Sick discus need help!

[Lindat]

I have had my planted tank set up for 9 weeks and have stocked with 4 juvenile discus (about 4 month old) and 16 Rummynose Tetra. All are well except one discus. I saw very late two nights ago it was on the tank bottom looking a bit tipped to the side and dark. It had not eaten. First thing thing next morning I did a 50% water change and added an air stone. Today I did another 30% water change and added aquarium salts according to packet instructions. I have fed shelled and chopped green peas but it's not interested. It is now at the top of the tank, looks very dark. It doesn't look like gasping for breath but it's pectoral fins are moving quite fast while the fish is stationary. I don't know what I should do. I can't see any marks on the fish. Also in my hurry to do a water change I didn't take any water readings. I waterchange every week and the conditions have never been a problem.
300 litre tank. Example is:
Temp 64°f
Nitrate 0 - 5ppm
Nitrite 0
pH 6.5
Kh 40ppm
C 0
Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[Byron]

I leave disease issues for those with the knowledge and direct experience but I will comment if I spot something, as here. For temperature you have 64F, is that accurate? If it is, that is far too cold for discus who should be above 80F. They will be severely stressed and rapidly weaken at lower temperatures.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Bryon is right.
Your temperature is far too cold for Discus.
Discus prefer warm temperature from 82 to 86F.

A Discus will turn dark when it's stressed from bad water condition, being bullied, not getting food or due to sickness.

As for the pectoral fins moving fast, I wonder could it be due to some parasites on the fins making it irritating/iching.
Observe for any signs of scratching themselves against the tank or any object in the tank. If there is, then it could be due to flukes or other parasites which need to be treated.

Also, if possible, increase your Discus number to 6 or more to prevent bullying among the Discus.
It's best to buy that all at one time from one source and put them in the tank at the same time to prevent bullying and aggressions.


Here are some websites for Discus keeping:

Discus Care Guide

Discus are sometimes referred to as “King of the Aquarium” because of their majestic beauty and regal colors. They are not for beginners, for a variety of reasons.

www.aqueon.com

Stendker Discus Care

Caring for discus fish, feeding discus fish, water quality,

www.devotedly-discus.co.uk

Beginner's Guide to Getting Started with Discus

Greetings all, I've been an SD member for about a year and love the forums. I'm retired, living in Vancouver, B.C., and have been fish-keeping on and off, both fresh and saltwater, for over 50 years - since I was a young teen. At one time I maintained about 15 freshwater tanks and bred several...

forum.simplydiscus.com

Discus: The whole truth and nothing but...

Discus: The whole truth and nothing but...

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Let us know if you still have problem after increasing the water temperature.

 

[Lindat]

Bryon is right.
Your temperature is far too cold for Discus.
Discus prefer warm temperature from 82 to 86F.

A Discus will turn dark when it's stressed from bad water condition, being bullied, not getting food or due to sickness.

As for the pectoral fins moving fast, I wonder could it be due to some parasites on the fins making it irritating/iching.
Observe for any signs of scratching themselves against the tank or any object in the tank. If there is, then it could be due to flukes or other parasites which need to be treated.

Also, if possible, increase your Discus number to 6 or more to prevent bullying among the Discus.
It's best to buy that all at one time from one source and put them in the tank at the same time to prevent bullying and aggressions.


Here are some websites for Discus keeping:

Discus Care Guide

Discus are sometimes referred to as “King of the Aquarium” because of their majestic beauty and regal colors. They are not for beginners, for a variety of reasons.

www.aqueon.com

Stendker Discus Care

Caring for discus fish, feeding discus fish, water quality,

www.devotedly-discus.co.uk

Beginner's Guide to Getting Started with Discus

Greetings all, I've been an SD member for about a year and love the forums. I'm retired, living in Vancouver, B.C., and have been fish-keeping on and off, both fresh and saltwater, for over 50 years - since I was a young teen. At one time I maintained about 15 freshwater tanks and bred several...

forum.simplydiscus.com

Discus: The whole truth and nothing but...

Discus: The whole truth and nothing but...

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Let us know if you still have problem after increasing the water temperature.

 

[Lindat]

Apologies. Typo. Water temp is 84°f.

 

[Lindat]

I leave disease issues for those with the knowledge and direct experience but I will comment if I spot something, as here. For temperature you have 64F, is that accurate? If it is, that is far too cold for discus who should be above 80F. They will be severely stressed and rapidly weaken at lower temperatures.

Apologies Byron. Typo. Water temp is 84f.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Then your water temperature is good.

Observe your fish for a few things:
1)Is the fish being bullied by other Discus?
Has the fish been eating for the past few days/weeks?
Discus are extremely picky eater.
They can refuse to eat and get starved to death.
What are you feeding them?
I find that smaller pellets like Hikari Micro pellets may work on some Discus but some may still insist on eating beefheart or worms where they breeder used to feed them.

2)Is there any symptoms of infections?
Fish breathing very fast?
White spot on body?
Sunken belly?
Etc??

 

[Lindat]

Then your water temperature is good.

Observe your fish for a few things:
1)Is the fish being bullied by other Discus?
Has the fish been eating for the past few days/weeks?
Discus are extremely picky eater.
They can refuse to eat and get starved to death.
What are you feeding them?
I find that smaller pellets like Hikari Micro pellets may work on some Discus but some may still insist on eating beefheart or worms where they breeder used to feed them.

2)Is there any symptoms of infections?
Fish breathing very fast?
White spot on body?
Sunken belly?
Etc??

There has been a bit of nudging going on. I intended to add another 3 or 4. juveniles when I could get them from the same source. The fish has developed white/grey patches around the outsides mainly since last night. It's still up in the corner. Not looking good I will follow it up with a photo in half an hour. Thanks for your help.

 

[Lindat]

There has been a bit of nudging going on. I intended to add another 3 or 4. juveniles when I could get them from the same source. The fish has developed white/grey patches around the outsides mainly since last night. It's still up in the corner. Not looking good I will follow it up with a photo in half an hour. Thanks for your help.

They have been fed on high protein discus granuels that sink at a variety of times, high quality flake, discs and dried daphnia.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

There is high chance that the white/grey patches are due to fungal infection which I think could be quite common to Discus.

Check this website:

How to Cure Discus Fish Diseases

Discus fish disease and a guide to how to treat for the best outcome. With 40 years’ experience in treating Discus fish diseases these tips are powerful help in your treatment and success.

macsdiscus.com

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Just to share some of the fish food that I have been using for my Discus:
I tried comparing the protein content and I think Dr Bassleer has the second highest protein after beefheart.
New Life Spectrum(NLS) has the lowest protein but it has the most balance diet which includes fruits. I think NLS is more similar to Discus food in the wild.

1)Beefheart - highest protein(I think)

2)Dr Bassleer Regular M and L size pellets - very high protein

3)Hikari Micro pellet - quite small in size(but Discus like small pellet as they find it hard to chew bigger food)

4)Hikari Tropical Vibra Bites -it has the shape that look like worm and my fish like it. The fish go crazy when they thought that they are worms. But some Apistogrammas won't eat it.

5)New Life Spectrum(1mm size) - a very balance diet(it has fruits in it) and a good source of protein. The manufacturer used whole fish and not leftover fish parts. But not all Discus will eat this as they find it hard to chew. Probably you may have to buy 0.5mm size or the one specially made for Discus(granule type).

6)Tropical Discus D-50 Granules


Websites:

https://www.aquarium-munster.com/en/products/food/dr-bassleer-biofish-food-regular/

Hikari info : Hikari Tropical MICRO PELLETS

www.hikari.info

Hikari info : Hikari® Tropical Vibra Bites

www.hikari.info

Our range of premium fish food | New Life Spectrum Premium Fish Food for Colour and Vitality

Tropical Discus Gran D-50 Plus

www.aquaristikshop.com

To promote a healthy fish growth, I think a few most important factors are:
1) Clean water(zero ammonia, nitrite; very low nitrate) with right water parameter(including water temperature).
2) Quality food
3) Good level of oxygen (this is often neglected even though it's one of the most important) in the water.

 

[Lindat]

This is the best photo I could get. The fishes find look transparent/white at edges and it's eyes look cloView attachment 95935View attachment 95935

 

[Lindat]

Hi all. My fish had died when I got up this morning. To clarify, on inspection it did not have any fungus on it. The transparent fins I saw were normal colour, as one of the other well discus has the same. There were some grey areas and the other area was much darker than normal. Anyone any ideas on what it might be. All other 3 discus and Rummynose are well and eating. Also, these fish were from a local hobbyist breeder. Do you think I could increase the numbers with Stedker discus?

 

[Lindat]

Photo of sick fish attached.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Hi all. My fish had died when I got up this morning. To clarify, on inspection it did not have any fungus on it. The transparent fins I saw were normal colour, as one of the other well discus has the same. There were some grey areas and the other area was much darker than normal. Anyone any ideas on what it might be. All other 3 discus and Rummynose are well and eating. Also, these fish were from a local hobbyist breeder. Do you think I could increase the numbers with Stedker discus?

Here are some websites about fish disease:
The first one has pictures of the diseases.

Fish illnesses How to spot them | Tetra®

www.tetra-fish.com

Chart on Fish Diseases, Symptoms and their Treatments

www.fishnet.org

Usually the advice given is not to mix Discus from different breeders.
But I don't really follow this advice as I believe that there will always be risks when you introduce new fish into your tank even if it's from the same breeder.

I'd successfully mixed Discus from different breeders without any problems of disease.

The one problem that you will always have when mixing Discus from different batches/breeders is how to prevent aggressions and bullying among the fish.

Also, you have to learn quickly on how to spot for diseases.