Dark, cramped up discus x4

[waterflash]

Well it is just getting worse. While the first discus has shown some improvment know my four discus have all got the same thing. One discus has developed two white spots a little big for whitespot, would this be hex. They are not as cramped up but are dark, haven't eaten for 2 days and have one at the back laying on it's side. Have also lost 2 rummynose tetras and a cory in the last few days.

Chems are: Nitrite 0, Amonia 0, Nitrate higher even after water changes but they have done worse, sitting on about 60ppm

Just been to the vet to get some more metro but just don't know where to go with this one. Have never in 20 years had anything that has gone through the whole tank. Any suggestions are welcome.

Cheers

Robin

[Merrilyn]

Oh gee Robin, I'm so sorry to hear that. I don't know why your nitrates are so high. Discus prefer a reading of about 5, or at the very least, under 10.

You can try a product called Nitrazorb which goes in your filter and reduces the amount of nitrates in your tank. The pouch can be recharged, and used again.

Can you show us any pictures of your fish Robin. Sometimes it reveals more than just a verbal description.

I'm going thru my medical books trying to find something that resembles the symptoms you are talking about, but nothing jumps out at me.

I'll keep working on it.

[wyldchyld01]

certainly doesn't sound good robin, sorry to hear, pics would be good, does it look like lesions or more like the slime coat breaking down? hex i didn't think was usually found in rummy's but there could be something else.

Brenton

[waterflash]

Thanks guys, I am charging the camera to provide some shots but they will only shot two bard up red torquoise discus and a unhappy snakeskin. The golden malboroh is now on its side floating at the top of the hospital tank, hardly breathing. Seems to of completely lost all control of its swim bladder, if it still exists. Expect it will be dead in the morning. The metro seems to be working with the others, they did eat today. Did loose another rummy nose however. Only losing the new ones all those that have been in the tank for some time are fine, which makes me think they may of been the carriers. Two weeks of quarantine and they were fine until placed into the general population. Will see how the next 2 days go, if I have any suspicous declines I am going to seperate all the breeds and treat them seperately. I have enough tanks in the back shed to do that, and then consider stripping the display tank. I know it sounds radical but the way these guys have been this last few days is like they are in a lot of pain.

[waterflash]

Next update, lost the golden last night (going in to the Ag dept for autopsy tommorow, to late for baterials but may find out something from tissue samples) The others are on a slow improvement but still not eating. Have attached a pic of the one that it all started with. Notice the top fin is still faded and very bard up. The others are all posers, each time it took a pic they looked great.

Cheers Robin

[Merrilyn]

Robin, ask them to test for velvet too. We've had a really wierd strain of velvet going around lately.

It may show up in skin and gill samples.

Good luck mate.

[waterflash]

Hi Guys
Thanks for all your assistance over the week, what an experience. Well 1 Golden Malboro deseaced and 6 tetra's I worked it out. The beefheart dicus mix from the LFS was off. They must of let it defrost and re-frozen it. It was only by accident that I smelt my hands after feeding them and discovered what was going on. Effectively food poisoning the fish. Once the feeding of this food stopped they picked up within two days and I treated the tank with antibiotics for 5 days. The fish that died was the most varatious eater and some wore the worst of it.

Thanks for the support, all please learn from my experience and if the mix is brown and not red, dont buy it.

Cheers

Robin

[wyldchyld01]

good comment waterflash, food had not occured to me, sorry to hear about those you lost.

Brenton