Dead discus

[Krissy]

I’ve tried twice to post in the emergency forum without success - posting this before I waste time typing again. If works will post my urgent issue

[Krissy]

Worked! Yesterday morning found my yellow discus dead - no colour fade (reason later for mentioning) and partially eaten. Came home really late night before so didn’t check tank. Removed her and checked params - only nitrate higher from 5 - 10 up to 40 ppm, ammonia 0 all others same as normal. 90% wc done, remaining 8 seemed fine - feeding, swimming normally etc. This morning found blue diamond at bottom of tank, resting upright against weir and barely breathing. Her colour had faded significantly in the main body area to a grey-white. By time I retrieved her from tank she’d stopped breathing. I immediately dosed tank with ‘wormer plus’ and removed a plant I had growing in tank (been there at least 2 months) pothos plant on the off-chance this could be the problem? Wondering if I should dose tank with melafix but worried I might be dosing when don’t know what’s wrong. Did take a photo of blue after took her out from tank but having trouble uploading. Will ry again after post this.

[Krissy]

[Hollowman]

Sorry to hear this Krissy. If one was dead and the other fading and later died then it could be a water problem. First fix and the best medicine is a large water change, this helps every time. Even if your tests didn't show anything too out of the ordinary, this is first to do. A nitrate spike might have affected them as it was a big change. What have you been feeding? and what water changing have you been doing?

[Krissy]

Thanks Hollowman. I’ve been doing a wc change twice a week on a regular basis and the occasional 3rd if I think needs it. The pothos plant was great in the tank and seemed to help with the water Params but I’m worried the plants roots may have been the cause, whether the fish nibbled at the roots?? I’ve been feeding spiralina flakes in morning, dried Aussie black worms midday and frozen beef hearts or bloodworms of an evening. Touch wood the others appear okay as close to a week later I haven’t lost another.

[Hollowman]

Hi Krissy,

Good to know no more have died. DO you make sure that there is no left over food in the tank? sometimes it can collect and cause anaerobic poisons in the tank. Water changes sounds fine from what you say. Just keep am eye out for over feeding and clean up afterwards if any is left. I dont think the roots would have caused these deaths.
keep us/me updated

H

[Krissy]

Thought I would wait for awhile and see if my remaining 7 had any problems before posting again. So some 3 weeks later (touch wood) all the rest seem fine. You were bang on the nose Hollowman- problem I believe was anaborobic poisoning. I was doing lots of wc following deaths of little yellow and the blue when noticed this foul looking crud lying on the bottom of tank toward the end of an 80% change. Wasn’t there when I started change. The crud was close to rear wall of tank. Further investigation showed more crud just in one of the lips of my 3D background. Prised b/ground off and behold - humongous amount hidden behind wall! Panic stations there for a bit with siphon system trying to prevent it dispersing throughout tank. Finally got 99% of it out which made it about a 95% change. Poor discus were laying flat as pancakes. Needless to say, I’m never, ever putting a background back into tank!!! Thank you so much for advice Hollowman, only wish I’d taken more note of my b/ground earlier, might’ve prevented deaths of two. My fault entirely.

[Hollowman]

Again, sorry for the late reply. I am glad you found the problem, the build up you found was most likely the cause. Backgrounds are good, but must be sealed completely to stop this detritus from accumulating.

But a good post Krissy, if others read this, then you might have saved a few more fish in the future.

Steve

[Sabrina]

Sorry to hear this happened Krissy, glad you found the problem tho!

[sayid]

Sorry to hear about your loss Krissy but in my opinion anything apart from heater ,sponge filter in a tank is a reason for detritus to get trapped and cause water quality issues ,having said that we all like to decorate our display tanks .