Very Close to giving up :(

[AdelaideAnt]

Well i've had a hard time with my discus. I've put heart and sole into keeping them alive due to problems cause by me and other problems such as unusable tap water. I have lost 1 and saved the rest on a few occasions. I have only been keeping discus for the best part of 3 months and am weighing up if it is really worth all the hasstle. I've spent around $1500 on getting started on discus, of which for a student with 2 jobs and a girlfriend i've found it hard to get it up and going. I know once i get over this period things may settle down and start going my way. But i've continually had to change the environment of my Discus to A) Over come problems with tap water B) To prevent Disease..i.e. Raising temperature C) To Avoid Ammonia spikes..i.e. Preventing the water from becoming too soft. Obviously the discus don't appreciate the constant change in environment and they've turned into nervice wrecks. I have been far too fussy i believe and now have steadied the water conditions and am happy with the condition of the water. My problem is i don't know if i could handle any more problems. Other than being a nervice wreck, the discus are eating well and are growing very rapidly, they are just very timid and sensitive to movement. They've had Worms, White spot, Fungal problems, endured ammonia spikes and poisening from tap water. I am questioning my abilty to keep these fish happy and in the conditions they deserve.

Any encouraging comments are welcome :( i need it.

Anthony :(

[nicholas76]

Gday ant,

mate you have probably done what every discus keeper has done when starting with this fish. Over kill on the trying to make them happy bit.

Lets break it down and try and estabilish your problem.
1. what size tank do you have?
2. What filtartion system do you use / have?
3. What ph is your water?
4. How many fish do you keep in this tank, size as well please.
5. what temp do you have it on?

Before you answer these questions may I recommend to you my setup.

I have a 4ft X 18 inch tank. I use a large cannister filter ( the biggest fluvol system you can find the better )

Bare bottom tank

If possible age your water using a large water barrel. again run this through another large filter if possible, A bag of carbon in the filter would be nice. ( change carbon every 2 weeks ) it removes some impurities . A heater would also be great.

I had 2 large discus in my 4ftr tank. You can put lots more in, but i like keeping pairs in seperate tanks.

Ensure the tank is situated in a non busy area, heavy traffic can freak em out.

Ensure the temperature sits on 29 degrees constant

Ensure your Ph is always in the 7's . Use KH powder to lock it in

Do water changes every week 50% using a hose to slowly release the new water in.

white spot cant survive in high temps which discus need. White spot can be cured by putting the temp up to what i said. Even use crushed rock salt to aid in removing and stopping it from coming back.

worms , well that can be stress related too. sudden movement, shadows ech Ive had it all. Thats why my tank is up high now. and ive adjusted the lights. ph fluctuating can also send them off the deep end.

I bet the local pet shop has made a killing on you?


best of luck,


Nick













Leave the tank bare bottom.

[nicholas76]

Mate i just realised your from adelaide.

Your water is pretty average to say the least.

May i definelty recommend you prefiltering your water by doing what I suggested or by installing a filter for your home tap or an RO unit.

NIck

[kevkoi]

Nick... some good pointers.

*Note.. he works at a fish shop! LOL

I've heard some nasty reports about the water especially in your area, so rough this one out. It's only a passing thing 'cos of all the construction happening. It'll pass if it has not already.

kev

[AdelaideAnt]

Tank: 5'(L) x 14" (W) x 18"(H), 220 L

Filtration: Small Via Aqua 300 (300 lph) & CAP-1800 Power Filter (doing 600 lph, can filter up to 600gph)

PH: 6.8

Fish:

9 Discus (4 x 4", 2 x 3.5", 2 x 1.5-2", 1 x 3")

2 Keyhole Cichlids

10 Neon

10 Rasboras

4 Siamese Algie Eaters

2 Corydoras

I plan on moving all non discus to another tank when i sell my N.Brichardi fry.

[nicholas76]

hehe owell so working at the LFS has its advantages

Yep first thing id do is get onto that water quality issue earlier discussed.

and definetlly toss out the rest of the fish. Yeah they do work with discus but you wont see me risking my discus to any diseases. Come to think of it I havent had one in geee 3 years now.

Your ammonia spikes are probably a result of overloading your filter ( as you are probably aware ) Can you get a bigger cannister? My best mate runs two in his 6ft X 2 bare bottom.

Cut it all back to basics

Best of luck again!

[AdelaideAnt]

Thanks for your oppinion Nick, much appreciated.

Anthony 8)

[Proteus]

Anthony, I cant add to much more other than what has been suggested, but first priority would be to deal with the water, and remove the other fish...

Remember we are all here to help, and I am sure things will get better...

[fishpimp]

nicholas and kevkoi are on the mark again, i breed here in adelaide and know ant, it's the victorians pissing in our water!. no seriosly here it pays to have a 200 litre barrel and to age the water. filter and preheat.
i find 30% water changes every 3 days to more beneficial than once a week.(depending on pairs cycle)
will come and see you ant for chat

[AdelaideAnt]

No problems mate. Iv'e actually upped the water changes to about 30-40% a week. I'm still not keen on doing anymore, i don't understand how people can do 70+% a week without having imbalance problems. My discus seem to be improving. Before they always had a few places to hide where i can't see them, so i've shifted things around so they can see me coming, they are gradually coming out of hiding. I'm also getting everyone that walks up to the tank to put in a tiny pinch of food, so the fish associate people walking up to the tank with food. I think it is just a waiting game, they have been fairly traumatised so it's understandable they are taking a while to re-settle in. But im keeping parameters steady so hopefully i have a couple of pairs soon, i've already noticed some tail slapping going on with the Blue Diamonds :).

Anthony

[nicholas76]

Ant,

when you say imbalance problems I gather you are refering to swift chemical changes such as Ph swings.

I thouroughly suggest you utilise KH powder. a tea spoon per w/c

My tank was setup so the new water would be released into the tank via a hose, gravity fed. No thicker than a typical garden hose. The water would travel to the tank at a nice even flow ( not a jet spray )

My discus would swim into the fresh water and it would trigger off breeding.

My w/c ratio was 3 times a week 50% changes

thursday , friday saturday, and on sunday they would spawn.

Its so much easier when you dont have to do buckets.

this was the pair im talking about.

[AdelaideAnt]

Thanks for the advice mate. I'm using shell grit in the canister to increase the hardness. It's a pitty my bloody rainwater tap is so bloody slow..lol other wise itwould be much easier. I presume new water is from a drum or somthing similar when you feed it in? what do you heat the new water too before putting it in?

Anthony

[nicholas76]

aNt

yeah its from a barrel , but i fill it with tap water not rain.


shell grit is good, it clearly shows us that you need more to get the desired result. BUT trust me use kh powder the result is instant. Id rather you fill your cannister with bio balls or some other medium.

id set the "new" water a few degrees colder say 27.
Im strongly believe this is what does the triggering . (Your mimicking the rain season) :wink:

[AdelaideAnt]

cannot find any KH powder, and i work at an aquarium shop, what brand in particular are you talking about? Then i will try and get some in for myself.

[nicholas76]

Betta- Care KH powder

it says on the packet BETTA CARE PRODUCTS. 15 - 17 ROOSEVELT ST
COBURG VICTORIA 3058

See how you go mate

[AdelaideAnt]

Thanks Mate

[fishpimp]

great work guys-
the advice on slowly introducing the new adjusted water is worth it's weight in discus, if u can't have your resevoir above your tank , a pump submerged deep with a volume bleed that shoots water down to keep it mixing is what i use at the moment til i hear a better idea, slowflow out
tail slappin fun times ahead

[luvfishies]

KH can also be raised temporarily with ordinary Baking Soda. You would have to experiment in a bucket, do NOT add to the tank!