and big!)

I did have a number of discus (being about 7!) die over a month period a couple of months ago, possibly not assisted by the fact that I cleaned my filter too thoroughly and it cycled, then i added "ammolock" as recommended by a LFS, (against my better judgement) and made a mess of things with incorrect readings etc (well high non-toxic readings).. but anyhow i've fixed all that and we're all good again on that front! But I'm still not convinced why those fish died. The 3 I had left from original 10 were newer additions to the tank. None of the other fish in the tank seemed to be affected at all.

So.. now 3 of my discus are so so Two look "happy" enough (#1 orange & #2 blue - blue is a bit darker than he should be, but not completely dark & hiding like the 3rd fish), one is quite dark (#3) and tends to hide although eats fine and does come out, sometimes even brightens up! I noticed it's fins also twitch a bit. But I noticed that they have large bellies and they're all not 100% happy. So! I'm going to worm them, which i probably "should" be doing as a matter of course, but I'd never really done before. Also i just added 2m discus to the tank and I don't want them all to be infected if it is worms - yeh i know i shouldn't have! - anyhow there's now 5 in there

#1
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6068/6066883731_2798c4856d.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6066883465_4d8e98762d.jpg
#2
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6067429318_e22ed2758e.jpg
#3
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6066882901_f24375d7f1.jpg

My Ph usually sits around 6 (quite low) and the temp is about 28-30deg. Everything else is good (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc) I've got a canister filter on the tank plus plenty of oxygen (bubbles) and water movement.

So anyhow, now I want to start a standard preventative (and hopefully current treatment!) worming schedule. LFS recommended to crush 1 tablet (Aqua Master Fluke & Tape Worm) with frozen blood worms and feed, then repeat in 7 days and every 3 months after.

So I just want to confirm my treatment method:

Day 0:
no food (to make them hungry?)

day 1:
30% water change
crush/mix 1 tablet with frozen blood worms and feed to fish

day 2-7:
do I do water changes? if so how often and how much? do i just gravel vac?

Day 7:
30% water change
crush/mix 1 tablet with frozen blood worms and feed to fish

Day 8 - 30:
???

every 3 months later, repeat course?


By putting it in the food and not dosing the water itself I'm also hoping to avoid any bad reactions with the scaleless fishies.

I want to start this ASAP so that if it doesn't fix the problem I can go on to the next suggestion?

Thanks & appreciate any help, sorry if I'm repeating the same questions of many others I just want to make sure that I'm doing it right and don't kill any fish in the process! :)

- Carly

[insanedoh]

on closer look at the "unwell" discus, I also notice that it has a lot of "fluffy stringy" stuff, like a piece cotton been separated in water, on it's side. Would that be worms? (it doesn't really look like a solid worm?) or fungal or? I've noticed it before sometimes, but just thought it must've attracted all the debris from around the tank, because it's sometimes there are sometimes not (or maybe I just can't see it!)

You can see it in this photo on the end of his (or her??) fins on the tail and around the bottom fins as well

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6068250783_57d8a7a7fa.jpg

Thanks again, hopefully somebody can point me in the right direction :)

[BobbyBruce]

That is just insane DOH,

Most keepers recommend a minimum of 30 - 40 ltr for each adult fish. On your original numbers each fish is sharing only 18 ltr with a number of other fish. At best a BB standard 4' tank will give you 180 ltr or thereabouts so you are working on 45 - 55% of recommended volume and that is without sharing with other species. Also, some of the others are not compatible with discus as you have indicated.

Water conditions without "values" are of no use to anyone who might give you advise. If you are getting ammonia and nitrIte readings they are too high.

A Ph of 6 is fine so long as it is stable. What are your Gh and Kh readings.

Your fish may have worms but what is it that makes you think so?

The little Blue Diamond (?) looks to be in poor shape as does the one that you are concerned about with the "trailing" bits which may be slime coat coming off due to stress, loss of condition or your water.

Personally, when I worm I follow the directions on the pack using a good medication at the recommended dose rate for the entire tank. I have used Kusuri (available from Marlon's Discus on here) a couple of times with good results.

Regards,

Bob

[HUN]

Hi ! is the fish still thrive in , the fish in #3 still make it or, ( i just try to help cos the fish look straggler ok) rise up the temp to 32-34 slowly, WC ,salt.

http://discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22739

[Nev]

Clove oil would be the best for those fish. It'lll kill em but they won't suffer like they are now.
It's natural selection at work - only the strongest survive.
Way too many in too small a space.

[boxters]

nev i have to agree with you

[BigDaddyAdo]

Ditto. Massively overstock the tank then wonder why you have issues?