New juvenile thin and pale after 6-7 weeks

Hey everyone,
I am looking for some input with a trouble fish. I have an established 72g discus tank with good water parameters and 4 healthy discus. I added 2 juveniles about 2-2.5" about 7 weeks ago and one has adapted great and eats everything but the smaller of the 2 has remained shy and I never see it eat. I even got some live brine shrimp and watched them swimming all around his face but he never ate. He has no obvious signs of illness but looks very thin and pale. From my research I tried to allow time for him to get comfortable in the new tank but after 6-7 weeks I have moved him to my quarantine tank with the temp set to 88 (large tank stays at about 85). I can only assume he has been eating something somewhere in the tank to stay alive this long? I saw him with white poop hanging down and decided to try a course of metro (I understand the white poop isnt always disease). Im just looking for any advice more experienced keepers can pass on that might help. Thanks in advance!

Nick,
How long did you quarantine the two new fish before introduction to the main tank? Did the sick fish ever eat for you?

You've posted a lot of what's in the questionaire we require to get all the info but it would help to fill it out and cut and paste it here. Be sure to include pics. In this case pics of the sick fish as well as the other one you mention and your tank would be very helpful.
Al

DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE


Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

About 6-7 weeks ago I added 2 juveniles to established tank with 3 adults. Quarantined for one week then added (I know people will tell me it needs to be longer). Smaller of the 2 juveniles never eats during feeding time and hides in different parts of the tank all day. All other fish appear happy and healthy and larger juvenile eats more than anyone.

2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).

Looks very thin and sometimes pale. Solid white poop seen several times. Wont eat.


3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

One week of metro in 10g quarantine tank so far. 1.5 of the dosing spoon every 2 days and 50% water change before dosing.



Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

72g tank with 7 cory and 20 cardinal tetras + discus.


5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

50% water change every 3 days.


6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?

Tank has been running for about a year with fine grabel substrate 1" deep.


7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

No, water ph is stable hard water and softened with vinegar.

8. Parameters and water source;

Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.


- temp _____85.5F

- ph _____7.6

- ammonia reading ____0

- nitrite reading ____0

- nitrate reading ____5-10ppm

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

- well water ____

- municipal water ____yes

- RO water ____


9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.

yes


10. Please tell us what you feed your fish and how often. This can be critical information for solving the problem so be as specific as you can.

I keep a feeding cone consistently filled with omega one discus pellets. Then alternate between frozen blood worms and brine shrimp from day to day with the occasional live brine shrimp.


11. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.

Attachment 110821
Attachment 110822
Attachment 110823

I'm sorry Nick but this fish is really in bad shape. The dorsal fin is eroded and the shape indicates its a either a runt or stunted. Fish like this often have weak immune systems and thats probably why its sick now. I would not consider adding that fish to your main tank.. Its probably not going to recover and if it does appear to, it probably won't grow. I would honestly Euthanize this fish.

al

Well not what I hoping for but I think n you may be right....it's been one week of doing with metro and salt and he still has not eaten a single bite of food...I don't know if it's worse to just let him pass or figure out a way to euthanize him? ��

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brewmaster15

I'm sorry Nick but this fish is really in bad shape. The dorsal fin is eroded and the shape indicates its a either a runt or stunted. Fish like this often have weak immune systems and thats probably why its sick now. I would not consider adding that fish to your main tank.. Its probably not going to recover and if it does appear to, it probably won't grow. I would honestly Euthanize this fish.

al

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Well now it appears the problem has spread to my main tank. All of the fish are eating but 2 of the adults are breathing fast and opening their mouths more than normal to breath. I don't see any other symptoms but one looks like I can see a "membrane" on the Gill opening. I added salt and will start doing 50% daily water changes. Any other advice on medication or not? I have seachem paragaurd. Thanks in advance

Nick, Try not to over react. The sick fish may be unrelated.I would not medicate. Definitely try bumping up the water changes first.
al

Here is a quick video of the fish I'm concerned about. Set the video to 1080p and it will focus after a free seconds. Thanks again!
https://youtu.be/bkU71_BVqIs

Nick, How are the other fish doing after increasing the water changes?

They all appear to be fine. Eating well and active. The blue was and one of the pigeon bloods often pair up and clean the filter tube and lay eggs. They were cleaning the tube yesterday after I cleaned the tank.

Hey guys I was out of town on over the weekend and came back to find my blue is still breathing heavy and now has distinct white things on the Gill area. Please help!