CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

One of my adult discus has white points in each of its eyes. Each point is about two millimeters across and about two millimeters away from the center of the eye. The fish seems to be having a bit of a problem eating the bits and is a bit too shy.
There are 14 other discus in the tank and the tank appears to have something like a planaria/lynaria/little white worm infestation(posted yesterday on general freshwater forum).
What is it and what should I do?

Hi shekes

Welcome to the forums.

The worms, ie planaria, etc, usually arise in an aqurium due to poor sub straight cleanings. If they are white in colour, they are harmless, but are a sign you need to clean your gravel more.
In regards to the discus, I am not sure. If possible a picture might be of some help, it you got lucky enough to get it from the right angle. However I think it all might be tied to tank maintence.

What size tank do you have, types of filters, how offten do you change water, and could you post your water quality tests.

What size tank do you have and does your filter work properly? Also have you had your water tested in a while? Please let me know. Thank you.

Thank you.

My the situation is the following:

The 15 discus (most juvenile), coming from 4 different sources have been crammed into a 180l (48 gallon) tank for 16 days. (Only two of them were originally mine and one of them has the eyes problem now). The tank wasn’t properly cycled and the water conditions are obviously inadequate. Water temperature is stable at 84. pH <6. Tap water is around 8, not sure how it drops that fast. I feed around 4 teaspoons of Tetra ColorBits per day and, as far as I can see, all gets eaten. (They grow very fast).
After I clean the gravel in the tank with the discus, in the buckets with the siphoned out water I can see millions of thread like, really thin, one-inch-long white worms. They sort of try to swim in there, zigzaging in one place very inefficiently, not getting anywhere. I cannot see them in the tank. I don't know how long I've had them for. A friend noticed them when helping me with the buckets. All but one discus seem to be fine, eat like hell. Since I discovered the worms for the first time some 2 weeks ago I have been cleaning the gravel weekly, changing some 40% of the water in the process. The worms are still there and it appears that their amount isn't even diminishing. They don't seem like planaria. Perhaps lynaria? I will photograph the worms tonight. Is there a website with pics of lynaria etc?

I don't mind the worms. Even if not exactly pets they don't swim around in the tank, and, perhaps help with the processing of leftovers and feces. In that case I don't really see a point in getting rid of them.

However, I am afraid they could be parasites.

(I have 9 more tanks ranging from 10 to 100 gallons, most temporary, others not yet cycled, with over 100 fish, ranging from 1” to 15” in length, from fish as common as neons and Oscars to fish not yet classified. Most are South American and African cichlids. Some tanks have worse water conditions but no other tank has worms in it. Three more tanks with over 100 more fish are arriving within the next few days. All but the discus is working out. )

I can move the discus tonight in either a 65 gallon (not fully cycled) or fill a 100 gallon tank.
Putting them in a 65 (and distributing them over several tanks in about two weeks) would make my life a lot easier. The problem is that the 65 gallon is exposed to a lot of sunlight. I mean a lot.

I urgently need to know if discus tolerate a lot of sunlight.

Will the worms/desease follow the discus to the other tank?

Apart from improving water conditions what else can I do?

Do I treat the fish, and, if so, do I treat them in the same tank, transfer them/her, isolate the sick fish?

What in generic terms do I treat them with? US brands aren’t available here.

When dismantling the discus tank, do I need to sterilize everything?


Thank you very much.

Are you TRYING to be a breeder?? I am wondering on YOUR experiences here, as you seem to be lost and you have a lot of fish and more coming. Amazing..

On the fish and sunlight..NO. I would not let the tank sit in the sun. NOT only wil you have a Algae bloom to deal with the temp wil get to high. IS this a window? Place a dark material on it if not foil to block out the SUN, not so much the light. IF you are out side, make some kind of screen or kiss the fish good by..

To get rid of the worms, get rid of the gravel.
You can just take out the gravel when you move the fish and leave it in the sun to "dry" that will kill out the worms..
On the worms..Where did the gravel come from? Was it NEW or did you get it from another tank?? IF this is "new gravel" then the fish are infected, if you got it from another tank, then they were already in the gravel..Treat the fish AND lose the gravel. DON'T TAKE CHANCES..Problem solved..
ANY parasite med in your area should work...

Discus need the pH you have in the tank now..Interesting that it drops that much. YOUR KH/GH must be real low. DO you ever check your water paramiters?? Discus need really clean water..I know some that have to change the water every 3 days, and they dont' have as many as you do..THAT may help you on the cloudy eye deal..IF one has it, the rest wil follow..

Now on the cloudy eye. Leave in the tank or take out but treat with MelaFix for 7 days, maybe longer if you do it soon..Lots of water changes WILL help here on the others. MelaFix you can get where you are at. I would treat the whole tank....One has it they all are going to get it..Bad water quailty here gives cloudy eye..

Somthing you may want to concider, THE FILTER BOX/CANISTER YOU have on the tank may be breeding the worms..I am assuming it is the box kind.. Clean it...

I would break up your Dicus to two different tanks and monitor them that way for further problems. I would also not use any gravel to see if the worms moved with the fish for a good week. IF they do, then you know they are infested and you can treat them..Why did you place all from different places in one tank?? Always seperate them for 30 days so you know who to buy from in the future when you get some healthy/diseased fish in.

On cleaning the tank they are in now. YES. you need to remove the gravel and let it air dry in the sun..The tank too..This will kill all the worms..

From now on you should really try to cycle your water properly. Now I dont know about the little thin worm things. Well what is the tempature in the tank? How long are the other discus going to be in there. If you could email me @ hellokitty093@yahoo.com. Well please do. Also dont hesitate. Im am always on. Thank you.

Thanks for your help!

I isolated the sick fish, moved the other 14 to a different (temporary) tank, emptied the tank and sterilized everything. I treat the sick fish with "tripaflavina" but somehow I don't believe that's enough. Still looking for proper generic name chemical...

To answer your questions:

Barb Okla “Are you TRYING to be a breeder??”

- Not at all. I just rented a place without a view and the fish are supposed to make up for it.

Barb Okla DO you ever check your water paramiters??

- Please check my previous post, it is all there.

Barb Okla Where did the gravel come from?

- It has been in the tank with the two of my first discus for over a year before I bought them and 9 month thereafter. The gravel could not have been a problem.

Barb Okla Why did you place all from different places in one tank??

- because I didn't have a choice. I am buying tanks with fish online and have logistical problems, like choice of tankmates, water changes and overstocking. Today I got a few new cichlids. One of them, batrochops - Crenicichla semifasciata, swam up to my oscar and bit its right pectoral fin off in one instant! Both fish are approximately 12" but the oscar is bigger. I am posting this separetely. This is a very interesting pike, seems to be very intelligent. There are smaller simpilums in the tank but he does not touch them

jewelfish01 Well what is the tempature in the tank?

- it was 84F, also my previous post.
Thanks again.

After having medicated the discus with all possible stuff, I found out that his eye-problem was pH related after all. He is back with the crowd.

Another discus died though; probably starved competing for food with others. And one of my Juruparis also died from bites to his eye, side and anal area. I believe the angelfish did it.

Two tanks are arriving next week. I hope that that will put an end to this.
Thank you everybody for your help.

I invite everybody to view my pics of my rare new pike cichlid. To see them - click here and then on each pic to enlarge.