Fin Rot? Or being picked on?

[rightwinger59]

Good afternoon,

I just returned to work today and noticed that one of my discus's fins (underside) and tail appear to be frayed. I'm not sure if this is fin rot or if he has been picked on over the extended weekend.

Pictures:

Image #1

Image #2

This is a 90 gallon, planted tank, set up in my office. Pool filter sand substrate. There are eight discus total. All similar size, been in this tank for 1.5 years. Water parameters are excellent, and 45-50% water changes are regular (every other day).

The rest of the fish appear completely normal. While I am in the office, I do not observe too much fighting between the fish, besides an occasional nip. Thoughts?

Thanks for taking a look.

[Mando]

Not sure what to say. Looks like fin rot but he also looks skeletal. Like he’s not eating.

[Second Hand Pat]

This guy is not in good shape and has been in a state of decline for a while. The fins appear to me to have been in this condition for a while. Is this guy still eating?
Pat

[BlackAndRedLipstick]

Have you noticed any adnormal behavior or have you seen him being picked on? What’s water temp and general readings?

[rightwinger59]

Nope - he swims around and eats great. Feeding 3x a day with freeze-dried black worms, Discus Hans flakes, beef heart flakes, and frozen beef heart.

Swims around normally, eats normally. No hiding or anything like that.

Readings are all normal as far as temp, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.

That being said - he is one of the smaller discus in the tank. Got them all from Hans - some have grown/flourished better than others (my Malboro Red keeps getting bigger and bigger - this guy and my German Wonder are probably the smaller two).

[rightwinger59]

Have you noticed any adnormal behavior or have you seen him being picked on? What’s water temp and general readings?

Haven't noticed any abnormal behavior or nasty bullying. "Whitey" used to be one of the aggressors in the tank, but has mellowed out over the last year or so. He swims around with the others as you'd expect. Temp is 83 degrees and readings are normal (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, minimal nitrates, pH is 6.94, but probably a bit higher because I'm injecting CO2).

[Johney Blaze]

If he's eating great and pooping then it's a minor external bacteria or fungal infection. Since you have plants , it wouldn't surprise me if it's the root cause. Dose with prazi or anything that causes fin rot. Fish should be fine. Dose some salt or a slime coat replacer too.

[bluelagoon]

This discus has declined too much and should be culled.No matter what you do at this point.It would probably be better of out of your tank in case it becomes diseased and passes something on to the whole tank."Sometime" in a group of discus one will become stunted just from being the lowest hierarchy.

[fljones3]

Any update? I think he needs to be culled as hard as that might be.