discus stopped eating

[lll]

1. Problem:
My blood pigeon discus has been acting strange lately. It has not been eating, but it was before this problem, and it seems to stay in one place, where it occasionaly tilts from one side or the other. It has been going on for a few days, and at first I thought it would just get better the next day, but it clearly didn't.

2. Symptoms:
Most of the time, its dorsal fins are clamped close to the body, and its pectoral fins do the same. It seems to also have some peppering, which means there are black spots on it.

3. Treatment:
I have used a bit of melafix just yesterday, but it hasn't seemed to do anything.

Tank: 120 gal, sand substrate, few plants (mostly anubias)
Tank mates: a few tetras, rams, and sae's, 3 discus 4-5 inches, 5 discus 2.5-4 inches
Parameters: 28c/82f, amm/nitrite 0, nitrate 10, pH 7.6(I use municipal water)
Filtration: 1 eheim 2215, 2 eheim 2217

I usually do a water change of 40% every week. When I put in water after taking it out, I just put in the tap water and add prime. I clean 1 filter every 2 weeks

No new fish have been added since I got him (about a month). I didn't qt him (dumb, I know) but he was acting normal like the rest of my discus for the first few weeks. Eating from my hand and swimming up to the glass when I come up. The blood pigeon is 4-5 inches. No other fish seem to be affected, just him.
Thanks for the help

[pcsb23]

Bit more info may help http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?38545-Disease-Questionnaire-please-complete

Initial guess would be some form of cross contamination. If poss a put it in a qt tank.

[lll]

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

My blood pigeon discus stopped eating about 1-2 weeks ago. It developed some peppering, mostly on the face, and some on its body. It sometimes seems to lean itself against something and sits on the substrate. Usually, it stays in one spot, occasionally tilting to one side for a bit and then fixing itself up again.

2. Symptoms

Its top and bottom dorsal fins are usually clamped close to the body. Sometimes, one of its pectoral fins will clamp onto the body while the other one acts normally. As mentioned before, it appears to be peppered, but not too heavily. It does not group with the rest of my discus and does not eat when I put food into the tank.

3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

I dosed a but of melafix a few days ago but not much. Nothing else.

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

120 gal. 5ft long. Tank has been up since late December 2013. Aside from the blood pigeon, there are 9 other discus, ranging from 2-5 inches. There are a few tetras, rams, and sae's. I have anubias and jungle gal as plants. Filters are 1 eheim 2215 and 2 eheim 2217.

5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

I do pwc's every week 35-45% each time. Clean 1 filter per 2 weeks.

6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?


120 gal tank has been up since late December 2013. I have 5 inches of play sand I bought from home depot as substrate.

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

I do not age my water. I just put it in the tank and prime it. No pH swings yet recorded.

8. Parameters and water source;

- temp...28c/82f

- ph...7.6
- ammonia reading...0
- nitrite reading...0
- nitrate reading...0

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

- well water...0%
- municipal water...100%
- RO water...0%

9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.

Nope.

10. Link

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/maxgao18/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1404163172834_zps2614fe57.jpg.html

He was in the back so hard to get a good shot of him

[Second Hand Pat]

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b552/maxgao18/Mobile%20Uploads/1404163172834_zps2614fe57.jpg (http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/maxgao18/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1404163172834_zps2614fe57.jpg.html)

[pcsb23]

Melafix is snake oil as far as I'm concerned, smells nice but is pretty much useless imo/e.

Pepper is normal on PBs most have some. It will usually show more when the fish is under stress or is placed in a tank with dark surrounds. In your case stress is I think the reason why the pepper is being expressed.

The pic shows nothing to work from so going by your symptoms I'm still of the opinion it is some form of cross contamination issue. Is the fish being bullied at all?

Treating in planted/decorated tanks is always less successful than treating in a qt tank. You also have tetras and rams, both of which do not tolerate many meds well. You also have a mix of sizes of discus which normally I'd try and avoid.

This fish would be better in a qt tank just now and treat there. It is possible that the fish came in with whatever is troubling it and the stress of shipping/moving has brought it out.

I'd go with something like formalin and malachite green as it is a good general purpose shotgun med, but note my comments re treating in planted tanks, it applies more so to meds like F&MG and PP.

You will also need to up your water changes to I think, once a week isn't really adequate imo/e

[lll]

Sorry about multiple posts that say the same thing. I was wondering why it wasn't coming up lol. It doesn't really get bullied. It was eating well for the first 2 weeks I had it, as it was coming up when I put my hand in the tank and such. As for a qt tank, would it be too much stress for him if I isolated him? I also read about metro. Would that help? I have a empty 72 gal, but that might be too big for qt... I might have to kick my small turtle out of my 29.

Another IMG

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/maxgao18/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1404224233244_zpsd8981a96.jpg.html

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi lll, I delete your duplicate posts. If you post with a link, email etc it will go into a moderation state due to your new member status. Just give us a bit of time to approve it ok.
Pat

[pcsb23]

72 gal will be too big. At the moment the fish is already stressed, it may turn around with increased water changes, but equally it may get worse and affect the current stock. I'd upgrade your turtle to the 72 ;) The 29 would be perfect for qt.

[lll]

Thanks for the help guys. I was planning on picking up metro tomorrow, since today is Canada day and everything is closed :p. Will metro help? Or is just increased wc's enough?

[pcsb23]

Will metro help? I don't know. I wouldn't be using it at the minute, as I suggested above I'd be using F&MG in the qt tank.

[lll]

What is f&mg:confused:? I've never heard of it..

[pcsb23]

What is f&mg:confused:? I've never heard of it..err ...


...
I'd go with something like formalin and malachite green as it is a good general purpose shotgun med, but note my comments re treating in planted tanks, it applies more so to meds like F&MG and PP.

You will also need to up your water changes to I think, once a week isn't really adequate imo/e

;)

[lll]

Lol thanks