New 252l tank - Discus Behaving Weird

[Shimbob]

The discus in the pictures do not have white spot (Ichthyophthirius). They do have excess mucous and the yellow one has fin rot (as mentioned by Lajos_Detari).

There is something in the water irritating the fish and that is causing the excess mucous and fin rot.

Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Fin rot can normally be treated with daily water changes and gravel cleans, cleaning the filter, and adding salt (1-2 heaped tablespoons of sodium chloride for every 20 litres of water). Keep salt in the tank for 2-4 weeks.

If there's no improvement after a few days of salt you will need either a liquid broad spectrum medication or anti-biotics.

Thank you. What percentage of water should I change?

 

[Shimbob]

I noticed tht one of your orange Discus has some black spots on it which is called as "black peppering".

Can you still return or exchange the fish?
To me, I will reject it if they give me this type of fish especially if you are paying for a high price.

Here are some info about black peppering:

Why Do My Discus Have Black Spots? – Black Peppering Spots Cure | Discus Rescue

Pigeon blood discus is known for black peppering spots, which is a normal skin coloration found on discus fish with a pigeon blood gene in them. These black peppering spots also could be taken from a disease or caused by stress. Hence, mostly the black peppering spots aid the discus fish for...

discusrescue.com

Not sure but I’m sure there is something I can do. I hate the idea of treating anything live, as something you can return but clearly there are some issues.
Is it possible that my tank has caused these problem?

 

[mark4785]

Hi there. I was tagged into this thread.

If your ammonia and nitrite are elevated the fish will not eat. At 0.1 ppm you will see them approach the food and turn away a bit like a person with stomach pain would react If offered food.

I recommend taking all of the fish out of the aquarium into a temporary holding aquarium with the same water properties (i.e. Temperature, dissolved minerals etc) and performing a 100% water change on the main aquarium, put the fish back when this is completed then follow this up with daily 80% water changes to ensure the readings do not go up again while feeding lightly. Feeding something like BCUK frozen blood worm is something they will eat steadfastly as soon as they feel better.

To ensure the ammonia/nitrite is utilised faster perhaps get some vallisneria spirallis plants or something similar that is easy to grow. If you go down this route, place such plants in bleached water or an anti-parasitic medication for 24 hours followed by washing the bleach off in clean tap water before using in the main tank.

Also be mindful that discus will become finicky in response to very odd things outside the tank such as if there are more people crowding the tank or something as simple as changing your shirt colour. I often approach my discus tank slowly and tap the glass which is a signal to them that it is me and not a threat.

 

[Colin_T]

Thank you. What percentage of water should I change?

75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
After that, do a 75% water change and gravel clean any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

Normal maintenance is a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.

Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[Shimbob]

75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
After that, do a 75% water change and gravel clean any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

Normal maintenance is a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.

Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Hi Colin. I was staring at them today and I noticed these bumps or holes in there heads. What is this? Any ideas?

 

[Shimbob]

75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
After that, do a 75% water change and gravel clean any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

Normal maintenance is a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.

Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Colin I think I found the problem. Gh and kh is off the charts, literally higher than the chart scales. Do I try chemicals to fix this?

 

[Shimbob]

Colin I think I found the problem. Gh and kh is off the charts, literally higher than the chart scales. Do I try chemicals to fix this?

Colin I think I found the problem. Gh and kh is off the charts, literally higher than the chart scales. Do I try chemicals to fix this?

I changed 75% today too

 

[Essjay]

What is the GH and KH of your tap water? If that also has a high GH, water changes won't lower it. You would need to mix RO water in to lower it.

What is the sand in your tank? If your tap water has low GH, it could be coming from the substrate,

 

[Shimbob]

What is the GH and KH of your tap water? If that also has a high GH, water changes won't lower it. You would need to mix RO water in to lower it.

What is the sand in your tank? If your tap water has low GH, it could be coming from the substrate,

I tested the tap water, my water is just really hard. It’s not the substrate. The readings were above 20 gh and kh..

 

[Essjay]

In that case, you will need to use RO water to get the GH down to a level needed by discus. I know little about discus except that they need soft acidic water and a temperature higher than most tropical fish so I will have to let someone else tell you the GH you need to aim for.

If the GH is 20, a half and half mixture will drop GH to 10 dH; one quarter tap with three quarters RO will give 5 dH. Though if it's above 20, those mixtures will obviously be higher as well.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi Colin. I was staring at them today and I noticed these bumps or holes in there heads. What is this? Any ideas?

Looks like the start of hole in the head disease. Clean water and a clean tank should help stop it. You can add a bit of salt to help as well. Use 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres. Keep the salt in there for 2 weeks.

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Colin I think I found the problem. Gh and kh is off the charts, literally higher than the chart scales. Do I try chemicals to fix this?

Chemicals don't get rid of GH. If you have hard water, you need to dilute it with soft water or use clean rain water, distilled water or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and KH.

 

[Shimbob]

Looks like the start of hole in the head disease. Clean water and a clean tank should help stop it. You can add a bit of salt to help as well. Use 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres. Keep the salt in there for 2 weeks.

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Chemicals don't get rid of GH. If you have hard water, you need to dilute it with soft water or use clean rain water, distilled water or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and KH.

Ok. Do you happen to know if DI water has the same effect as RO? There is a spotless water tank near my house and it seems to suggest that, that could be good?

 

[Shimbob]

Looks like the start of hole in the head disease. Clean water and a clean tank should help stop it. You can add a bit of salt to help as well. Use 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres. Keep the salt in there for 2 weeks.

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Chemicals don't get rid of GH. If you have hard water, you need to dilute it with soft water or use clean rain water, distilled water or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and KH.

Is Epsom salt ok?

 

[Shimbob]

In that case, you will need to use RO water to get the GH down to a level needed by discus. I know little about discus except that they need soft acidic water and a temperature higher than most tropical fish so I will have to let someone else tell you the GH you need to aim for.

If the GH is 20, a half and half mixture will drop GH to 10 dH; one quarter tap with three quarters RO will give 5 dH. Though if it's above 20, those mixtures will obviously be higher as well.

Thank you. Do you happen to know if DI water will have the same effect? There is a spotless water tank near me where I can fill up. Thank you

 

[Shimbob]

Thank you. Do you happen to know if DI water will have the same effect? There is a spotless water tank near me where I can fill up. Thank you

It’s called TDS water