NEED HELP!!

stephcps

stephcps

AC Members
Jun 2, 2009
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So, A couple of weeks ago I bought 6 juvie discus. They all looked healthy and were eating great. They were in a 55 QT/grow out. Without thinking I cross contaminated with a net into my 150 show tank with my 4 adult discus. After about a week all of the adults were dark and sloughing their slime coats. One had a pretty nasty skin lesion, and they all had white spots on fins. They would not eat either. So, due to tank space, I ended up putting all discus together in the 55. I gave all the adults a salt dip prior to moving them in. I treated for 7 days with furan 2. After 4 days they were all looking really good and swimming around and appetites had returned. So, After a big water change I moved them back to the main tank on Sunday.
Now, I have harlequin rasboras.espeii rasboras, diamond tetras, sterbai cories and BN plecos in the main tank NOBODY has had any issue this whole time except the discus.
Today, 2 of the adult discus have white spots on their fins and one has them around the gills. It looks the same as before, which I took for columnaris.

I really don't know what to do. My plan right now is to do a big water change tomorrow and try sulfas to treat. I plan to go 10 days this time.
I feel I will have to treat my main tank.

Does anyone have other suggestions? I am really perplexed that NO fish other than the discus have had an issue. (Not that I'm complaining!!! Just don't get it)

Steph
 
I'm sorry I don't keep discus, But I'll PM The Zigman, he is pretty much an expert with discus....
 
I wish I could help, but my experience with disease is limited. If it is columnaris, my understanding is it can be very difficult to eradicate. If it were me, I would treat the main tank and all of the inhabitants. While you think it came from cross contaminating with a net, it could be any one of your fish are a carrier. Hopefully one of the people with more experience with disease will come along.
 
Are the juvies sick too? or just the adults?
What are all the water params, including the water temperature?

Are you SURE its not Ich?

Colunnaris is a bacterial infection. If your water temperature is lower than say 85F I would say to slowly turn it up to about 85-88, provded the discus tankmates are capable of accepting those temps, being in a discus tank, they should be. Adult discus should be at 84 anyway, juvies about 88F...

You could add salt, and treat with Maracyn Two (gram Negative type). My experience with treating diseases has been better by using treated foods, rather than treating the water but bacteria will remain in the water.

Of course if you are medicating the water, be sure to remove any carbon from your filters...
 
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The juvies seem to be fine. It is just the adults. My temp is at 82. That is where it has always been. I always thought warmer temps made bacteria worse. I have tried medicated food in the past and they won't eat it.
I've had these fish for a year. I have a pair in the group. Everytime the spawn the whole group gets sick!! I am not exaggerating...it is ridiculous.
 
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