Only ONE fish not eating

[bluelagoon]

#8...Nothing to do with your treatment, but remember that Prime breaks the bond with chloramine in about 24 hours; leaving behind ammonia. Always best to use just prior to a WC or put it directly in the tank before the new water goes in. You shouldn't put it in the barrel a day before hand. If your water supplier uses just chlorine it really doesn't matter, but after about 24 hours that will air off by itself anyway with or without conditioner. Some day you might put it in the barrel and not use the water the next day leaving ammonia in the barrel. Just thought That I'd throw that your way.

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

#8...Nothing to do with your treatment, but remember that Prime breaks the bond with chloramine in about 24 hours; leaving behind ammonia. Always best to use just prior to a WC or put it directly in the tank before the new water goes in. You shouldn't put it in the barrel a day before hand. If your water supplier uses just chlorine it really doesn't matter, but after about 24 hours that will air off by itself anyway with or without conditioner. Some day you might put it in the barrel and not use the water the next day leaving ammonia in the barrel. Just thought That I'd throw that your way.

Appreciate the info, I totally spaced that. My ammonia levels are zero, so I'll assume there are no chloramines in my tap water, but better safe than sorry. I'll make that change.

Thanks!

[jwcarlson]

I assumed to chloramines and was correct until apparently the utility started putting them in this spring. Luckily, I checked on the fish before I went to bed or I'm thinking they might not have been alive in the morning considering the state they were in.
I'd be really cautious about not using a dechlorinator.

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

I assumed to chloramines and was correct until apparently the utility started putting them in this spring. Luckily, I checked on the fish before I went to bed or I'm thinking they might not have been alive in the morning considering the state they were in.
I'd be really cautious about not using a dechlorinator.

I was talking about putting Prime in the aged water right before I added it to the tank, not the day before when I'm filling the barrel. My apologies.

I really need to not assume people can read my mind.

[jeep]

I really need to not assume people can read my mind.

Yes you should. This IS the internet after all

Adding Prime to the holding tank right before the water change is fine. I add it directly to the tank. Prime works instantly, and I like the idea of leftover water being untreated for sterilization concerns...

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

Update: I've had the tank at 88 degrees and dosed with 1 TBSP salt per 5 gallons for several days now. Still changing 60% aged water every day. The metro came in yesterday morning and I dosed the whole tank, following the directions on the bottle of a treatment every other day until symptoms disappear.

The fish in question has lightened up and is eating once or twice a day. Still hiding more than the other fish but definitely showing improvement. One of the smaller fish, however, has become a little darker since I started treating and is also hiding, but is eating regularly and swimming with the school from time to time. Looks like I caught whatever was going on right before it started affecting the rest of the fish. Thank goodness!

Will keep the temps at 88 and continue metro and salt for the time being until everyone is back 100%. Thank you everyone here for your input and advice!

[LizStreithorst]

Most metro labels give the wrong dosage for Discus. They usually say 250 mg per 10 gallons, we use 500 mg per 10, a large water change every day, and every day re-dose at the full 500 per 10. Continue treating for 12 full days.

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

Most metro labels give the wrong dosage for Discus. They usually say 250 mg per 10 gallons, we use 500 mg per 10, a large water change every day, and every day re-dose at the full 500 per 10. Continue treating for 12 full days.

Good to know! I'll dose the whole tank again today. Thanks Liz!

[jwcarlson]

Update: I've had the tank at 88 degrees and dosed with 1 TBSP salt per 5 gallons for several days now. Still changing 60% aged water every day. The metro came in yesterday morning and I dosed the whole tank, following the directions on the bottle of a treatment every other day until symptoms disappear.

The fish in question has lightened up and is eating once or twice a day. Still hiding more than the other fish but definitely showing improvement. One of the smaller fish, however, has become a little darker since I started treating and is also hiding, but is eating regularly and swimming with the school from time to time. Looks like I caught whatever was going on right before it started affecting the rest of the fish. Thank goodness!

Will keep the temps at 88 and continue metro and salt for the time being until everyone is back 100%. Thank you everyone here for your input and advice!

When I would bump temp (I went up to 93) the two non-eating fish I had would begin eating a little more and look OKish. As soon as I started lowering the temp after two weeks they'd immediately go back to their old behavior. Finally I did the metro (in water at the dose that Liz suggests above). The good news is that the one that survived is the first to the food now and isn't the smallest fish. Sounds like you're doing everything early enough that you should be good!
Keep us posted.

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

Will definitely keep updates going. Bumped the temp up to 90 as I saw a "white hair" coming from one of the healthy fish, still doing salt and metro at the recommended dosage per Liz and others. The original fish is doing better and eating more than he was just a day or two ago, but the little one I mentioned above is barely eating. Will continue to treat as explained.

The increased temps have made everyone much hungrier, though. I'm feeding about 30% more than I was a week ago and the fish are eating every last bite and hungry again a couple hours later. Testing ammonia daily to make sure I don't cause I spike with the increased temps and extra food, but so far we are still at zero.

[LizStreithorst]

It's nice to see that someone new, with just 31 posts, doing the right thing. It's obvious that you have done your research here.

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

It's nice to see that someone new, with just 31 posts, doing the right thing. It's obvious that you have done your research here.

Well, most of my 'practical' fishkeeping experience comes from keeping african cichlids for a few years. So far I'm finding discus much the same, just about 5x as much work.

Very rewarding, though.

[GalaxyKoiBoi]

Update: a few days later with the metro/salt/heat treatment and everyone is doing well, even the small one who was not eating. Everyone has lightened up in color, is eating voraciously, and no one is hiding. All the fish swim around on a school together. I have seen "white hairs" coming out of several fish, so I assume they are passing any parasites they had. Will continue the treatment for another week or so to be safe!

[jeep]

Good luck! Just a note, 90 seems extreme but 93 is important here. I would try and get it up a bit more. Not all heaters will accomplish this though...

[LizStreithorst]

That is WONDERFUL!. Keep up the treatment and raise the temp to 93. Trust me, the Discus can take it and doing it will clean them up more completely. I'm always resident to advise people to do that, first, because people have a heart attack when they imagine their fish at 93 for 12 days, and secondly, because most heaters won't go that high.