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Thread: Single Discus Not Eating

  1. #1
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    Default Single Discus Not Eating

    Evening everyone,

    I have a somewhat concerning issue with a single discus I have. When the tank was originally set up, this guy was one of the most active, territorial, and hungry fish in the tank. All of my discus were bought through Kenny's Discus, and the tank has nothing outside of them. Somewhat suddenly he started staring towards the back corner of the tank, eating significantly less, but is still somewhat aggressive.

    He seems like he is just lethargic, although his color is as good as it's ever been, and there are no spots on him anywhere. Occasionally he will bite onto the glob of frozen blood/blackworms I feed them, but doesn't seem to aggressively go back for more. He will also slowly approach food as its spinning around the tank, nip at it, but not eat it. In addition to the weird eating habits, he's also vibrating on his fins every so often, which seems to be part of pairing/mating.

    I do ~40-50% water changes (sometimes twice) daily, feed two to three times a day, and have zero ammonia/nitrate. I keep the tank at a very stable 86 degrees Fahrenheit. These guys/gals are pampered, and I keep the tank immaculate with plenty of filtration.

    Not sure what to go forward with here, as he isn't displaying any real signs of being ill outside of not eating, and the other six discus are perfectly fine.

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Homesteader Altum Nut's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single Discus Not Eating

    Welcome to Simply Discus reebokpumps.

    Do you know for sure your male is a male? Seems like mating behavior to me as well.
    It is preferred if you can fill out the questionnaire and try to include any additional info and if possible some pics.
    http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...lease-complete.

    ...Ralph
    "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."
    -John Wooden

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Single Discus Not Eating

    Apologies, here is the questionnaire. And I am not sure it's a male.

    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?


    This started within the last five or six days.

    I have a somewhat concerning issue with a single discus I have. When the tank was originally set up, this guy was one of the most active, territorial, and hungry fish in the tank. All of my discus were bought through Kenny's Discus, and the tank has nothing outside of them. Somewhat suddenly he started staring towards the back corner of the tank, eating significantly less, but is still somewhat aggressive.

    He seems like he is just lethargic, although his color is as good as it's ever been, and there are no spots on him anywhere. Occasionally he will bite onto the glob of frozen blood/blackworms I feed them, but doesn't seem to aggressively go back for more. He will also slowly approach food as its spinning around the tank, nip at it, but not eat it. In addition to the weird eating habits, he's also vibrating on his fins every so often, which seems to be part of pairing/mating.


    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).

    Lethargic, no appetite, pecks at food, but does not swallow it. Shakes like he's ready to mate.


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

    None yet, looking for guidance here.

    Tank/Water

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

    75 Gallon, seven discus, 4-5 inches.

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

    50% daily, sometimes twice daily.

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

    A year and a half

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

    I do not. With my aggressive water change schedule, I fill up five gallon buckets while draining the tank, then dechlorinate.

    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 86F

    - ph 6.8

    - ammonia reading 0ppm

    - nitrite reading 0ppm

    - nitrate reading 0ppm

    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.


    - municipal water X


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

    Nope

    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.

    Frozen bloodworms, and freeze dried black worms. I alternate the two, bloodworms in the morning, black worms in the evening. If I feed a third time during the day, I alternate between the two.

    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.

    Unfortunately nothing that shows illness, but here's the one in question. Big Blue.Attachment 115733
    Last edited by reebokpumps; 06-05-2018 at 11:46 PM. Reason: double posted.

  4. #4
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single Discus Not Eating

    The symptoms the fish is exhibiting are whats often seen with fish suffering from Hexamita or other protozoans. Do you have a hospital tank you move him to? Have you noticed any white feces or stringy feces in the tank?

    Al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

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    Default Re: Single Discus Not Eating

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    The symptoms the fish is exhibiting are whats often seen with fish suffering from Hexamita or other protozoans. Do you have a hospital tank you move him to? Have you noticed any white feces or stringy feces in the tank?

    Al
    I have noticed a couple things floating around the tank that look like... snot almost. But I do not know exactly what that would look like.

    And no, no hospital tank unfortunately. I could possibly repurpose a 20 gallon, but need filtration and whatnot.
    Last edited by reebokpumps; 06-06-2018 at 09:10 PM.

  6. #6
    Homesteader Altum Nut's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single Discus Not Eating

    Snot looking maybe an indication of Hex. There is a good treatment written by our very own Al if indeed you see these symptoms.
    Your repurposed 20g will work if you have a simple sponge filter and heater.
    http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/...mitiasis.shtml

    ...Ralph
    "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."
    -John Wooden

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Single Discus Not Eating

    Ugh, feared this could be it. I will start treatment after I get the 20g set up, ordered some medication off of Amazon. Should I just treat all of the Discus as this can be transmitted? Or just cross that bridge when we get to it?

    Thanks again for all the help.


    Quote Originally Posted by Altum Nut View Post
    Snot looking maybe an indication of Hex. There is a good treatment written by our very own Al if indeed you see these symptoms.
    Your repurposed 20g will work if you have a simple sponge filter and heater.
    http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/...mitiasis.shtml

    ...Ralph

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