Ok so i have about 1"-3" discus in a 65gal tank. I have been doing 25-40 gal water changes everyday with a temp of 89f. Tonight about 2 hours after the water change the bigger ones are swimming around bumbling into everything or hovering towards the surface atarring at the top. Any thoughts?
Bumbling discus?
- Thread starter Chiisai
- Start date
Discus like hogher temps, seems lots keep their tank 90ish. Tanks been running for 6mo now. I just dont understand how with 25gal+ water changes via bucket brigade, cannister filter moving water and air powered sponge filter all of a sudden i am getting low air. I will cross my fongers and hope they make it through the noght. Also added 1tbsp of salt for good measure.
Had the discus for about 3 1/2 mo i think. Yes i use 24hr old tap water treated of course. Problem is now waters is kinda cloudy so its a catch 22... Stop water changing and hope for the best or (what i am doing now) doing 5 gal changes every 2-3hoirs till it clears up. Ugh... Damn hospital tank had to spring a leak at worse possible time
clownie
Well-Known Member
Depending on your pH, doing large WC's can trigger a small cycle, maybe that's the cloudy water now. Do you know the water parameters from where they came from? Try to match as close as you can pH,hardness,temp fromthe tank they came from and see if that could make a difference. How many do you have in the 65 gallon?
On the water temp issue, I've been told by local breeders that the young discus are actually best raised in 90-92F water with the adult size ones being okay between 82-86F, so that's probably not the problem. I've never had that issue with my discus and they've been at 92F for almost a year before I dropped the tank down to 86F now that they're all older.
MattArmstrong
Member
clownie said:
Clownie, I am curious about what you said here. Can you explain this a little more so I can wrap my head around it?
clownie
Well-Known Member
MattArmstrong
Member
That video is very well done.
I am still confused by what you meant by "trigger a small cycle." I see that a pH change can change the ratio of Ammonia to Ammonium, but I don't see how that relates to cycling. My understanding is that the bio cycle consumes both Ammonia and Ammonium. But, I have to admit that I haven't paid much attention and most resources just describe it as "Ammonia".
I am still confused by what you meant by "trigger a small cycle." I see that a pH change can change the ratio of Ammonia to Ammonium, but I don't see how that relates to cycling. My understanding is that the bio cycle consumes both Ammonia and Ammonium. But, I have to admit that I haven't paid much attention and most resources just describe it as "Ammonia".
My guess mark would be large water changes or PH swings remove or adversely affect the bio filter type bacteria that consume nitrogen and ammonia. Also based off that video if my ph swung from 7 to 8 ammonia present would be geometric. However youd think the vast amounts of ammonia free water would counteract that
reniculous1
New Member
Discus bumping into things like that could be gill flukes. Prazi pro is a very mild med and works very well. Also aquarium salt is your best friend.
reniculous1
New Member
Also 0ppm on everything is not good. You don't have a cycled tank. Not a good idea to cycle a tank with discus. Especially young ones. Until you get some good bactiria I would do a 50% water change a day. You can get some nite-out to super start it, it's good bacteria and it will seed your filter
reniculous1
New Member
Water change won't hurt them or kill your good bacteria. The bacteria grows on everything so doung water changes just refreshes the water and takes ammonia out. Just keep up on testing the tank. When it starts to cycle there will be an ammonia spike and it could kill the discus easily