Think I`m in Trouble!

[Nico]

My tank`s getting cloudy,and from what I`ve read on this site, I`m sure it`s a bacterial bloom.
This wouldn`t be a REAL WORRY but I went to the LFS with a water sample after a week of "cycling" the tank with some barbs and was told the water was ok to put more fragile fish in... even after I told them the situation!
I`m pretty sure there`s no ammonia yet, but I`m real worried `cause I KNOW it`s coming to kill my (expensive, fragile and very pretty!) fish!
The fish in question has been in for a week (Blue discus) and is just now getting over quite bad new tank fright, so I don`t want to move it again so soon, from the way it acted last time, I think it may just kill it outright, and taking it back to the LFS would be like telling the guy he`s clueless right to his face!
Is my poor fish doomed, or at best destined for terrible pain and injury?
Any help....
Cheers, Nick...

 

[Alien Anna]

From the little I know about discus I think you really have to take them back to the LFS because as you say, the ammonia spike is coming and I can practically guarantee that discus won't survive it.

I'm really angry with the LFS on your behalf (and on behalf of your poor fish). I'm not saying this because I advocate fishless cycling - if you had mollies or tetras I'd happily try to help, but with discus I just don't feel its possible

If not an LFS, would you know any knowledgeable fish keepers in your area that could babysit your fish? Moving them might not be the best but an uncycled tank would be a guaranteed disaster.

 

[floater]

bring the discus back!! Tell the guy he is clueless because quite frankly he is. Most LFS workers are fairly knowedgable but never go against your gut feeling or the basic rules of water quality just because the guy at the lfs said its ok. I have heard some of the most rediculis adcive given at some really great fish shops in town.

The discus needs very specific water condition s and the changes that are about to take place in your tank will really make it ill if not kill it. He needs a mature tank!

Good luck to you and the little guy let us know how it turns out

 

[Pufferpack]

If for some reason the lfs won't take the fish back you may be able to lessen the effects of the cycling by adding a product like "Bio-spira" or "Cycle" to the tank to increase the beneficial bacteria.

 

[Pufferpack]

Grrr....keeps double posting on me

 

[Nico]

LFS is being difficult, "there`s nothing to worry about, you don`t know what you`re talking about, blah blah blah." Guess they`ve freed up space and don`t want it taken up again by a non-profit venture? I really don`t want any thing more to do with them and my other dealer doesn`t want to take a fish from bad water.
Dunno `bout bio-spira or cycle, I can get Sera`s nitravec though. Claims to ready a tank for use in as little as24hrs. Is this the same sort of stuff?
Thanks for the help guys. It`s kinda stressfull dealing with this by myself (my girlfriend was already SICK of fish-talk before this dilemma!)

 

[Pufferpack]

Sounds like basically the same product.

 

[Nico]

Great, I`ll throw some in tomorrow and hope for the best...
Nice puffer fish, by the way. Are they the same as toad puffers? I see those all the time when I`m snorkelling.

 

[Pufferpack]

Same basic family, but the Toadfish is Marine (I think) and the Dwarf Puffers (outside pics) and South American (middle pic) puffers are FW.

 

[Alien Anna]

If your LFS are being obnoxious you could do a couple of things IMHO:
1. Stand in the middle of the shop with the discus in a bag and refuse to leave until they house it. However, the discus may not survive the stress.
2. Insist that they give you some matured filter floss from their filter - its probably a big, professional jobby so a bit of floss won't notice. If they try to sell you another product, say you'll take it (for free) as a goodwill gesture but I'm really not confident it will help.
3. If you are in UK, I suspect Tri-Mar might be able to help you with their refrigerated tank cycling product and some matured gravel and floss. Otherwise, there might be someone online who can help you, given that this is an emergency.

I really sympathise with your dilemma here - I think its awful that you've been conned in this way. However, I'd bet you will make a fantastic fish keeper with everything you're learning (by this baptism by fire).

 

[Nico]

Took the fish out today. New dealer says he`ll sell it for me. Don`t know if I`m ready for the discus yet after what I found out today.
Any how, Tank`s been emptied out and I`m doing a "fishless cycle".
Thinking about getting a solitary N.W. cichlid when it`s ready any suggestions?

 

[Alien Anna]

Took the fish out today. New dealer says he`ll sell it for me. Don`t know if I`m ready for the discus yet after what I found out today.
Any how, Tank`s been emptied out and I`m doing a "fishless cycle".
Thinking about getting a solitary N.W. cichlid when it`s ready any suggestions?

I'm sorry it had to end like this - rotten experience for you. However, you did the right thing.

I'm not very familiar with cichlids although I've ambitions to own some shelldwellers at some point in the near future (they'd fit into a 20 gal tank, you see). I don't know what an NW Cichlid is, but I do know that there are a few varieties that can live on their own, or as a mated pair. I don't believe most cichlids are particularly hard to look after, unlike the discus, provided they have the water they need (hard, alkaline for Africans, soft and acid for South Americans), but do post on the Cichlid sections to ask advice of our experts.

 

[Pufferpack]

NW (New World) Cichlids seem to generally be larger than their African cousins but there are some nice Dwarf species as well. Look for Rams to start with, the Bolivian Rams are fairly hardy and a good beginner fish IMO.

 

[Gunnie]

Nico,
I am a newbie also, but what I've read at other forums I frequent, discus are very delicate, and you should be commended for keeping the fish alive for as long as you did! I have only been keeping fish since January, and have made a lot of mistakes in the water quality department. I am currently starting over a 100 gal. cichlid tank because I messed the water up so badly I had to drain the tank. I would love to have discus, but until I have mastered water quality, I will stick with what I've got! Anyway, my saving grace has been bio spira. I am now using it for the 3rd time with excellent results. It is "da bomb"! It is currently the ONLY product which has the live bacteria needed for a cycled tank. When you add the bio spira, you immediately add a full load of fish. Your tank is in theory "cycled". I have read that some people have a slight ammonia spike within a couple of days, but I have never had that happen. I added the bio spira & fish on Thursday, and have had 0 ammonia, & 0 nitrites since then, and my current nitrate reading is about 20. I highly recommend it for anyone with an emergency situation. I have also read that the "New and Improved" Cycle (not the original Cycle) is also promising, but not an instant cycle. If you are interested in learning more about bio spira and how it compares to the New and Improved Cycle, check out these links.

bio spira experiment

Bio Spira/New Cycle Test results

Bio Spira must also be refrigerated until used, and has a 6 month shelf life, so it is harder to find. If you can't find it locally, I have ordered it at FISH STORE with excellent results (he ships worldwide).

You may have better luck finding the New and Improved Cycle at your LFS.

NOTE: I do not sell either product or profit in any way on selling this stuff. So many products have been introduced that have made the claim of cycling your tank, and I know from my experience that the bio spira has proven to stand up to this claim.

 

[Nico]

Thanks for the tips mate, Read all the posts on Bio-Spira via your link. Looks like `Spira`s the go. I`m still a little edgey on putting fish into an uncycled tank though. Think I`ll go fishless , then add live bacteria as well when the tank is ready just to be safe. No more poisoning fish for me!!!
My LFS has told he has tried cycle and bio-spira, but he says the BEST product is "amtirite down". Claims to have 300 million live nitro-somonas & nitrobacter per teaspoon.
I`m a little dubious on LFS advice (BAD experience) but this guy seems really clued in and helpfull. As I`ve not used the stuff myself, I won`t recomend it, but this guy seems convinced. Have you heard of this gear? Anyone used it?
It`s only $10 (AUD which makes it about $6 in USD) For 40ml. (Enough to dose a hundred gallons) seems cheaper than BioSpira but I guess it`s worth three parts of nothing if it doesn`t work!