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Thread: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

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    Default Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    yellow melon.jpgThis is a picture of my yellow melon. I've had it now for 3 weeks along with 7 other discus. He has not eaten since I've started my discus tank with the others. All the others are eating very well and are very active. I feed them TetraColor, VibraBits, Bug Bites, and Frozen Blood Worms. I have him in a 110 gallon tank, quarter inch gravel substrate, a few granite rocks, driftwood, and having been doing water changes every 2 days. To my untrained eye he looks fine, swims around slowly around the tank, but has no interest in eating anything. My question, besides a little peppering on top, he looks healthy. Any ideas?

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    Registered Member + MVP danotaylor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    The peppering is because he's a pigeon blood strain, so that's a non event. He actually looks pretty well nourished...typically you would notice thinning over a 3 week hunger strike...he has no discernable thinning down the lateral line, no pinching over the forehead, no sunken belly. Do you observe every feeding? It honestly looks like he's getting food...

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    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    He does look healthy. Maybe he’s pecking off the bottom? Great color! What’s the temperature of the tank? Can we get a picture of the whole tank . I’m see blue gravel .

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    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    While it does look nicely filled out but is it's fins always down? Bumping the temp might be a good first start.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Quote Originally Posted by danotaylor View Post
    The peppering is because he's a pigeon blood strain, so that's a non event. He actually looks pretty well nourished...typically you would notice thinning over a 3 week hunger strike...he has no discernable thinning down the lateral line, no pinching over the forehead, no sunken belly. Do you observe every feeding? It honestly looks like he's getting food...
    Hi Daniel, I've watched him every feeding. I feed very slowly, what they can eat 2-3 minutes, four times a day. You're right though, it looks like he's getting food. Could it be that he's eating overnight from the minimal amount that is left over? These guys pick on the gravel for half hour looking for more food after each feeding, lol.
    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    He does look healthy. Maybe he’s pecking off the bottom? Great color! What’s the temperature of the tank? Can we get a picture of the whole tank . I’m see blue gravel .
    Hi Tom, thanks for the response. He does look healthy. I've never seen him eat off the bottom. Perhaps overnight? I bumped up my temperature to 88 degrees from 86 degrees a week ago. As for the gravel, as you know, I kept and bred african cichlids for 25 years. I had them in that tank. I gave it a thorough gravel cleaning and did an 80% water change over three days before I put any discus in there. Also cleaned the Aquaclear 500 and Seachem Tidal filters that I have on each end. I also got rid of those huge rocks I had in there. I like that look of that gravel so I wanted to give it a try. I know bare bottom is best for 3-4 inch discus but I'm gravel cleaning every second day with the water changes, even under the rocks. Here is a pic of the whole aquarium.
    IMG_2155.jpg
    Quote Originally Posted by Second Hand Pat View Post
    While it does look nicely filled out but is it's fins always down? Bumping the temp might be a good first start.
    Pat
    Hi Pat, it does seem to be a very chill fish, but no, his fins are not always down.

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    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    No I just like the blue gravel . I don’t recognize the tank. How much water are you changing? How many times a day are you feeding them.

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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    No I just like the blue gravel . I don’t recognize the tank. How much water are you changing? How many times a day are you feeding them.
    I'm glad you like the gravel. I've thinned it to about one quarter inch for easier cleaning each water change. I'm feeding them the Colorbits and VibraBites every day, a little Bug Bites every second day, and one half cube of frozen blood worms as a treat every 4 days, just what they can eat in 2-3 minutes 4 times a day. I've been changing 35-40% of the water every second day. So far I have seen no need to age the water, my tap water seems to be fine (I use a water conditioner) and discus show no effect. The tank's water looks crystal clear with no floating particulates. I wanted to ask you because there seems to be some confusion, do you use carbon in your filters? I'm coming up do for a cleaning of my filters and I'm not sure if I should add some as I usually do.

    For an update, another few days have passed and I still haven't seen him eat. He still looks fine. I never had/have this problem with my haps and peacocks.

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    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    No I don’t use carbon. It’s only use is to remove smell, make the water a little clearer and remove meds when using. Haven’t used in 30+ yrs.

    Are you sure that’s the only one not eating? Hard to tell in pic but the blue to the right of your yellow looks lean. Ifs it’s only the one I would put it in a qt tank raise the temp a little higher add a tablespoon salt per 10g and see how it goes.

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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    No I don’t use carbon. It’s only use is to remove smell, make the water a little clearer and remove meds when using. Haven’t used in 30+ yrs.

    Are you sure that’s the only one not eating? Hard to tell in pic but the blue to the right of your yellow looks lean. Ifs it’s only the one I would put it in a qt tank raise the temp a little higher add a tablespoon salt per 10g and see how it goes.
    Excellent observation Tom. That one Is a bit thinner but eats pretty well. It was offered to me half price and he fed it and ate at the store. I thought I’d give it a try to fatten up a bit. In three weeks he hasn’t yet so it might not happen. Right now I don’t have a qt tank because I’ve got my Africans in there. I may have to invest in one soon.

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    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    That’s it! The first couple of months are the toughest. I suggest to anyone just starting with discus to do 50% water changes daily till there about 4” than every other day till 5.5-6” than you can do 2 a week if the discus allow. When full grown you may be able to just do once a week. That’s what’s working for me. This time I’m into this for almost 2 years. Lost 1 discus and have yet to have a sick fish. Only meds I use is salt. Most times when a discus goes on a hunger strike. Qt in its own tank with warmer water and salt brings them back.

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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    That’s it! The first couple of months are the toughest. I suggest to anyone just starting with discus to do 50% water changes daily till there about 4” than every other day till 5.5-6” than you can do 2 a week if the discus allow. When full grown you may be able to just do once a week. That’s what’s working for me. This time I’m into this for almost 2 years. Lost 1 discus and have yet to have a sick fish. Only meds I use is salt. Most times when a discus goes on a hunger strike. Qt in its own tank with warmer water and salt brings them back.
    Ok Tom, just picked up a 30 gallon spare tank from my neighbour. I'll use that for my quarantine tank. I have an old Penguin 150 biowheel filter that hasn't been used in a few years. Can I fill the tank with water from the larger tank, and use that without putting any other media in there? I do have ceramic rings and sponges I can put in the back. How long before the water is cycled? We're under stay-at-home orders here so I'd prefer not to go out and purchase anything.

    Btw, you earlier asked what type of tank my discus are in, it measures 48x30x18in. considered a 110 gallon tall tank.
    Last edited by RickyB; 01-16-2021 at 05:08 PM.

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    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Yes take the water out of the existing tank and take some media out of the filters. That way it’s cycled allready.

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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    Yes take the water out of the existing tank and take some media out of the filters. That way it’s cycled allready.
    Perfect. I'll test the water parameters once I move the water and move some media over. That way I can do it as soon as possible. I've attached a picture of him actually picking at the gravel, so maybe that's how he's remaining so "healthy" looking. He's so beautiful, I don't him to wither any.

    IMG_2237.jpg

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    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    Well if he’s eating he’s ok. You don’t have to move him.

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    Default Re: Yellow Melon hasn't eaten in 3 weeks

    IMG_2373.jpg

    Updated photo of this fish after 6 weeks of me not seeing him eat. It doesn't look like he's lost any weight unless some of the veterans see something I don't. He seems healthy and I see no signs of disease. Water parameters are great, water is at 86 degrees, change 40% water every other day. I feed Tetra granules, Vibra Bites, Bug bites daily and frozen blood worms and frozen brine shrimp once a week. I was doing some reading about discus in the wild being detritivorous. It's the only explanation I have. He may be eating from the bottom when the lights are out but I feed 4 times a day and only what they can eat in a few minutes so not much is on the gravel.

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