Quick Question About Discus

[FishHobbyist1564]

It's difficult to describe what the belly looks like, but I'd say that it looks like it is more "flat" than those of the rest of the discus. This concerns me because I know that this discus has still been eating (which I took as a good sign). I've looked online for sterazin, but I hear that some people think it is mostly for external parasites, do you think that this is the case for my discus?

Thanks!

 

[kevinjames]

Sterazin is pretty much an all round parasitic medicine. My discus supplier swears by it and ill take his word for it as he has over 100 healthy discus at any one time. If u could get a photo of it head on and a side shot people here will be able to give their opinions. Another wormer is kusuri but its hard to dose correctly as its a powder.

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

I just took a trip to the LFS and of course they didn't have the right medications... but I did hear that Formalin has been used to treat discus with mild cases with success. I have a quick cure medication that includes formalin and malachite green, and I dosed the tank (it's one drop per gallon every day, and a water change of at least 25% after 3 doses).

This medication colored the water slightly blue for a while, and hopefully it should help possibly kill off any parasites or help if there are gill flukes. The discus that seems to be infected is actually swimming around right now, and is looking for food in the gravel and swimming around with the others. I don't think the medication would work that fast lol, but it's good to see that the discus is out and about. Should I be putting salt in the water? (If so, how much?)

I can't upload any pics but it really looks like a healthy discus, so I'm thinking it is just a mild case. I have seen it very rarely flicking against a certain plastic plant in the tank, which made me aware that there might be some parasites present. My discus are all still juveniles, about 2-3 inches, so I want to make sure that the others don't get stressed and get infected as well.

Thanks!

 

[kevinjames]

just go along with the course of meds you are using now and id recommend doing a 50% water change when its finished. what feeding/waterchange regime are you following with these fish when all is good? and is it a planted/community set up?

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

They're in a 75-gallon tank, and I do 2-3 50%-75% water changes each week. I feed them 3 times per day (bloodworms, brine shrimp, flake foods, discus pellets, etc.). It is a discus-only tank (6 discus), and there are no live plants. There's gravel and fake plants, and there are lots of hiding spots just in case they're feeling shy. I'll see how this goes, and I'll definitely do a 50% water change when it's finished. I think I might actually continue medicating the tank a little while afterwards if I see that my discus is getting better, just to make sure that the parasites are all gone... is that a good idea?

Also, what do you think about adding salt? Would it help in a situation like this?

 

[kevinjames]

i think salt isnt needed and i dont think you should medicate the tank just for the sake of it. keeping good water and plenty of changes is normally good enough. im growing on 6 now in a 200 litre set up. its not planted but got some bogwood in for cover. to show you a comparison ive been feeding between 4 and 6 times a day and doing daily water changes. they are between 4 and 5 inches now and ive had them for about 3 months when they were around 3.5inches.

if what you are doing is working then keep at it as there is no wrong or right way just whatever is easier for you. oh and get some pics up cos we all like seeing peoples discus

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

I think there is some progress, I've seen the sick discus coming out with the others every now and then. However, I cannot get it to eat during feeding times... it swims up to any kind of food, but then doesn't seem interested at all. I really think that it could get better if I could get it to eat and gain more energy. I don't know what I could do to get it to eat, and I'm wondering what it has been eating to stay alive! Any tips on how I could encourage this discus to eat would be very helpful

 

[kevinjames]

get a white worm culture going if you can. they are quite fatty so only feed as a treat but no fish can resist a live white worm wriggling about in the water.

my discus supplier said that a fish may lose its appetite and capacity for eating large ammounts of food after an illness. he says that frozen bloodwom is a good food to overfeed to stretch its belly out and improve its appetite.

and again, where are the pics!!!!