Date:         Mon, 10 Jun 1996 21:58:20 -0500
From: David Eaton 
Subject:      This Week's Trick of the Trade

Hi everybody,
I've been very busy lately and have also recently changed Internet Service Providers(please note the address changes below as well as my NEW web site). This week's Trick is a two part topic. It deals with Bacterial Overload in your water and its Signs and Symptoms. This is somewhat of a subjective topic in that there is really no practical way of testing your water(at home anyway) for bacterial overload. You thus must look for the following:
1. Cloudy water. Of the many things that can cloud your water, bacteria is the most common cause.
2. Foul smell. Also a given.
3. Overly skittish fish. Think of excessive bacteria when your originally peaceful fish suddenly are more anxious than usual. I find this a siqn more commonly seen with younger fish than older ones.
4. Darkened color of your Discus.
5. Drop in pH. A more than usual drop in pH may be due to bacterial overgrowth.
6. Scum on the glass and especially the AIRLINE. Look carefully for the scum. It is generally NOT present in a well cycled tank. One important thing I've observed in my breeder tanks is that if you have got scum on your airlines, your water is probably not suitable for spawning and raising fry(in any significant numbers).
Next week I'll talk about what to do about it.

Good luck!
Until next week,

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David Eaton
Southeastern Discus
jdeaton@dbtech.net
http://www.dbtech.net/discus
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