Beware!! Don't get burned!!???

[susantroy1]

Hey all,

Just to let you know that yesterday while doing my WC I noticed that after I had completed my chores for the day and while sitting and admiring these beautiful creatures...I noticed what seemed to be a couple of frayed dorsil fins on my two best and biggest discus:confused: as I looked closer my first thought was
Tail Rot!!!! :scared: I decided not to do anything other than wait and see what today would bring:confused: When I checked them this morn the frayed was gone... but the fin was missing its frayed portion.... I racked my brain trying to figure out what the @#$!*% this was.... I realized that 3 days ago when I last did their WC I took a drift wood replica out of the tank that they used to hide while I did my business in the tank. Well the only thing I could think of was that my to largest discus hid back behind the plant mass and somehow got thier dorsal fins laid up against the heater while I cleaned thier tank... My heater is 300 watts and is positioned Horizontally about 5 " off the substrate. attached to the back wall. Could it be that this is what happened? they don't seem to have any other ill effects and the fin growth is already seeing improvement.... This hobby always teaches me something everyday:fish: here is a couple of pics... Hope this shows well: 1st pic shows before and the second 2 are from today... Has this ever happened to any of you all?? Thanks for sharing. P.S. I'm moving my heater:mad:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd310/susantroy1/signaturelinepics010-1.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd310/susantroy1/signaturelinepics022.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd310/susantroy1/signaturelinepics021.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd310/susantroy1/signaturelinepics018.jpg

[brewmaster15]

Hi ,
Usually when a discus gets heater burned its on the body as the body is the part that leans up against something..and protrudes most..

I'm really sorry but What you have there really does look like fin rot:( and those last two pics it still looks like its there... what often happens is the tissue that is outer most is also the most frail and gets eaten away quickly...the closer to the body the rays...the more bony they become and the slower the infection can go..

I'd really watch these guys close... can you move them to a hospitol tank if needed?

-al

[Graham]

I agree with Al here...it's really very hard to get burnt from laying up against a heater. Fish are not stupid and if something is hurting them and they can get away from it, they will.

Generally when fish get brunt from a heater it's because they got caught behind it and couldn't get away. I'm not eve sure that what your seeing is F&T rot, as there is no inflammation.

Any PITA's in the tank

G

remember that you can boil water in a paper bag over an open fire..................

[susantroy1]

Ok guys... now I'm getting worried:confused: I don't currently have a tank set up for emergencies but I'll do what ever it takes to help these guys. I have or at least I thought that I had stable good water conditions.... I could take other H20 tests and will do so tonight after my kids/grandkids go home. I have to say that I have no idea what tail rot looks like but as Graham suggested, the areas are not at all inflamed and truly looks better today than after yesterdays WC. I change my H20 every 3rd day 50-60% (standard tap) with substrate cleaning in a 55 Gal. I EI dose according to Tom Barr's recommendations.... along with with SeaChem excell/flourish/iron. My other tank mates are my cleanup crew which are CAE/Bristle nose/a few ghost shrimp. My other 4 are showing no signs of any deformities of any kind, and all seem to be acting and feeding as usual. I wonder if it could have been something from the last WC?? And if it is Tail Rot... why only on 2 out of the 6? and in the exact location on both?? (I'm thinking head down dorsal up behind heater for 15 -20 min?? ok so now I'm hoping....)

Al, I read your post concerning corrective measures you took on a severely scared Discus from tail rot. Good stuff man. thanks for the response and look forward to hearing from all those that have insight.

Graham, what does PITA mean? I know my kids can be that sometimes....

Thanks again Troy

[susantroy1]

I just did a 30 % WC tonight and all seems well, If this is tail/fin rot I've read that fish that stress seem suseptible to this along with poorer H20 conditions. I feed 6-8 times through out the day But am very carefull as to the BH and all most none ever gets to the bottom but I do Clean the substrate every 3rd day. I'll continue with the 3rd day substrate cleaning and also up my WC to 30% daily and monitor the situation. my h20 readings are nitrate: 20 Nitrite:0 Alkalinity:180 PH:7.4
GH:12(214) Thanks for any insight...


Troy

[brewmaster15]

Hi Troy,


I think Graham's "PITA " are "pain in the A.." fish that might be fin nippers... Correct me if I a wrong Graham.:) Look for inter discus or other species aggression.. also on one of the pics it looks like the tail is a little chewed up..that too can be explained by fin nipping.. the problem is infections can set in when this happens...and that may explain why only 2 fish have it... Its hard to tell. This may not be fin rot.... "Fin Rot" isn't caused by any one bacteria..its caused by many kinds, most are opportunistic and the best way to deal with them is to keep the water clean and the fish happy and healthy..


One thing I can suggest to you is to not panic or worry at this point.. Discus are far from the weak and fragile creatures they have a rep for if they are healthy and aside from the issue at hand ...yours look very healthy.
If the tissue is healing well, you should see rays already starting to grow...At this point I would just watch them and watch the interaction of the other fish with them...keep the water pristine and take it from there..

-al

[susantroy1]

Thanks for getting back with me Al, I swear I did'nt sleep a wink last night:( My lights don't come on til 11 am so I left without checking them this AM. I'm at lunch now and they truely look better than last night. (regrowth that you mentioned is there) I've been going around town today and pricing tanks for my 2nd tank....really wanted to wait until Momma said I can buy my 200+ display tank and use this 55 for a BB growout for future Discus... Now that I think about it I do remember noticing reduced flow from my Fluval 305 canister and when I did clean it the polishing pads where very loaded.... Lesson learned about keeping filters in check right along with WCs. I'm doing 30% daily H20 changes from now on and once a week replace both filters polishing pads....I also am at a snails pace for feeding I will wait until all food is eaten and none reaches the bottom before adding a nip more. My first instinct was to medicate but I wanted to hear from you guys first... I did some reading and it seems so long as I stay on top of good conditions and see progress than I may not have too. This sound right?? Hope so. anyway, Thanks you really put my mind to ease with your last post Al:) I'll Keep in touch if this goes the other direction.

Thanks, Troy