Discus ill

AliceDiscus

AC Members
Oct 18, 2009
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My male cobalt doesn't seem to be himself lately, he looks a bit pale and he keeps holding his dorsal fin close to his body, he also looks a bit thin. Hes still eating though.

Also neither of my two pairs have laid any eggs since I went away for a week at the start of April and left my parents in charge. A couple of tetras did disappear while I was gone but I tested the water and all is fine 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5-10 nitrate.

Is it normal for pairs to stop breeding for a while?

What should I do about the male cobalt because hes worrying me. Could it be worms? Although his faeces are normal.
 
I have a pair that spawns off and on. Sometimes it will be several weeks in between. So, I don't think that is really an issue. I would watch the cobalt for a little longer. You don't have enough I don't think to know what you are really treating. I would watch him very closely, make sure he really is eating. I would do some very frequent water changes...in my limited experience with Discus (I've only been keeping them about a year), a lot of good clean water goes a long way.

Have you added anything to the tank recently...plants, other livestock?

Steph
 
As Steph said, I would continue to monitor until more definitive behavioral changes and/or visible symptoms are observed.

Any pics of fish and tank?
 
Ive had him about 8 months I think. Nothing new to the tank. Ive ordered some kusuri wormer as from what Ive read its sounds possibly like he might have worms. Sunken above his eye, thin, eating but not putting on weight, a bit pale.

Good to know that its normal for pairs to not spawn for a while phew.
 
Oh dear hes looking a bit worse today, and one of the others has started to clamp its fins too. His breathing seems quicker today, his slime coat looks thicker than normal and the edges of his fins look a bit torn. Could it be flukes? The kusuri I've ordered also treats them but its not going to be here for another 3 days or so. Argh should i wait for it to arrive or put some fluke medicine in now that ive got? If I wait what can I do in the meantime to help him? Salt maybe? I'll go and get a picture of him in a minute.
 
him now
100_4275.jpg


a few months ago for comparison
100_4132.jpg
 
tank temp??

do the fish try to hide?

clamped fins?
 
Clamped fins: yes but not held really tight

Temp: 30 degrees

They arent trying to hide. They become active and eat quite normally when fed but just sit around not moving much the rest of the time.

The only thing I can think of is this all happened after I changed the water the other day so Im a bit wary of doing more water changes. I use treated tapwater.
 
bump the temp a bit and add air stone..

believe it or not.. Discus will respond to salt added to the tank.
often course of action with stressed discus is to add salt to the tank.

can you test for gh/kh?

could be there has been a change fro the source water..
discus often respond to these shifts.

alas they are also prone to Hex and other protozoa infestation.. but if they are eating that is good.

how often do you feed?
(raising temp often stimulates thei appetites)
 
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