2 Discus Not Eating & are Sluggish also

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sushiray

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Jan 14, 2009
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Sorry to hear of Swick's loss. Sounds like I may have similar ills but no other symptoms.

72gal BF 15 juvie discus (who btw are not sparring or chasing other around as much as last week!)

API master test kit

pH=6.6 (consistent since 7/15)

AM/NI=0 (last wk AM was .125)

NA=.25 (since 9/9 when it was last zero, between the 2 color scales)

temps = 85

80% w/c yesterday

So I have one that is so skinny cuz he's been on a hunger strike for a week now. Sluggish stays in corners also. If I place my hand there it will swim to other side. I'm afraid it will be near it's demise.

The other swims around albeit also sluggish but has been pecking at driftwood & sometimes sponge filter but lets the flakes go by & has ignored frozen brine & bloodworms. It does swim to the top like it was going to eat but fakes me out.

No physical signs of stress/disease/Ich/tail rot at all. No white pooping/actually I haven't caught either pooping.

I thought finally I reached a level of equilibrium after my bouts with Ich & I think I had a parasite in there along with fungus on my plecos & tail rot on my one angel & my albino corys. But there are only discus in the tank for now about 3wks.

So, hope someone has a clue or suggest what I can do - no meds yet right?

thx all.
 

sarafish

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Oct 3, 2008
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The only thing i can suggest is lots of tank cleans cuz they love that, and temp nice and warm, juvi dscus immune systems copes alot better when its at 32c.
 

sushiray

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thks
 

sushiray

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now one of the 2 looks like a bone fish! so skinny & thin. I fear the worst. hovers in the corner ignores feedings. I noticed white poop so I gather a parasite.

at least the other one pecks at the driftwood & sponge filter but still not eating my flakes or my frozen foods.

now I have a pleco in my angels tank going belly up floating at the surface upside down or when sticks to the glass starts sliding up! belly is a little bloated & white poop so I suspect another parasite (not sure how this time cuz angels are quite healthy).

trouble in paradise...
 

ponderingky

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With discus, the main problem I had was bloat and heximita. I used metronidazole for the hex. It is called Flagyl (its an antibiotic) in human form. If you can, get your doc to write you a prescription for Flagyl/metronidazole, get a pill grinder, grind it up into a fine powder and treat the tank. It is supposed to be 250 mg per 10 gallons (although I would use 400 mg per 10 gallons if it was bad). It is generic now and cheap. Suggested treatment time varies - I usually went at least 5 days, sometimes longer. If you are keeping discus I would always have some on hand. Bloat I treated w/epsom salt, 1 tbs per 10 gallons. It sounds like yours have hex and may be too far gone to save. When they get really thin they are just about gone - they have no reserves left to fight.
 

pinkertd

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Discus that are displaying that kind of thinness have gone without food for a very long time. They can go weeks and weeks and weeks and at this point, I'm sorry to say it's highly unlikely to be able to get him to eat. Hex is a definitely likely suspect.
 

Dale11

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Sep 17, 2009
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They defintely have an internal parasite.Like an earlier post said use metronidazole.Pet-smart has it ,but I do not remember the name of the product.It comes in a blue and white box.Drs.Foster & Smith sells straight metronidazole.I have used this product for years on discus and it always clear the problem.
 

sushiray

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thx all, the one is probably a goner as you say, the other only picks at driftwood, this may me next right? so I presume my other discus are at risk? I used jungle clear with has the combo meds in it. should I just remove the bone fish discus now?
 

sushiray

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update, been in n out looking for job & errands.

so I was able to set up a QT by using a food service 1.5 gal clear plastic square container, partially submerged it into the tank to use same water & have same temp control.

the one I QT used prazi worked in that it let loose some big oval clumps of white watchmacallits! they weren't moving so it's just poop maybe not the parasite itself? it became so sluggish like the life was sucked out of it - real bone fish looking & sluggish & head up at surface. sad to say - I took the step to "cull" & relieve it out of its misery. it was difficult - my 1st discus loss.

now I have another (I think it's stunted) which I saw have white poop so I QT & prazi. but just checked this morning to feed & saw poop that wasn't white, more tannish, when I scooped it out & wiped on paper towel, it was dark consistency. so is that a good sign & I can release back into the tank?

& maybe take another one not eating & QT-prazi?. it's not eating also but not at bone fish stage. it attempts to eat every so rare moment & even shows "attack" form towards food but then retreats. haven't QT it yet - treating whole tank.

also, one that wasn't eating for a week I had QT with the "culled" one & re-intro'd into the tank is now eating heartily.

so, in retrospect - I was foolish in not QT'g new fish so I think there lies all my troubles. my test readings have been fairly good.

I had treated with jungle parasite clear initially & when I tested water pH went from 6.6 to 7.6! is that normal or do you think it was something else I can't think of?

AM/NI/NA = 0 (NA was .125 b-4)

I have been doing my water changes - once a week 75%, daily 20%. feeding ken's flakes & frozen brine (most of them devour the flakes & some like the brine).

I'm thinking maybe once a week using live - no blackworms right, so bloodworms ok?

thks for all your feedback all!
 

Star_Rider

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a couple things to consider.

treating for parasites i generally treat the entire tank.. I do not remove the infected fish as the parasite has probably already spread to others.
Hex is a flagellated protozoan..you won't be able to see it with the naked eye.
it is also the beast that is associated with HITH..found particularly true when speaking of Discus.
it is easily combated with Metronidazole..


when feeding Discus I , among many, vary the diet.. mine included occassiona beef heart, bloodworms , flake and pellets.
 
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