Emergency Please Help! 3 Discus Dying! :(

[Blue Ramirezi]

Please help!

I have 3 discus and have had them for about 8 months now, three days ago my tank had a leak and the water was draining rapidly. I grabbed my sopare 220L tank and filled it up.
I added lots of decor and made it look nice, then moved the fish. All of my fish were happy and were eating, but now today i woke up and all 3 of my discus were floating at the top of my tank; sideways.
They had very swollen bellies. The water temp is 30 degrees C. I dont know the other readings as i have just changed tank. please help! do they have swollen swim bladders?

- Morgan 

 

[Noahsfish]

What size tank are they coming out of? I hope you used as much of the old water as possible, and it's very important you used the same substrate as well as the filter(s). What have you fed them, and could they have been injured when you switched them over?

 

[Blue Ramirezi]

Hi Noah, 
They're coming out of a 250L (120cm x 45cm x 45cm) I used about 3 eighths of the old water, i used a bucket to catch and move them so i'd be surprised about injury.
I have used the same substrate and filter, one of my discus died, and the other is now swimming mid level - upright which is very good, however the 3rd is still very sick.
I don't think i mentioned, I have 2 angelfish in there, and a yoyo loach, and they're fine..

 

[Noahsfish]

Hmmm strange....I'd test the water for ammonia and nitrite ASAP, could the tank have been sprayed with some chemical?

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Discus always used to be quite sensitive to water changes so maybe the PH or some other element in the water has changed when you put 5/8ths of new water in the tank?

I'd test the water for the usual suspects (Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and PH) and then post them up.

 

[Blue Ramirezi]

Well.. That's part of the problem, I'm going away for a week, I've popped on my automatic feeder
But something I really want to know, is will the left over 2 survive? The one that haden't recovered might but my other that started swimming normally (his belly un-swelled) looks a bit better, will he probably survive? I love those fish ....

 

[Lunar Jetman]

It's difficult to say without knowing the quality of your water but I'd be worried about your fish if you're away to be honest. You could have all sorts of Nitrite/Ammonia spikes going on which could be lethal to your fish but without actually checking it's a bit of a stab in the dark at the moment I'm afraid.

 

[stanleo]

You know, I have a great LFS and they will hold fish for people going away or if there is a disaster like this. Maybe you have one that will do that for you?
 
I think the shift in pH is prolly your culprit. I never kept those lovely fish but I intend to and have been researching them and if there is the slightest shift in pH or hardness of the water, it can be disastrous for them.
 
I do hope they will be ok.

 

[Blue Ramirezi]

Miraculously, I returned home today (10 days later) to see that the remaining 2 were completely recovered - and eating!
I don't know if it has anything to do with the salt or not but i'm so happy to see they're okay
Thank you all for the help!
- Morgan