New to discus

[70iselin]

Just inherited 3 discus, very large. I have an established tank and I put all 3 in there with a clown loach which is a good worker. They are shy but do come out when nobody is around but eating is difficult to see cause I am not around to watch. My question is one is not colorfull dark I should say the other one is brighter and other one is just another color but looks good. They all swim together my concern is the the darker one. I did put some general cure api in there just a precaution. I have a tank with other fish in it so I do have experience with other fish. Discus are new to me just trying to get some info. Thanks again if you can give some feedback

 

[AsShrimpleAsThat]

Fishfur the aquatic dictionary

 

[Fishfur]

Fishfur the aquatic

An aquatic dictionary? That’s a new one .

Just inherited 3 discus, very large. I have an established tank and I put all 3 in there with a clown loach which is a good worker. They are shy but do come out when nobody is around but eating is difficult to see cause I am not around to watch. My question is one is not colorfull dark I should say the other one is brighter and other one is just another color but looks good. They all swim together my concern is the the darker one. I did put some general cure api in there just a precaution. I have a tank with other fish in it so I do have experience with other fish. Discus are new to me just trying to get some info. Thanks again if you can give some feedback

What sort of feedback are you looking for? Darkening of body colour in discus is a sign of stress and if a fish turns black, that’s very severe stress.

 

[tinylostwine]

What temp do you have them at? What kind of water do you have (soft/hard/...); what size aquarium are they in? What do you feed them ?

It is hard to provide comments without more information other than turning dark is bad.

Also what is the full stocking? 3 discus and 1 clown loach?

 

[70iselin]

When I received them 1 was like that. 75 gallon and that is all the fish in the tank just those 3 discus and 1 clownloach temperatures 82. I feed them omega flake for discus and dried worms tiny bit cause I have not seen them eat yet. But they do swim around but when nobody is around. They were just hanging in the corner before. But they are exploring now but trying to get them to eat gets me concerned. Usually my other tank fish start eating right away when other fish are introduced

 

[tinylostwine]

I'd up the temp to 84-85 at least for a while; my wild caught discus find 82 marginal and if it gets a little lower they get really upset. Also they require extremely clean water so nitrate should always be near 0. If there is any uneaten food expect to do a couple of water changes a week and you ahve to make sure the new water is of similar temperature to the tank or drip it in so it doesn't lower the tank's temperature. I use a 40 gallon pail that i can pre-heat the water before putting it in.

Clown loach should be able to handle the water temp but generally speaking they are best in a group and shouldn't be kept solo but i don' think your aquarium is large enough for such.

 

[70iselin]

I have a vacuum that I use to clean the gravel which works great and keeps the water still in the tank and I change 25 percent once a week. The reason why I vacuum every couple days cause idk if they are eating. But on the safe side I clean

The clean loach is a great worker though non stop

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Clown loaches are very social and should be in groups. What do you mean by saying that he is a good worker?
I recomend that you switch to a higher quality food. and not a flake food. consider bug bites, ultra fresh jumbo sticks, Northfin bug pro. and repashy.

Also, if you can contact the person that you got them from, find out what they were being fed.

I used to have that thing were you vacuum without taking water out of the tank, Whith discuse I would still be making larger, 35% water changes 2 times a week at least. A python vacuum can make that easier for you.

Clown loaches get very large, you may see him eat leftover food, but it all comes out the other end and needs to be removed by you.

 

[cdr63corv]

Discus can be major drama queens. It may be that they are still adjusting. They do like their water changes. Maybe if you could post a picture of them. I've found they like to be in a larger group 5+, but be very careful introducing new fish. Quarantine is very critical for them. Good luck and congratulations on your new fish.

 

[70iselin]

Well they are eating today but one he stays with everybody but doesn’t eat. Here are pictures. I did at the general cure the other day tomorrow add more than a water change. He has been dark when I saw them a week ago so it’s been at least 2 weeks

 

[cdr63corv]

Sorry to say, I wouldn't expect the dark one to make it. Wish I had better news. You could try soaking some food in garlic guard, seems to help their appetite, would help the other two at least. Been my experience when they get that dark not much you can do

 

[86 ssinit]

Nice tank. But not for discus. The large gravel will hold waste and uneaten food. Yes vacuuming is good 25% weekly water change is not enough. Being you just got them they will need at least 2 50% water changes a week. But now I’d be changing 50% daily for at least 2-3 weeks just to get them healthy. Add a tbs of salt per 5 g now and rid ich plus. Leave the temp where it is for now. More than likely something bacterial on your black discus. The salt and rid ich should help that. Clean water will also help. I’m guessing the omega food is the flakes with garlic guard? Try feed hakari frozen bloodworm. Sera discus granules and ocean reef flakes are also good food. What did the original owner feed them?


As you change water try to remove the gravel.


Lots to learn about discus. These fish demand clean new water. Not just good filtration. Food temp are also important. Your clown loach may be alright. How big is it. They can handle the warm water but are aggressive at feeding time. Will out eat discus. Yes a clown loach can eat all the food added to the tank before the discus get to it. Especially stressed discus. Clown loaches can grow to 13+ inches and live for 25 yrs. So it’s with you for the long run. I’ve got 2 both about 8” and 10+ yrs old. We’re with the discus but we’re to aggressive with the group they were with. If yours is small you can add another. They grow slowly. 4-5” first year and an inch a year after.

 

[tinylostwine]

Definitely get that temp up to at least 84. If he is pitch black as in the picture he is extremely stress and likely to die int he next 48 hours without immediate action.

 

[70iselin]

He has been like that for a week before me and I had them for 5 days

Clownloach is small 2 inches. I did put api general cure in, directions say 48 hrs another dose which I am suppose today. Temp is up to 84. I did a couple water changes before the api general cure was added, next water change is in 48 hrs. As for food the person left them in the apartment so basically grab and go. They were not taken care of properly the last couple weeks. Hopefully we can get them back to health.

 

[86 ssinit]

For Beginner Discus Keepers | Discus Fish Forum

 

[70iselin]

Thanks for the info. Trying to nurse this one. Should I treat the whole tank or start a qt

 

[86 ssinit]

That’s a thread I wrote to give new keepers an idea of what discus need.
The reason I wanted the water temp left alone is what the black discus has may be bacterial and get worse in warmer water. 82 is a fine temp for discus. It’s not just stress that has turned it black. More than likely a cross contamination (cc). The salt and rid-ich will work on a cc. The general cure is good but not strong enough to cure anything else. Other things are worms or hex. Worms it could have came with and because of stress they’ve now grown out of hand. Praxis-pro can help with that. Next would be hex. That comes from long term dirty water. Metro would be the drug for hex. But each medication takes time. So it will take close to 2 months to go through the meds one at a time. No it to much to give all at once.

If you have a 20g I’d move it into that. Bare bottom and just some filter media from the 75 to jump start the 20. Much easier to do the water changes and if you plan to keep discus you’re going to need it. 40-50g better.

 

[70iselin]

I will pick up some rid ich. But quarantine might be a problem I don’t have equipment for all this going on. Should I do a water change with vacuum before the rid ich is started. I am going to start this process today with rid ich and salt. Will the cloanloach be ok with these chemicals if not I have a tank at home at I have but again don’t want to contaminate my other tank. Looks like the other 2 fish are ok for now. Again thanks for time and knowledge on this.

Oh tank down to 78. Heater went out only 3 weeks old. Another issue

 

[AsShrimpleAsThat]

Oh no! Sending prayers your way

 

[cdr63corv]

Heaters are always an issue it seems. I always try to keep an extra one on hand. Glad 86ssnit found your thread, he's helped me with mine, very knowledgeable. Best of luck

 

[70iselin]

Just got a heater from a lab to get through till tomorrow back up to 82
86 is doing great for me giving me hope, that is all I can hope for. I just don’t want to throw money at chemicals,medicine etc that I don’t need that I can use for other needs

Can I use the melafix I cannot find the other product you suggested with the salt, the ich is coming on Friday. I am going to do a 50 percent water change but before that I am vacuuming first. The general cure was started and finished yesterday on the 48 turn around. Fish is doing ok still haven’t seen the fish eat maybe picking off the gravel when nobody around. The others just started eating but still very skittish

 

[86 ssinit]

Melafix is some sort of oil or extract from plants. Pretty much garbage. Why people’s fish get better is the instructions to change water. Just the salt and water changes will help. But like I said earlier you should remove the gravel.
Sorry about time between answers. I’m away and service isn’t that good.

 

[70iselin]

All good. So far so good still alive but still haven’t seen him eat. Swims around with the pack. They are still skittish had them for week now

 

[Fishfur]

Just fyi, Melafix is based on tea tree oil. The commercially produced oil mostly comes from Malaleuca alternifolia.

Melafix is 99% distilled water with 1% oil. I have never considered it worth using. There is no proof I can find that shows it to be effective for anything that API says it can treat.

There are far better alternatives.

 

[70iselin]

Doing a water change and vacuum again received the ich guard will add that and add more salt. I did notice eating from the gravel. I will take out gravel in a couple days. I would like to have some, just for eye appearance but will keep it thin and small diameter. Also I would like to get some drift wood. Would that be good small piece? Thanks again will keep everyone in the updates

This morning all 3 were eating up a storm along with the clownloach. So far so good I did notice a little eye cloud ( maybe it was there but being staying by himself in the corner dark did not notice)on that one but swimming around great no hiding at all. Would that ich guard help with that along with the salt? Or should I do a couple days then switch up. Also what do you suggest for medicine? Thanks again

 

[86 ssinit]

Just because there’s no gravel doesn’t mean it won’t look pleasing!

 

[70iselin]

So far so good. Will take out the gravel