Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. Which garlic product do you recommend. My wife has several types in the cupboard, but I don't want to put the wrong thing in my fish food. If you can provide a name brand or send a link, I'll give it a try.
37 Gallon Discus Tank Thread with Pics
- Thread starter FairfaxDiscus
- Start date
Here is one,
http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-garlic-xtreme.htm
I would not use anything in your cupboard.You can mash up fresh garlic and mix it in with the food you are feeding them.
Great thread by the way.
http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-garlic-xtreme.htm
I would not use anything in your cupboard.You can mash up fresh garlic and mix it in with the food you are feeding them.
Great thread by the way.
Update 12-6-09
First, Carnage
On Friday morning I was counting for my 7 rummy-nose tetras and could only find 6. I counted over and over and looked around the tank and could only find 6. I assumed one got sick, slow, or dead, and my cleaning crew got rid of him. I thought that until I was cleaning water from the floor after today's water change when on one of my drying swipes with a paper towel, I brought a dried-up carcass of a rummy-nose into view. Death comes often in the fish world, I'm not emotionally attached to the fish, but it still shocks me to see one dead. On the bright side, this fish's last act was quite spectacular because for it to jump out of the tank during my Thursday night cleaning it would have had to jump at least 3 inches out of the water to clear the lip of the Eclipse 3 hood. It probably jumped much higher if it didn't have the perfect angle and if the water level was down at all from the water change.
Food
I went to the LFS today to buy food and garlic. Thanks for the recommend Chevelle 67, my LFS had that exact product you recommeded and I bought it. I also picked up live black worms, and a cone feeder. You will see in the pics, they really liked the worms. I also did a mid day feeding with the garlic right on a cube of Mysis Shrimp. They typically like the mysis anyway so I didn't observe a noticeable interest in the garlic-dosed food, but I will keep using it religiously just in case and also to get it used up and out of my house; it stinks through the glass bottle!
Environment
You can see from the pics, the gravel has been eliminated. I also picked up FW aquarium salt while at the store and added the recommended amount. The only water parameter change since the Thurs water change was a slight uptick in the pH from 6.2 to 6.4 as a result of not adding the discus buffer. Also, I did a 50% water change today using tank temp water through python hose and dosing for entire tank volume with Prime. From now on, this is how I will do my water changes until I indicate otherwise. I hope to get 2 50% water changes in per week.
Discus Health
You can be the judge in comparing the pics, but I believe the discus are getting healthier. Their colors are a little better and they are thickening up (the blue diamond more than the turquoise). I expect this to be a long process to get them to a state where they are the stunning discus they can be, but I can stick with it as long as I see positive change. I've made so many changes in the last week that if they do start to turn around I won't know exactly what helped; very unscientific
!
Photography
I don't think the pictures are very good which may be largely user error; suggestions there are welcomed; I'm using a Canon Power Shot A590 on Auto mode with flash off.
First, Carnage
On Friday morning I was counting for my 7 rummy-nose tetras and could only find 6. I counted over and over and looked around the tank and could only find 6. I assumed one got sick, slow, or dead, and my cleaning crew got rid of him. I thought that until I was cleaning water from the floor after today's water change when on one of my drying swipes with a paper towel, I brought a dried-up carcass of a rummy-nose into view. Death comes often in the fish world, I'm not emotionally attached to the fish, but it still shocks me to see one dead. On the bright side, this fish's last act was quite spectacular because for it to jump out of the tank during my Thursday night cleaning it would have had to jump at least 3 inches out of the water to clear the lip of the Eclipse 3 hood. It probably jumped much higher if it didn't have the perfect angle and if the water level was down at all from the water change.
Food
I went to the LFS today to buy food and garlic. Thanks for the recommend Chevelle 67, my LFS had that exact product you recommeded and I bought it. I also picked up live black worms, and a cone feeder. You will see in the pics, they really liked the worms. I also did a mid day feeding with the garlic right on a cube of Mysis Shrimp. They typically like the mysis anyway so I didn't observe a noticeable interest in the garlic-dosed food, but I will keep using it religiously just in case and also to get it used up and out of my house; it stinks through the glass bottle!
Environment
You can see from the pics, the gravel has been eliminated. I also picked up FW aquarium salt while at the store and added the recommended amount. The only water parameter change since the Thurs water change was a slight uptick in the pH from 6.2 to 6.4 as a result of not adding the discus buffer. Also, I did a 50% water change today using tank temp water through python hose and dosing for entire tank volume with Prime. From now on, this is how I will do my water changes until I indicate otherwise. I hope to get 2 50% water changes in per week.
Discus Health
You can be the judge in comparing the pics, but I believe the discus are getting healthier. Their colors are a little better and they are thickening up (the blue diamond more than the turquoise). I expect this to be a long process to get them to a state where they are the stunning discus they can be, but I can stick with it as long as I see positive change. I've made so many changes in the last week that if they do start to turn around I won't know exactly what helped; very unscientific
! Photography
I don't think the pictures are very good which may be largely user error; suggestions there are welcomed; I'm using a Canon Power Shot A590 on Auto mode with flash off.
Last edited:
Awesome set-up and fish! Sorry to hear about your loss.
How much did it cost you to buy the black worms?
How much did it cost you to buy the black worms?
Thanks Chrisinator
The Blackworms were $2.99. They said it was enough to last a week. I think they gave me more than I could use in a week, so I was pleased with the cost/quanity, especially if the fish get fat on them.
The Blackworms were $2.99. They said it was enough to last a week. I think they gave me more than I could use in a week, so I was pleased with the cost/quanity, especially if the fish get fat on them.
FairFax;
I have the same tank as you (it uses size H filters right?) And like you i thought I could have Discus. The advice I got was basicly the same you did and it has me waiting till I have a much bigger (I have my eye on a 180gal) tank. Continuing in the face of such, was more than I was willing to do. I didn't go down quietly though I went kicking and screaming every step of the way. :huh:
I add dechlor (Prime) to the tank just before I refill with tank temp tap. I treat for the entire tank volume not just replacement water.
Before you add anything more to your water, CALL your water company and find out just what they do to your tap water. It's a law they have to give you this info when asked. You can even get a printout of the past week or two's history. When I called I found out I am on Well Water, and it's nice and soft so I don't need to add anything, it's already just right. Remember they have to give you this info. But it never hurts to be 'nice' to City Officials when you want them to do something.:clap:
Watch out running warm water through your Python. On mine the higher temp makes the connections soft and they have a bad habbit of comming apart!:jaw-dropping:
You can see from the pics, the gravel has been eliminated
Well, now that you've gotten away with that. Saying "it makes the tank easier to clean." You may as well rip up the grass in your back yard. It will make it easier to clean the doggie doo doo. And you won't have to mow it.(Good luck getting this one past your wife):frog:
Hang in there. Keep those pics coming I'm rooting for ya.
(work some on your personal gallery):goldfish:
67chevelle, you've got a killer gallery
:topic:
I have the same tank as you (it uses size H filters right?) And like you i thought I could have Discus. The advice I got was basicly the same you did and it has me waiting till I have a much bigger (I have my eye on a 180gal) tank. Continuing in the face of such, was more than I was willing to do. I didn't go down quietly though I went kicking and screaming every step of the way. :huh:
I add dechlor (Prime) to the tank just before I refill with tank temp tap. I treat for the entire tank volume not just replacement water.
Before you add anything more to your water, CALL your water company and find out just what they do to your tap water. It's a law they have to give you this info when asked. You can even get a printout of the past week or two's history. When I called I found out I am on Well Water, and it's nice and soft so I don't need to add anything, it's already just right. Remember they have to give you this info. But it never hurts to be 'nice' to City Officials when you want them to do something.:clap:
Watch out running warm water through your Python. On mine the higher temp makes the connections soft and they have a bad habbit of comming apart!:jaw-dropping:
You can see from the pics, the gravel has been eliminated
Well, now that you've gotten away with that. Saying "it makes the tank easier to clean." You may as well rip up the grass in your back yard. It will make it easier to clean the doggie doo doo. And you won't have to mow it.(Good luck getting this one past your wife):frog:
Hang in there. Keep those pics coming I'm rooting for ya.
(work some on your personal gallery):goldfish:
67chevelle, you've got a killer gallery
:topic:
Glad to hear you have been giving them live worms. Live foods really excite them, and that has to be good. Seeing plump bellies on them as often as possible is important.
As somebody mentioned, I found that it's easier to have healthy Discus by beginning with a group of babies raised together. There always seemed to be a runt "chosen" to shun when I tried adding a few Discus to an existing tank of them. It's been a while since I kept them, but maybe my 55 was a marginal size for the 5-6 I was keeping, and siblings could cope better...I don't know.
As I'm planning to get back into keeping Discus again soon, this is a good thread to jumpstart my memory-banks. I'll be watching your progress and wishing you the best of luck.
I can't remember the exact temp I used to keep, but sort-of recall shooting for the higher side of what most folks recommended then. I see you keep it at 85f. Would anyone here suggest bumping it up 1 or 2 degrees? What is the healthy upper limit for a discus tank?
(Btw, I'm also trying to get up-to-date on what filters folks are using now. I see you list a Marineland 3 light & filter. I'll haven't heard of them, will have to check on what it is. I used to use a Magnum 330 w/micron filter & reverse-flow UG. I also used a Python and found having gravel wasn't a problem with the frequent water changing/vacuuming.)
Glenn
As somebody mentioned, I found that it's easier to have healthy Discus by beginning with a group of babies raised together. There always seemed to be a runt "chosen" to shun when I tried adding a few Discus to an existing tank of them. It's been a while since I kept them, but maybe my 55 was a marginal size for the 5-6 I was keeping, and siblings could cope better...I don't know.
As I'm planning to get back into keeping Discus again soon, this is a good thread to jumpstart my memory-banks. I'll be watching your progress and wishing you the best of luck.
I can't remember the exact temp I used to keep, but sort-of recall shooting for the higher side of what most folks recommended then. I see you keep it at 85f. Would anyone here suggest bumping it up 1 or 2 degrees? What is the healthy upper limit for a discus tank?
(Btw, I'm also trying to get up-to-date on what filters folks are using now. I see you list a Marineland 3 light & filter. I'll haven't heard of them, will have to check on what it is. I used to use a Magnum 330 w/micron filter & reverse-flow UG. I also used a Python and found having gravel wasn't a problem with the frequent water changing/vacuuming.)
Glenn
they still look sick not much improvement yet that i can see(besides a bigger belly). also i recommend against feeding live foods as they seem to carry parasites and bacteria that can be harmful to your fish(but if they are eating they are eating and that is good)... also if i WERE to feed live foods to discus it would be exactly that live blackworms... and red cherry shrimp(but that would not be intentional)..
keep up the waterchanges and give a visual update every few days if possible
keep up the waterchanges and give a visual update every few days if possible
