1 in 7 not eating.

[cooper666]

Only 2 days ago, I purchased a batch of 7 healthy looking discus. All of them still look very healthy and all except one have fattened themselves to bursting. The other one shows no interest in food. It is the smallest fish, also the most attractive IMO. It still looks great, fins up and breathing well but its gut is clearly empty. It still has plenty of meat on its bones and is not going to starve out in the next few days.

I realise that fish sometimes take a bit to get into the feed and 2 days is not much of a settlement period. My question is, How long should I wait for improvement before I pull it out and start salting etc.

[slicksta]

You can do a low dosage salting 1 - 2 Tblsp /10g for the stress of relocating.
But first and foremost I would raise the temp up a few degrees.

This can also be bullying as it's not always obvious.

[cooper666]

I'm running temp 29 C ATM. Run hotter you think? Yeah the fish is bullied a tad.

[slicksta]

Yes... Depending on your other tank mates I'd go as high as 31 - 32c over a day or two if possible.
If he is not eating and being bullied... That tends to get worse, not better over time.

If you have the option... Move him to a smaller tank and get him eating and stronger.

[peewee1]

I do have a large 7 inch 18 month old male who of late is good at chasing his tank mates away from food but not eating it himself. Don't know why but I did begin treating the tank with salt at 2 table spoon salt, prime, and Metro with each daily water change.

[cooper666]

The non eater is hell bent on eating my cardinals this morning, so as least its thinking about food. I'll warm in up a little more, have a feeling it will do the trick.

[cooper666]

All of my fish do that to each other. Fish are just selfish a-holes.

One of my rams will guard a pile of food that she couldn't eat in 2 days.

My male bristlenose does the same.

My largest discus also loves guarding food that it cant fit in its guts.

I try to overcome this by feeding in several locations in the tank

[Sturiosoma]

So quick to medicate, but nobody asked what are you feeding, have you thought about keeping freshwater devil fish.

Jeanne

[cooper666]

My non eater is now feeding well. I'ts an angry little fish and is not shy of sucker punching larger fish. All it needed was a bit more warmth.

I was a bit slack and didn't notice a 2 degree temp drop overnight, every night. Lowered the temps to about 27.5 degree C and it appears to have been enough to cause swim bladder problems with another fish who was exceptionally greedy. It also seriously decrease the appetite of the discus in the mornings. I purchased another 300W heater and things are much more even now and everything seems happier. My "swim bladder" fish is still a tad uncomfortable, but much better than it was, its now in my sump away from food for a couple of days.