Discus Shedding Its Slim Coat

[Jim Curtis]

Yes but DL the c02 gassing off causes the PH to fluctuate hence stressing the fish.

Discus will sometimes shed there slime coat if they are stressed. Im sure you sticking your hand in the tank to pull out prefilter sponges will spook them. I rinse my prefilter sponges under tap water and I clean my filter hoses and internal sponges with tap. The only things I rinse in tank water are my bioballs.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Yes but DL the c02 gassing off causes the PH to fluctuate hence stressing the fish.

You are right again. Another thing I didn't think about

 

[shaz-killie]

ok quick update went to the shop and asked for the stuff you suggested rab, lol they didn't have a clue. but gave me stuff that was for general discus diseases "which her mother uses with her discus" so thought yeah give that a go. well all was looking good last night, fish were more active and I saw some of them I hadn't saw in days. so thought great all is on the up. got up this morning and it was more like all is on the belly up. one discus dead, fair enough he was in a bad way (he was in hiding before and looked like he had white spot,) and also so the runt is dead. the rest of them gasping for air so 50% water change just so I can get some clean water in the tank. I'll prob do another 3 more today but at least they are not jumping out the water for air now. I never got the chance to run tests as I was more interested in getting water in so they could breath.

on the water conditioner front I only had two choices, the one I was already using that was reccommended not to use and nutrafin aqua plus which is the one I used to use so went with that.

oh and to clarify I rinse my filter sponges in the tank water I remove on the water change.

along with the water changes I was thinking about putting in a large air stone today, now I removed this when I got discus as I was told they don't like the bubbles, is this the case?

also I'm due to do part two of the medication but wary of doing this after yesterdays results

 

[rabbut]

OK, you almost definately do have a parasitic infection on your hands. Gasping for air, excess slime coat and flicking/rubbing. You need to get a Flubandazole based med in there, and fairly fast The only *legal* source for this in the UK is the vets, so if you are UK based, talk to local vats practices and find one that deals with fish. Once you have one, you will have to take an affected fish to them, often with a few print-outs/books about parasites, so that they can do a skin scrape for you and percribe some meds Be prepaird to travel, fish vets are few and far between. You could also try the panic stricken pet owner trick at the clinic you usualy frequent if you have other pets, and they *may* help you with said print-outs

For the time bing, light off, airstone in and do a water test. I don't think you will find anything, but check and make sure. If the fish are still gasping, drop the temperature to get more oxygen into the water The symptoms could also fit with water quality problems, so rule it out before you start worrying about vets

All the best of luck sorting it
Rabbut

 

[shaz-killie]

well after the first water change all discus have been fine and swimming happily. I did put stuff in to treat the white spot on the dying discus as I didn't have a spare heater to move him to another tank. I think it's maybe a reaction to the two medications that has starved the water of air. I'll put the air stone in anyway.

 

[rabbut]

What two meds were you using? The symptoms also fit with poisoning, due to incerased slime coat, but I ruled that one out due to the regular large waterchanges...

 

[shaz-killie]

was using the eSHa hexamita discus disease treatment and the interpet anti white spot. I'm starting to think last night was poision as everything is fine now after water changes. I'm due to put the second dose of the discus disease in today so hopefully that will be ok. the one with white spot is dead now so no need to continue that

just done a third change of the day so hopefully that will have flushed any issues away

 

[rabbut]

I would complete the caurse of Whitespot treatment if you are in the middle of it, or it will likely come back Whitespot can spend upto 24 hours on the substrate, porpogating, before the cyct burts releasing 100's of baby whitespot termites. The free swimming stage is the only one that treatment kills, so like anti-biotics for humans, complete the course regardless or the infection may well come back

Why were you using the Hexamita stuff? You don't have HITH in there as well do you? The website says that the Whitespot and Hexamita stuff from them will mix. This has to be correct, or there would be lawsuits lining up against them... This is one thing that manufacturers are always careful about, recomending mixing meds. It is dangerous, even if you know what you are doing with mixing them, so they only say it's safe if it is They don't say what it's based on, on the website, so check the box/bottle for the active ingrediants. If it was sold in the UK, Flubendazole, Metrodanizole, Coper Sulphate, Formalin, Malachite Green, Methaline Blue and most other med ingreadinants have to be listed by law. If they aren't listed, it's probibly c#@?, based on herbs and other rubbish...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[shaz-killie]

well that was my point as well but the woman in the shop said it would eliminate most discus diseases so took there advice as before they have always been right (guess not on this occassion). no other fish has been showing signs of white spot but will complete the treatment.

guess I'm not having much luck with discus as i'm now nearly sure the "pair I was sold" are two females with one laying eggs. guess the hard way is one way to learn. could you even rec. a few good discus reference book to save me picking your brains all the time