Cloudy eyes

I've got myself two Discus fish. They both eat well and swim around the entire tank. I started to spot a cloudy white film on both of them eyes.

What is the best way to treat them?
My tank is 120liters planted tank 28 degrees, feeding the plants with Tetra pallets and liquid fertilizer and Co2 only on Saturdays. I've got 3X Neon Tetra 3 x Black Molly's 7 x Sunset Platys Banjo catfish Kuli loach Pakistani loach.

Do I need to remove them from the tank to treat them or is there medicine to treat them in a the tank with out killing my plants?

thank you

 

Hi I would wait for the discus experts to answer this question. I would now try and keep your water as clean as possible.

In the meen time if you can, set up another tank in the event you have to medicate. Out of interest, why c02 only on weekend? @Altum and @Marco will know how to help you.

 

Can you please fill out the disease questionnaire? It will really help the discus experts to help you better. Thanks.

Discus disease diagnosis sheet

 

Don't treat with any medication at all, cloudy eyes are a sign of bad water quality and nothing else. What you need to do now is water changes, and lots of them. I don't know what you're doing now, but start with 50% per day (unless you're doing that already). If that doesn't work, do more. Some Discus keepers do 100% daily. Make sure the new water is well aged, dechlorinated and heated. If you have test kits, test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. It is one of these 3 that is the problem, but it's deceptive: sometimes discus are unhappy with the water quality even when tests show very low levels. You might also want to increase the temperature to 29 or 30, but note that this won't be ideal for some of your other fish.

Short-term answer, lots of water changes until the eyes are clear again. In the long term, you will want to either increase the efficiency of your filtration or increase your routine water changes, or both. Either your filtration isn't effective enough, or your water changes are too small or not often enough, or your filter is struggling to cope with the addition of 2 new large fish. Even longer-term, you should probably get a bigger tank, about 400 litres, and move your 2 discus to it, along with the fish that can deal with 30 degrees, put your temp to 30 in that tank, and add at least 4 more discus. (Instigating MTS is one of my favourite hobbies).

 

A have a question related to the tank temps. Are the discus skitish? Tend to dash for cover if even slightly startled?

And what PsyXe said.

 

Hi guys thanks for all the answers. I'll answers the questions from the top.

I've started with a small CO2 system to see how it works. I make use of the small CO2 canister witch they use for bicycle tyre refills or gas guns. They don't last that long and you still need to open and close them manually. Saturdays is the only time that I can open them an hour after the lights go on. I'm waiting for Dory pets to get stock again on the pressure gage with a seliond then planning to get hold of one. Will then start to use CO2 everyday.

I stay in Alberton JHB south.
I've had a tropical aquarium for 25 years but have discus fish for the first time.
They are about +/- 5cm big I've got them for 2weeks but they eating well.
They are beter today then yesterday they have normal breathing the cloudy film is only on one eye on both of them not on both eyes like yesterday. The clamping down of the top fin is much less.
The tag on the tank where I bought them said its blue discus. It's a pet shop in Rossetenville
Tank is 120 liters 2xT5 lights 24watts 10000k and 4000k with 26watt blue light. Build in bio filter with cotton and lava rock, no air bubbles.
I use tetra liquid and pallet fertilizer. Co2 once a week.
I do 20% water change every 2 weeks, and feed Tetra pallets.
ive got 3 black Molly's 7 sunset Platys a Banjo catfish and a Pakistani and Kuli loach. 3 neon tetras. And a few baby fish
My tank temp raised to 30 degrees after the warm day today.

Im going to try the treatment from PsyXe. Maybe the tank condition where I bought them wasn't ideal and the stress to a new tank just triggered the cloudy eyes.

To Biggles question my discuses is in the font the whole time the only time they go hide away is when I clean the front glass with the magnetic cleaner.

I will keep the threat up to date with progress on my discus fish.

Thank you again.
Gerhard

 

Really glad to hear that they are looking better! You're going to have to make the extra water changes a permanent thing, just as an example I'd recommend 20% twice a week or 50% once a week. That's in the future once they're completely better. More for now, just make sure your new water is perfect! I don't want you to kill them with chlorine/pH shock/temperature shock while trying to follow my advice The thing is that discus can't tolerate nitrates, which most fish can.

 

Skittish Discus usually indicates that the water is too cool.

 

The water change is working! It looks if the cloudy eyes are gone. I will keep up with water change, on my last water change I lost 2 tetras but the discusses gasp a little but few hours later they where fine again. I will try to match water temp and ph beter next time.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

Hi. I am glad that things are getting better. Yes, as many have said in the above threads, try and age your water and heat it to about the same temp as the water in your tank. Also insure that ph is very close. I would add a hang on filter or another kind of filter to that tank.

How are you treating your water?