Discus Journal...

[mike os]

just because LOL

pattern is part of the appeal they are all different.

 

[Jim Curtis]

I realize that but these are very different.

 

[mike os]

yup...probably different parents, but you would be amazed....

 

[Jim Curtis]

Its funny. When I first got those two the one on the right was by far my favorite. Now Im quite proud of the one on the left and wish the other looked like him.

I did make a slight adjustment in how I do my water changes. I syphon the new water into the tank very slowly. It takes about 45 min to refill the tank. I dont know if that would help at all but I used to just fill it as quick as possible. I pretty much just trickle the water back in now. I think its probably a bit less traumatic for them.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Its funny. When I first got those two the one on the right was by far my favorite. Now Im quite proud of the one on the left and wish the other looked like him.

I did make a slight adjustment in how I do my water changes. I syphon the new water into the tank very slowly. It takes about 45 min to refill the tank. I dont know if that would help at all but I used to just fill it as quick as possible. I pretty much just trickle the water back in now. I think its probably a bit less traumatic for them.

It does sound like a better way to change the water. As you said, less traumatic!

 

[Jim Curtis]

So I had a bit of a scare when I came home from work today. My favorite blue turk was upside down on the surface gasping for air and super bloated, looked like he had swallowed a marble. I thought he was stuck behind the power cord for my heater so I gently moved it out of his way and gave him a nudge, after that he started swimming all over for about 5 minutes bumping into the glass and into my drift wood. He has a big scrape on his forehead, and his left side presumably from his whiskey style swimming. I started a thread on BIDKA and copied it here in the emergency forum. I got a quick reply at the other site saying to treat with epsom salts as he probably had a blockage that was effecting his swim bladder. They suggested it could be a result of worms or parasites. If only I had noticed the warning signs. Well, he seems to be getting a bit better after the epsom salt treatment started. The marble gut is gone but he is still very dark in color, not eating and swimming a bit strange but far better than earlier. If he's still alive in the morning ill be surprised tho.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

So I had a bit of a scare when I came home from work today. My favorite blue turk was upside down on the surface gasping for air and super bloated, looked like he had swallowed a marble. I thought he was stuck behind the power cord for my heater so I gently moved it out of his way and gave him a nudge, after that he started swimming all over for about 5 minutes bumping into the glass and into my drift wood. He has a big scrape on his forehead, and his left side presumably from his whiskey style swimming. I started a thread on BIDKA and copied it here in the emergency forum. I got a quick reply at the other site saying to treat with epsom salts as he probably had a blockage that was effecting his swim bladder. They suggested it could be a result of worms or parasites. If only I had noticed the warning signs. Well, he seems to be getting a bit better after the epsom salt treatment started. The marble gut is gone but he is still very dark in color, not eating and swimming a bit strange but far better than earlier. If he's still alive in the morning ill be surprised tho.

Hopefully the fish in alive in the morning. I think you should start him on some medication too (if you haven't started yet.) Everything that they said was pretty good. Hopefully hes swim bladder heals.


Might want to feed the fish some green peas too on occasion (along with the lima beans .) Good for bloating.

 

[Jim Curtis]

He is swimming almost normal now, still bumps into things on occasion. His color is dark and he still looks bloated and isnt eating. His fins got nibbled up good by the tetras. I think I may go buy another tank on saturday and move everything but the discus out.

 

[Jim Curtis]

Hes eating now, color is still dark. Will treat with maracyn for a few more days and hopefully he will be back to normal. My main tank is now barebottom and all the other fish are gone.

 

[Jim Curtis]

The fish in QT is losing his slime coat and not moving. Fins clamped.

 

[rabbut]

Not a happy bunny then I suppose s/he is off their food again and just generaly sulking/not looking good. I assume all waterstats holding OK still? I'm also assuming this fish is alone in there ATM? If so, that alone could be the caurse of sulking. A badly beaten fish alone would possibly show symptoms of stress as highlighted above. The symptoms are also consistant with something irritating the fish, medications for example, or waterquality taking a knock. It could also be the injories healing I suppose, like how our cuts sometimes itch as they heal...

I would be concerned, but there isn't realy anything to go on.. No flashing reduces the chance of serious issues, so I'd sit on it for the time beeing, keeping an eye out for things worsening. Try to keep lighting subdued, and movement in the room minimal, so as to reduce stress. Keep the water quality up, and get some carbon in the filter once the course of meds are over in case you need to treat with anything else

I assume you have ran a course of wormer before this point?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Jim Curtis]

His wounds have almost all healed, the scrape in front of his dorsal is gone, his tail is almost 100% already. He still isnt eating. I just checked the water stats everything is good. He is all alone. I put my hand in there and he swam about quickly and put his fins up but returned to his corner to sulk more with clamped fins within a few minutes, so hopefully it is just that he is lonely. He has been wormed, along with all the other guys who are eating well currently. His color is coming back.

 

[Jim Curtis]

Hes been eating well for the past 5 or 6 days now and he is looking 100% better. He is back in the main tank and they are sorting out the pecking order again. He is the only fish whom I have ever named. We now call him Ironman. Im back on track and hope to not have to deal with something like that again for awhile. How often do you guys feed peas?

 

[rabbut]

Whenever I cook them and remember to drop them in Any greenary will do the trick realy

 

[Jim Curtis]

Oh, btw. Guess whos Discus are starting to.. grow into their eyes..

2 months ago..

Today

Granted, they still arent the greatest discus... but its progress.

Oh, actually. Correction. First pic was taken 9/7, second pic is 10/26.

It is harder than hell to get pictures of these guys. Everytime I try to take a picture that turn and look straight at me. I took about 100 pics and only managed that one profile pic of 1 and half of a fish, I was trying to get new pics like that of all of them but I just cant!