Discus help!

[lohachata]

weedkiller....why can't you use melafix for the gourami ?

[weedkiller]

summin to with labyrinth fish, its summin i read after treating with melafix, so i have already (hasnt helped with its condition)
its in quite a few places about melafix and labyrinth fish so i guess there may be something in it,

[graceful.04]

I just moved my fish and right now my discus are in a 20 gallon. I have a 29 gallon that I was going to put them in but I didn't have the time to unpack it as my fish were in bags for hours and a 20 gallon tank was easier. They are actually doing better now despite the move. I think it's because the water here is much softer. The tank was just set up but I kept the filter and the old gravel covered in water and used them for the tank so it's newish. Right now, I'm still in the process of setting up so there are a few cories and two rams in the tank too for now.

[weedkiller]

good luck

[C. King]

good luck, graceful! Moving with fish tanks is not easy! But, when the challenge is done, the enjoyment of the tank makes it all worthwhile...

[Vayurules]

Well, at least they are feeling better, and they wont grow to adult size over night, so the 20 gallon should be fine. Good luck Graceful!

[lohachata]

i have found that with many species it is better to keep them in a smaller tank when they are young..it keeps them in closer proximity to the food...more water changes are needed ; but the growth rate will be faster.. I.E....a spawn of angels..eggs hatched in a 10 gallon tank and kept there for 2-3 weeks...daily 30% water changes...then directly into a 29 for a couple of weeks....then into a 55 or 75 for the next 4-6 weeks....40% water changes twice a week...more often if possible...temps at 82 F......feed 4-5 times daily...

weedkiller...melafix is contains an oil as you know...some people keep bettas in containers without aeration or filtration..consequently no surface movement...the oil floats on the surface and can cause problems with the labyrinth organ...if you provide surface agitation it breaks up the oil and gets it circulating throughout the tank...
any time i treat a tank with any kind of med i like to increase surface agitation...
some people actually believe that if there is any surface movement labyrinth fish will drown because they won't be able to breathe....that is soooooo not true..

[weedkiller]

not sure how it all works to be honest, only going by recomendations from those who are probably more experianced than me, bear in mind ive had a 20 year break from keeping fish and im relying on google to refesh what braincells i have left lol, i am still trying to save the life of my gourami but if sh!t happens then so biet, i am the sort that a life is a life regardless and if i can make a difference i will regardless of race creed and colour, ive got air from an airstone to agitate the surface blowing from the ouput of the filter to get the air flowing as best i can, makes the bubbles nice an small and spread into the water as best i can, seeing as the airstone and filter are totally seperate its the best i can do under the circumstances,

[Vayurules]

Good luck weedkiller! If the pump can handle it, split the airline with a gang valve or a tee and add more airstones if more surface agitation is needed.

[snyderguy]

Softer water doesn't really have much to do with discus so I'd be surprised if they "feel better". Discus don't have to be kept in soft water.

[weedkiller]

the airstone isnt putting air through the impeller, its stuck to the front of the filter by a sucker and the air lifts into the output stream from the filter.... was on the J.D last night, should have explained better

[lohachata]

you have good surface agitation weedkiller , so using melafix shouldn't pose any problems...if it isn't helping to heal the fish there is most likely something else wrong...

[weedkiller]

i know, thats the big question... its lost colour, it sits at the top of the tank, the other gourami pushes it about a little, no spots, ive studied various sites with pics trying to sus whats going on but have concluded nothing, except going and buying every med out there where do i start lol,

[graceful.04]

Well I really don't know... I'm away from them right now so I can't give any current updates but after relocating them they were happier. Maybe it's the bigger tank? Do they get extremely stressed when they don't have enough room?

[snyderguy]

There's multiple different things that could be going on. My guess is that you didn't completely heal the other one and the disease spread to the others, or someone is picking on them. What could also have happened is that where you got them from had totally different water parameters and you didn't acclimate properly. As a precaution, I ALWAYS drip acclimate for a good 30 minutes.