Discus Have White Spot, Help!

[Jay-93]

I have 3 Discus in my 30 gallon tank that are showing signs of WS. One is 6", another 5.5" and the third is 2". PH is around 6.4 and my temp is 85-86F.

What should I do?!

 

[Fishy friend2]

add the proper meds and put them in the proper setup, as 30 gallons is too small to keep discus. they need a larger tank and more of there own kind

 

[Jay-93]

I heard 1 Discus per 10 g is fine, plus one discus is only 2", there's plenty of room for 3 discus. And I don't want to use medication, just the salt treatment, but I dont know how to do that with Discus.

 

[Fishy friend2]

1 discus per 10 gallons is fine when in the proper setup of 60 gallons, or more and in groups of 6+ and why dont you want to use meds, as i think that discus are one of the few fish that cannot tolerate salt very well

 

[Dieses Madchen]

+1 on what Fishyfriend said. The parasite that causes ich is actually a part of every fish, and generally can only take over a fish when immune system is down. The most common thing that puts a fishes immune system down is stress. Which is why whitespot is commonly associated with stress. The setup is too small and there are not enough inhabitants for a happy discus colony, which is probably what stress them to the point of whitespot. Increase the temp of the tank and get a whitespot medication. I wouldn't use salt, unless you can find out for sure if it is safe.

 

[Jay-93]

+1 on what Fishyfriend said. The parasite that causes ich is actually a part of every fish, and generally can only take over a fish when immune system is down. The most common thing that puts a fishes immune system down is stress. Which is why whitespot is commonly associated with stress. The setup is too small and there are not enough inhabitants for a happy discus colony, which is probably what stress them to the point of whitespot. Increase the temp of the tank and get a whitespot medication. I wouldn't use salt, unless you can find out for sure if it is safe.

What should I increase the temperature to? 90?

 

[Fishy friend2]

I would just keep i the way it is as it is at 85 already. and are you going to fix there housing situation?

 

[Jay-93]

Plus, the 2 large Discus have spent the last month or so alone because they are a breeding pair, so the idea of them being stressed in low numbers makes no sense at all, considering they've just got white spot once I've added to the group..

I would just keep i the way it is as it is at 85 already. and are you going to fix there housing situation?

They have more than enough space in the tank. The guy I bought the pair from had them successfully breeding in a smaller capacity tank than mine. To the stress factor has nothing to do with WS in this case.

 

[Fishy friend2]

a pair of them is only okay temporary, as in the long run it can become stress full to the fish,

 

[Jay-93]

I don't understand what your point is there..

 

[Dieses Madchen]

It is fine to BREED discus fish in a small tank such as a 30g....permanant living is kind of mean.

 

[mark2109111]

I don't understand what your point is there..

Her point is that it is utterly cruel to keep a discus in a 30 gallon for their life. It may be fine for baby discus or a breeding pair for a few weeks but after that it is just cruel. Discus need a 55 gallon minimum to live happily. They need to be in schools of 6 or more unless they are a breeding pair. And a 30 gallon is only ok for a breeding pair for about 2 weeks otherwise it will stunt the discus growth. And for your argument that you herd of someone keeping them in a smaller tank, just because someone docent know the proper care docent mean you should take their advice. If i were you i would either buy a bigger tank or re-home them to someone who can give them the right living conditions. The white spot is probably a sign of stress. I would treat them with medicine because there is no other sure way to treat them. Dropping the ph into the low 5's to high 4's will also help and raise your temp to 88.

 

[snake007]

+1 ^

 

[Jay-93]

That's the problem with this place, too many do gooders rather than being helpful and just answering the question.

If you care so much about the wellbeing of fish, you'd have them put in their natural environment where they belong, instead of being imprisoned in your tanks.

If you want to give me advice about white spot then please do so, if you're going to just lecture me, you know where you can go. Cheers.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

They told you what to do, but you don't want to use meds. You got the best possible advice, as well as a preventative so your fish do not get sick again. Its not do gooding, its doing what right. At least now you have some education about the fish you keep.