Five weeks ago I posted a plea for help when my checkerboard wasn't eating. After I finished the treatment for hexamita and worms about two weeks ago, today she is still not eating. She hides in the corner of the tank most of the time. She will swim around with the other five discus in the tank at different times, but at feeding time, she hides in the corner or in between plants. I figured that maybe she is stressed by the other fish that are growing very well since I purchased them seven weeks ago. Today I put a separator screen in the tank thinking that she will feel safer knowing that the other fish will not take the food from her. This didn't work. She has hidden in the corner of the tank all day and seemed to be resting on the bar that is connected tot he out take tube.
I decided to remove the separator tonight. As soon as I did this, she swam to the other fish and they all swam close to her as if they were welcoming her back home. I gave everyone a snack, but she didn't take a bite.
What is going on? She only nibbles on the plant leaves and that is it. I started adding vitamins to the tank and I have the temperature set at 87 degrees.
She seems so sad all the time. Do discus bond with each other? Do they suffer with separation anxiety when put in a quarantine tank? Or, could she still be sick with something? She is 3 1/2" and has not grown at all since I purchased her. The other discus are about 4 1/2" to 5" already.
If I ask the breeder to allow me to exchange her for another fish that will eat, will this create a bigger problem with a newbie in the tank?
I welcome all discus therapists to chime in.
What wormer did you use? What medication, length of treatment, and dosage did you use? I don't believe that Discus have the brains to get depressed, buy it's obvious that something ain't right.
Liz,
You and Matt were very helpful when I started the thread "Is it safe to add medicine after Using Salt". I went about two weeks with metro in the QT tank, with no improvement. When the PH crashed in the QT tank I moved Checkers to the 65 gallon tank and began treatment with absolute wormer. A day after the first dose of absolute on Sep. 18th, Iminet chimed in to the thread and didn't think there was anything wrong. I stopped medicating with the absolute and have been doing regular water changes. The only observations that I can share are: 1. not eating 2. hides in the corner of the tank most of the time 3. problem Checkers won't eat and she is still pale and not growing and only nibbles on plant leaves 3. gets along fine with the other fish, and they will swim close to her sometimes when she is hiding in the corner 4. the other fish do not get aggressive with her they seem like normal family with one child who doesn't eat. 5. I have tried different pellet foods in the tank, and I don't see any of the fish going for them. If all the fish had worms or parasites, wouldn't I see other signs? I will have to say, my marlboro red is also small, and not growing as much as the others, but she does get in on the action at feeding time and gets her fair share.
I am not sure what to do, that is why I am wondering if she could just be depressed. How do cheer a discus fish up? Maybe another checkerboard to play with? But, given the fact that none of the other fish seem to be suffering in anyway and it is only one fish, could Iminet be right and some fish just won't grow?
If you think there is a medical reason for her unwillingness to eat, please help!
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Could My Checkerbaord Be Mentally Depressed?
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