Fitting Discus

[blackcat]

Hi all, new to this website but really needing some advice if anyone can help.
I have been keeping discus for years without any problems, however...
I had a breading pair, but during a water change the female took fright and banged her head, taking out a chunk of flesh. Shortly following this the male dies unexpectedly with no obvious cause.
Following this the female has been fitting for approximately a year and I always put this down to her accident, she also suffers regular bouts of HITH, I think, which clears with treatmennt and never leaves scaring. About four months ago I decided to buy two other discuss and they al appeared to be well. However in the last couple of days they have all started fitting quite badly, this does not coincide with a water change, as I thought it may be the water softening system I have recnety had fitted.
I do not use anyaresols at home or air fresheners and have not added anything new too the tank, other than some artifical plants as there is a bit of a bullying problem and I can't seem to get live plants to live very long, but one of the new fish had started fitting before these were added.
The PH is 6.5 and all other chemical levels are normal, temp is 29 oC, no other symptoms in the fish currenty.

Please help

 

[DarkEntity]

You can correct me if im wrong, but doesnt hole in the head cause these sort of seizures

 

[paulf]

You can correct me if im wrong, but doesnt hole in the head cause these sort of seizures

ok apparently no.

Sounds like its either something trapped in their gills, or more likely, flukes or a water problem, maybe too much metal/zinc in the water or organo phosphates or praziprantel if thats used regulaly apparently

 

[blackcat]

Thanks for that, I had ruled out HITH as the two new discuss have not had that at all.
Water quality as far as I can tell seems to be within normal ranges
As far as the organo phosphates or praziprantel are concerns, I wouldn't know where to begin, sorry but my knowledge in these areas is limited, how would I know?
I've previously tried a poly filter to remove all problem substances, but that didn't really help, just removed heavy organics (went a brown/orange colour)
Thanks again for your help folks, I'm desperate to resolve this

 

[WILDER]

Check the gills to see if there pale with excess mucas on them, or red and inflamed.

 

[paulf]

What does that colour say its removed through the polyfilter? what makes it go that colour?

 

[blackcat]

Poy filter says organics
Nothing on the gills and the fish colour istsef is very vibrant, unless fitting when they show the vertical bars, no HITH at present

 

[Anita]

Blackcat are you in the UK?

 

[blackcat]

Yeah, hard water area, hence the water softening system

 

[Anita]

PM sent.

Anita

 

[paulf]

Hope he gets better soon, I would carry on with the polyfilter and see how he does