Is this a problem?

[pcsb23]

Salt as in NaCl- it is in the link I provided - ordinary salt, ANY salt don't waste money on aquarium salt - it is a rip off.

[nausky]

Thank you. I somehow missed that link.

[nausky]

Just an update - the salt dips seem to be having a negative impact on their health. I am three days in, about to do the 3rd dip, and they're starting to get fin rot and breathe more rapidly. Any suggestions based on this development?

[pcsb23]

You obviously missed the bit highlighted below too ...

...
With larger fish we can flush the gills, but usually with discus it is easier and less stressful (to both the fish and us) to use a salt dip. The key here is the tank it goes back into should be clean. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...-Do-a-Salt-Dip - I'd only do one dip though....

No more salt dips. Clean water for a day or two and see if the fish improve. If not probably time for an antibiotic.

[nausky]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to give an update after so long and thank you all for your help. Unfortunately this did end up with a very unhappy ending for the Leopard, but the Blue fish could possibly recover. It is not acting like a healthy fish, but I suspect that the issue is psychological now. It started eating again around a month ago, but it’s an extremely picky eater. I have failed to see an improvement or worsening of its condition in all this time. It lost weight but that’s expected since it eats so little.

The Leopard that would choke on food slowly died. It passed yesterday. It wasn’t getting enough nutrition and eventually succumbed to HITH (I believe). It started with small pits appearing, then bigger and bigger puss-filled pits. I should have euthanized the fish a long time ago because it essentially starved to death in the worst possible way. I am dealing with a lot of guilt over it.

I did not treat these fish beyond one round of Paragard early on in QT. I could never be sure of what exactly the issue was, so I just kept the tank clean and offered them food. By the time the Leopard started showing pits I knew it was far too gone to be helped.

The Blue fish will only eat very appetizing foods (frozen bloodworms) and only once I leave the room. I am also afraid that since it’s alone now, its mental block is going to be worse. I’m too afraid to reintroduce it to the main tank even though I strongly feel like it needs to be in the company of other fish to make a recovery.

My current plan is to treat it with API General Cure (Metro & Praziquantel) and wait about 4~6 more weeks before trying to reintroduce.

[pcsb23]

Not wanting to pile on the guilt but you should have posted back here for advice long before the fish wasted away, it may not have had any different an ending but we may have been able to guide when and how to make the proper decisions. I may be blunt at times but I still try and help.

As for the blue fish, they don't have the cognitive powers we do, they are purely instinctive, any "behaviour" we see is either survival based or conditioned.

[nausky]

I realize that's a possibility. I had lost hope with the situation and it seemed like a dead end without taking it to a very keen vet. You guys have enough issues to sift through without me adding more. If I really thought it could have helped I would have posted.

About the Blue guy, I meant it purely in the sense that Discus do best in groups. They are visibly stressed when alone and I don't feel like that is helping the situation.

[musicmarn1]

I am so sorry to hear that, don't beat yourself up i know EXACTLY how that can happen, i had a couple of wilds i kept hoping i could pick them back up and i did end up culling them before it got too far but it was so hard to know when that time was.

i know dogs so much better i know when its time to give the gift of euthanasia but in fish ive a lot to learn, just wanted to say im sorry you had that experience

[pcsb23]

I realize that's a possibility. I had lost hope with the situation and it seemed like a dead end without taking it to a very keen vet. You guys have enough issues to sift through without me adding more. If I really thought it could have helped I would have posted.

nothing ventured and all that ...

About the Blue guy, I meant it purely in the sense that Discus do best in groups. They are visibly stressed when alone and I don't feel like that is helping the situation.

Understand now and yes in the main you are correct.