Discus breathing fast for weeks

[Vervo]

Hi,

My young discus has been breathing fast 2 breath per second. I have treated them with praziquantel last month or so, dozed after another, nth changed. I have Aqua One AQUIS700, there is only noodles and bio ball, no carbon. I do 90% water change per week for young discus.

now my adult discus are breathing fast than usual too..(for 4 days now I think) but never seen them scratch themselves to object. But I saw some young one did last night, so I hae treated the young one with praziquantel last night with lots aquarium salt.

They still seen breathing quite fast.

Is it gill fluke?

Or stress?? cos my tanks are in my room, I go to bed after midnight, but cover the tank with something blocking 80% of my table lamp light.

[Vervo]

P.S the Prazi I have I bought it last year, but it shouldn't be any bad right?

[Flosty]

Hi there, sorry to hear about your problems

Firstly young discus do breath faster than adults

But since your adults are suffering the same symptoms,I would suspect the water

Do you age your water overnight? Do you treat for chlorine and chloromines?

One 90% water change weekly for young discus is not enough

Try increasing this to 50% daily with aged tap water

Then see how they are doing, it could just be the fact that the discus are causing more waste now they are growing,

and 90% weekly is not enough to cope

Adults can get away with less but you want to do at least 2 times changes a week or more

If you have a microscope you could do a scraping from behind the gill cover from a live discus, definately not from the gills!

and then scope it, I would not treat for flukes unless I was 100% sure that was the problem

Though a recently deceased discus or a cull is perfect for this.

You haven't told us how many discus and what tank size?

So I am going to take a guess at too many pollutants in the water and step up the water changes

Then see what results you get

[Vervo]

the young ones are 1 years old, was 10, 2 died on saturday as I forgot to turn the filter valve back on after water change, then I had 90 % water change, than follow by 60% water change that night. average size around 5-6cm to tail.

110 L for young discus, 4 adults average 10cm, had them for more than 2 years in 140L tank. No adult discus has died.

I used buckets to change water, approx 8L per bucket with 1mL of aqua plus + discs buffer. I did put cycle in too.

adult tank has worse water quality due to didn't treat the driftwood (tested first few weeks at the flat with new drift wood), but there are not much shit, cos other fish ate it lol.

I am renting a room, so I don't think I can have aged tab water, I have stay at this flat since April, and only fish died of me accidentally overdoz of tea tree oil, and forgot to turn the valve back on.

If they have survive this long, I don't really think my method has any problem. and I do have about 5 years fish keeping experience. I just test the pH, its 6.6.

[Flosty]

You sound like you are doing well with your discus especially if you have managed to breed them?

Its unfortunate that you can not age your water, it does help but not crucial

If you had ever seen the muck and crap at the bottom of a hot water cylinder you would not use it on your fish

what is the filter system you are using and how long was it out to cause the 2 deaths?

So the cycle was to kick start the filter because of the filter being down?

I know the aqua plus is a dechlorinater but what is the discus buffer?

There really is no need to add anything bar a dechlorinater to the water

I know you have done al right with your method but I am just trying to save you some money

I still believe if you step up your water changes you will see results

Put a glass of water on the bench overnight and test ph straight from tap and then the next day and see if there is a difference

Maybe interesting to see

[Vervo]

My ex breed the fish, after I moved to my current place, I upgrade the old sponge filter to the Aqua one AQUIS 700 for the young ones bought in May I think, the adult was using Elite crysto flo 40, but I broke the cap, and could not find the part for months, so I've been using the filter that comes with the Blue Planet 140 (since mid April, it is alright, it has all filter medias.

I don't think I can look at the hot water cylinder, the discus buffer is for the pH for the water.

I changed water on Friday morning, 2 deaths happened on early Sunday Morning. I noticed the cloudy water on saturday night, and realised I forgot to turn the valve on, so I turn it back on the same night.

the cycle is to kick start yes, someone told me the bateria is good for sick fish.

the young discus did seen more vivid today, but ate less. maybe they are sad the ones we lost?

[F15hguy]

parameters??

sounds like ammonia damage to the gills to me

[Flosty]

parameters??

sounds like ammonia damage to the gills to me

Yeah almost definately the cause of the death of the 2 discus

But from the previous posts I think as I understand this has been an on going problem

There really is no need to add anything like discus buffer to your water

What is your ph out of the tap?

Water change is the key

We are keeping water,if the water is good,the fish will be happy

[F15hguy]

pH is not too much of an issue as long as it doesnt reach extremes.

sounds like the filter hasn't aged properly.

even water changes shouldn't be an issue unless nitrate it topping 30-40ppm

if ammonia is the cause keep up water changes and IME add some live bacteria, try TLC super pond treatement (the owner is gonna hate me for recomending it) but adding 50ml should remove all of your ammonia withing 12-24 hours

[Vervo]

I think I know what you are saying, cos my filter is still new to grow bateria, therefore its not converting ammonia properly.

I remember I test ammonia with this filter before (before water change), always 0 I think....

But I'll test the water when I get home.

I remember the pH from tab was around 7.4 or something.

and for the TLC thing for pond, wont it be too much? or it is okay? I never thought about buying pond stuffs to treat a tank.

[F15hguy]

if the bacteria don't have food they die, pretty low impact on tank.

I use it cause of the amount of tanks I run. and IMO its just a stronger form of the aquarium stuff (it also supposedly has a specific bacteria to combat string algae)

try a 120L tank, add 20 4cm goldfish, plus 50ml product and with testing every 3 hours never got an ammonia reading

[Vervo]

that sounds great I will get that. cheers, I'll keep updates next week. :happy2:

[Vervo]

but 2nd thought, if it is fluke, shall i keep the praiz treatment with that TLC thing?

most place i read says fish rubbing their gills cos it has fluke, but mine didnt gasping for air on the surface.

[Flosty]

If your tap ph is 7.4 and your tank ph is 6.6 and you do 90% water change?

I'd be a little concerned with that,that will definately be a good cause of stress for your discus

I'd also just do one thing at a time until you get the results

I wouldn't medicate on a whim if you are going to be adding a ammonia treatment I would wait to see the results from that first

[Vervo]

I put the buffer into the bucket not the tank... so the pH maintain stable.

I do water change is not for pH obviously, but for get rid of NO2, NO3, NH3, NH4.

[Flosty]

You don't need to change your ph, I would leave it at tap ph, that will be even more stable

And save you some $

[Vervo]

ok, I'll try that, cos the buffer is running out soon