What Is This?

[amy1994]

Is this just a fungus?

 

[fluttermoth]

Do the lumps look solid, like cauliflower, or more soft and gloopy like pus?

 

[amy1994]

Do the lumps look solid, like cauliflower, or more soft and gloopy like pus?

Soft

 

[fluttermoth]

Could be hole in the head then, which will need antibiotics.

 

[ProjectMayhem]

Theres a fish attached to that bacteria.

 

[amy1994]

It now looks like this ..
my poor discus

looks more solid now...
i really need to know if this is hole in the head or a fungus
i have the treatment for fungus but not hole in the head, which i may have to order
also i have been carefully looking at the other discus, and none have any sign of this

 

[fluttermoth]

That's progressed too fast to be HITH, I think. Try the fungus med, or an anti bacterial.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Shouldn't you isolate this fish? At least until you find out what to medicate?

 

[fluttermoth]

Agreed; that is one very sick fishy...

 

[micko]

I take it your doing more than normal water changes?

 

[ProjectMayhem]

Well it's either a fluke or an infection, if it's gone really hard then I'm betting my money on an infection.

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't like the look of that swollen belly either, tbh

 

[amy1994]

It's not a swollen belly, it's just that it was facing upright at that point
To be honest i've been looking at different pics on the internet about hole in the head, and it doesn't look the same, but i just wanted to make sure
It is actually in need of a water change, i was going to do one tomorrow, and add the medication after, as i still can't add it yet..
I can't isolate the discus as the only spare tank i've got is a 30l which would be too small

 

[amy1994]

Just done some testing to see if this helps...

pH-8
nitrite-0.25
ammonia-0.2
nitrate-4

i need to lower the nitrates..
i have got some floating plants + java fern in there, but i was planning on adding more plants soon, i will add less food. Is there anything else i can do to help get this down?

 

[fluttermoth]

Stop worrying about the nirate and start worrying about the ammonia and nitrte; as neither of those are zero (which they should always be ain a properly maintaned, cycled tank) then you need to be doing some emergency water changes and looking at your filtration and maintenance to work out why they're not at zero.