Please HELP sick discus

[Phenomena]

Hi all,

The base of the pelvic fins of my discus looks swollen, a bit red, and has some whithish spots about 0.5-1mm. It started with 1 fish and now 2 others are infected. One of the pelvic fins of the first fish has partially come off.
Is this parasites or bacteria or?

thanks,
DD
PS. the spots only on the base of the fins not on the fins itself.

[flukes]

Pelvic or Pectorial??

Some of my fish have little whites bits on there pectorial that come and go, ive also had a fish thats pectorial fin was split, they all healed. I either treated with salt or melafix and they same around.

If you can get a pic that would help alot, also not sure if you mean pelvic or pectorial.

[Phenomena]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. Sorry for confusion. It's actually the pectorial fins. I'll try to get a very good pic.

I've treated with Melafix & salts for at least a week, but doesn't see any improvement.

Thanks,
DD

[Annie]

Another med you can try that I have had great luck with is Pimafix.

I am wondering, what are your water conditions and your water changing schedule?

[Phenomena]

Hi, thanks for the reply.
Here're some pics taken today:
You can see here the fin is partially gone
http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~hon3y_b/DD/Fins2.jpg
Here's the other fin of the same fish
http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~hon3y_b/DD/Fins3.jpg
Here's another fish infected
http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~hon3y_b/DD/Fins4.jpg

I'm treating with Pimafix+Melafix+Salts, because 2 fish have open wound as follows:
http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~hon3y_b/DD/Fish4Sale/Discus.jpg

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~hon3y_b/DD/Fish4Sale/Discus2.jpg

Last night, I added Wardley's Para-Ex. That's why on the pic3 the spots became red.

- The tank is 48x18x20. There're only 4 discus in the tank plus some corys and bristlenose.
- It's bare bottom with 2 large driftwood.
- The temp is around 30C, PH around 6.5.
- I do 40% weekly WC. I dunno about amonia/nitrate, never measured.
- Have been keeping them for about 2.5 yrs

Thanks,
DD

[flukes]

Thats a nasty wound, try not use any more meds. You shouldhave changed the water too get rid of all the other meds before using para-ex which i dont think you should have used. I dont think its a parasite. I would be getting an ammonia test kit. Or taking a water sample down too your lfs.

[Merrilyn]

Your problems look like they could be related to diet. Please tell us what you are feeding. Stop all meds except salt. Do a couple of big water changes two days in a row, and add carbon to your filter to filter out any remaining medication. I do not think you have a parasite infestation, but I will try to tell you more after you give me a bit more information. Get an ammonia test kit. It is an essential tool when keeping discus,also nitrite and nitrate would be good to have, and tell us the readings. How long since you changed the filter media and do you normally run carbon in your filter.

[weird]

This can not be possibly 'hole in the head' ?

[Phenomena]

Hi,

flukes, the wound on the last pic has 80% healed since that pic was taken. But I don't see any improvement on the wound of the second last pic.

I'm more concern about the pectoral fins problem. You wouldn't think it's because of ammonia/nitrate problem, would you?
I'll test the ammonia tonight.

ladyred, I feed them Tetrabits once a day and ocassionally New Life Spectrum Large Fish Formula. The filter comprises of Eheim effisubtrate and filter wool. I change the wool every month or so. I just changed on the weekend. The water is always clear. I don't use carbon.

Do a couple of big water changes two days in a row, and add carbon to your filter to filter out any remaining medication.
I did this before, treating without any meds except salts. The fish seem to be more active and healtier after WC. But that only last 1 day or 2. And I don't see the wound or the fins get better. Even worse.

I asked a LFS about the open wound (last 2 pics) and was told it was bacteria. I was recommended Pimafix among others because it's wide spectrum and doesn't affect bio filtration.

I keep treating with Pimafix, Melafix, & salts for the wound (last pic).

Thanks,
DD

[Merrilyn]

Tera Bits are a very good staple fish food, but I think discus need a more varied diet. Most of us feed a variety of frozen and pellet foods to try to provide all the nutrients that the fish would find in their natural habitat. Scientific studies show that discus are mainly carnivores and so need a meat based diet with some vegetable matter included. As all the meds you have tried seem to be having little effect, I would suggest that you treat the problem from the 'inside out'. Change their diet to include frozen beefheart, frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, minced prawns or shrimp.
Feed your fish 2 or 3 times a day with a different food each time. Use the tetra bits for only one meal per day.
If you have the time, why not make up one of the excellent beef heart recipes on this forum, and use this as their main diet. This will provide any nutrients they may currently be missing. Hopefully you will see improvement within 2 weeks.

[Phenomena]

Hi,
I used to feed some frozen bloodworms and brine shrimps. But I had 2 discus lost weight. They still ate and the stomach became bloated. Everyday lost weight. I treated with Metro and wormed them but didn't work at all :( Finally I euthanised them. That's why I don't feed bloodworms anymore. They don't really like brine shrimps as well.

I tried dried shrimps, but they never like it. They're very picky. Never bothered with beef heart. Hard to get from butcher. Once I bought a beef heart as heart not liver. Also it fouls the water badly.

The last 6 months before all this disease happened, they're on their top healthy conditions I've ever experience. Only on sole diet of Tetrabits. They grow better and thicker body. That's why I keep feeding only Tetrabits. At some stage I tried New Life but one day I fed too much and some had bloat and started to have white stringy faeces. They don't like anyother brand pellets... :cry:

I found they're very troublesome to keep... :(

Thanks
DD