Pinched, head down, shimmying, stressbars

[Crystalwaters]

DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Problem - a few weeks ago turquoise discus started to swim head down 45 degree angle. Getting thinner, pinched look in the body. Fish had 2 prazipro treatments recently http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?101497-New-discus-keeper-health-questions-small-white-tufts-heavy-breather-stress-bars&highlight=

2. Symptoms; eating fine, feces brown but mucus covered, headstanding at 45 degree angle, shimmying, stressbars more frequently. Getting bullied, eating normally. *lost 2 rainbowfish from this tank a few weeks ago, white feces.

3. No meds tried yet.

4. Tank/Water, 55 Gallon bare bottom, 6 discus 2.5 - 4.5", 4 threadfin rainbowfish.

5. 60% 5-6 times weekly. Tank has been established for many months, bare bottom, water is aged aerated and dechlorinated 24 hours.

6 Parameters and water source;
- temp 82F
- ph 6.5
- ammonia 0
- nitrite reading 0
- nitrate reading 5
- municipal water

7. No new fish/plants added recently


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xANrMuQRrU

Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

[nc0gnet0]

Looks like he has brown fish disease? Other than that just looks like he is fighting the current trying to stay in place. Possibly a mild case of bloat,


Rick

[Crystalwaters]

Thanks... my nitrites are still zero, could "Prime" be giving false readings? I am going to up the heat tonight and add epsom salts. These discus had prazi treatments mid November and did have tapeworms, is it possible he's still infected or didn't pass a dead one?

[nc0gnet0]

i said brown fish disease (as in the bigger brown fish in the video that is picking on him) not brown blood disease. ;)

I would treat with nothing but clean water and watch him for now, don't add anything, don't raise the temp.


Rick

[Crystalwaters]

LOLs! It took me a minute to understand even when you explained haha! Even the 2.5" runt in the tank was picking on this guy today!

The salt has already been added to the tank, 5.5 tablespoons added slowly over a few hours. I'm guilty of overfeeding - too much food at one time and thought this wouldn't hurt to try for a day or two. He does look much better this evening, holding his head up a little higher :)

Thanks again for the help. I will definitely update on how he/she is doing.

*edit, he was by the filter outflow in the video, but still doing that shimmying movement in the still areas of the tank, head down.

[nc0gnet0]

Only treat epsom salt for one day, and I would have removed him from the tank and placed him in a qt tank rather than put all the fish through it.

[Crystalwaters]

"Tanks" for all the help with my fissue nc0gnet0 & the person who pm'd me! The turquoise discus showed remarkable improvement from the epsom salts! He wasn't pinched, he was bloated and part of his body didn't bloat, giving him the pinched appearance. Here he/she is yesterday, even better this morning :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LF6TvYMg3g