Strange Behavior

[Joao]

One of my smallest fish is behaving very strange, and looks is going to dye...
For no reason he starts going in circules very fast, and all over the tank in a fast race, is dark in color and he has some parts of the skin peeling ,as result when he dash himself against the others or the heater. The heater is loose, but he has some scalps coming of, his body looks kind distorsed a little curved...
Any ideas what could be??????????

Thanks,

Joao

[jim_shedden]

Without knowing all the particulars such as : how long it has been in the tank or if you have put in any new additions and so forth.
I would immediately put in some non-iodized salt at 2 tablespoons per 10 gallons. This would help with its slime coat and take some of the stress away.

hth

jim

[Joao]

Well, it happens two days ago, I had to put them in another tank because one couple had babies, three weeks ago, been doing the same tasks, maybe because is smaller then the others and probably they chase him , and he got sick, but for no reason he starts jumping and going in circules like crazy, and sometimes he stays layed on one side , after all this attacks, and back to normal upright position when it goes.
I put the salt allready, two sp. per 10gal.

thanks

[Carol_Roberts]

If all the other fish in the tank are acting normally I would pull him out. Every couple of months we get a post similar to this. No one has ever really figured out what the cause is. Prognosis for the affect fish is not good. No sense in him spooking all the other fish.

[Joao]

Thanks Carol,

You right, I will see if he gets better w/ the salt , giving another chance, this fish is the smallest of the group, and he's size it's not right for his age, so I belive it has some relation to all this problems. He looks bad , all his body has spots of skin missing, and he's dark, breathing fast and looks scared... If it doesn't recover fast I will take him out to put him asleep, because I have no place to put him, and it might get into the group. If so, what's the best way to finish his life... belive it's hard for me to say that, but I have no choice, and I don't want to loose all my good fish.

Thanks,
Joao

[Carol_Roberts]

This sounds bad, but throwing the a small fish forcefully against a concrete floor or wall is quick.

[Joao]

Carol , what sounds bad, his health or what I said about his last hope. It happened so fast that I don't know what to do, and why it came like this, maybe he was sick before, and some water alterations lead to this....

Thanks Carol

[Carol_Roberts]

I meant that throwing the discus againt the floor sounds cruel, but it is quick.

Your discus may have a neurological problem, organ failure, who knows. As long as the other fish are not affected I wouldn't think parasite or bacterial infection.

[Joao]

Carol, if I put him in a bag and leave it outside, wouldn't be btter, it's minus 20 here in toronto.

th, Joao

[Carol_Roberts]

That will work fast too at 20 below . . .

[lion]

Hi Joao / Carol
I had a discus doing the same thing, swimming in circles and then straight into the glass. After watching him carefully I noticed that he's always turning to the same side when chasing his tale ;D I decided there must be something in his left gill irretating him. 37% formaline for 3 day's at 1 ml per 10g and he was back to normal. (He didn't had any injuries on his skin)

Swirling disease. Used to be very common for the wild discus. I haven't seen this for a while from the domestic discus. Bacterial infestation to neuro region. Prognosis is very poor. DNR.(DO NOT RESUSCITATE)
Jimmy

[Joao]

Yes, he's dead.
I just got home and he was laying on the bottom. Very strange his body was light in color, like a pigeon, kind a light orange, and he's a blue diamond, only his fins and head were completly blue and the rest of the body light orange. ? Didn't see any deformations, everthing normal, maybe was interna... who knows!!!!!

Thanks,

Joao

[jules]

Too bad for your little guy Joao :(