one month old apisto fry rubbing

[Discus Man]

Well, I ended up pulling the agazzisi fry out of the tank just in case...
I had a spare ten gallon so in the went.

The fry will, on an irregular basis, rub their gill covers against the edge of a plant and otherwise look as they are trying to rid themselves of a parasite.

I did a 50% water change and treated with a formaldehyde but there is no
change.
The fry are not doing this often, nor are any showing any other symptom except two fry have not shown the same growth rate as the other 40 or so.

Does anyone have advice as to what I should look for next?
I am worried about medicating such small and young fry when I don't even know if I have a problem or not!

 

[farm41]

I have no medicating advice.

But, did you fill this 10g tank with the water from the tank they were hatched in? Could be a change in Ph or hardness causing some irritaion.

I don't believe in medicating unless I know exactly what is going on.

 

[Discus Man]

yes I did, I used 50% of the original tanks water plus 50% new, plus another 50% WC since.
I don't want to medicate until I know whats going on as well.

The one thing I wondered about was a pH change as the tank has a pH of 6.6 and the water was peat filtered and had a lower pH.

Other thing to mention is the parents are wild caught alenquer variety.

Now when I set up the tank I did use one cup of tap water. I thought it might be a good way to get the GH and KH up a little from the breeding tank. I conditioned it prior to adding. It was added hours prior to the fry as well.
Didn't seem to mess with pH at all but I guess it could have had other trace items... I live in rock hard water area of Ontario.

Any advice?

 

[aspen]

i believe i have mistaken rubbing from flukes, for rubbing from my water change water. try more regular smaller changes, and see if they stop rubbing. i believe that we share the same water, correct? (lake ontario water)

i also believe that even if the flukes have been eradicated, the fish will still rub, possibly from the healing little sores on their gills. i have used formalin (37% at 1 ml per 10 gal) on less than 1 month old discus fry, with no problem.

rick

 

[Discus Man]

I think you're right... last night only two rubbed in one hour.
I did a 10% WC so either its sores still healing or it was the water change itself that bothered them.

I will do 10% daily water changes for a while and see... thanks.