GTOAviator
08-19-2014, 06:30 AM
As most of you probably know by now I've been dealing with 6 new beautiful discus in my 55 gallon long (with possible new tank syndrome). The smallest of the discus (3-3.5" ish) began eating alright but quickly transitioned into a state of dormancy. He is often seen at the back of the tank, darker in color, and clamped fins. It's been 6 days now since he's come up for feeding time. All of the other discus know when feeding time is, recognize when I'm about to feed them, eat like fat pigs, and go about their business like normal. He is the only one who acts timid and displays no interest in eating at all. Sometimes he is seen schooling with the rest but often times he's by himself. Cosmetically he looks great, good color (when not hiding), no fin tears or rips, and no visible bacteria. He displays no listing or floating, although occasionally he can be found "staring into the corner" of the tank.
My question: How much longer should I stick with him? I can return the little bugger any time this week for a refund or exchange - I'm less worried about the money and more worried about the overall health of the tank. How long can he continue not eating? Will he starve himself to death? If his situation begins to deteriorate, I'm afraid it'll be too fast to save him whereas right now he can probably be relocated safely.
Related: I began Kanaplex treatment of the entire tank 5 days ago for another discus who displayed external signs of bacteria growth (popeye and finrot). It has been 5 days since treatment began and the finrot fish has recovered remarkably! Almost no rot remains and the eye is clear. Original thread for that is here: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?115498-Right-eye-bulging-now-right-pectoral-turning-white-what-next
Here is the rest of the current situation for the small fish not eating.
Problem
1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?
See first paragraph
2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).
As explained above, not eating, darkening, clamped fins.
3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.
Kanaplex for unrelated incident.
Tank/Water
4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.
55 gallon long
6 discus 3.5 - 4" in length
6 Corys all small
1 Zebra Pleco small
5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).
30% every 2 days, thorough gravel vacuuming
6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?
Tank have been running 3 weeks
Not bare bottom (3 to 5" small rock substrate with plants)
7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.
No.
8. Parameters and water source
- temp 83 F
- ph 6.7
- ammonia reading 0.25 to 0.50
- 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 % tap water, treated with Seachem Prime
- RO water 0 %
9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.
Everything is new (within the last 3 weeks)
10. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.
http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b598/GTOAviator/20140811_132726_zps1f9cbb1c.jpg (http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/GTOAviator/media/20140811_132726_zps1f9cbb1c.jpg.html)
http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b598/GTOAviator/20140812_181035_RichtoneHDR_zps6ddf1752.jpg (http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/GTOAviator/media/20140812_181035_RichtoneHDR_zps6ddf1752.jpg.html)
My question: How much longer should I stick with him? I can return the little bugger any time this week for a refund or exchange - I'm less worried about the money and more worried about the overall health of the tank. How long can he continue not eating? Will he starve himself to death? If his situation begins to deteriorate, I'm afraid it'll be too fast to save him whereas right now he can probably be relocated safely.
Related: I began Kanaplex treatment of the entire tank 5 days ago for another discus who displayed external signs of bacteria growth (popeye and finrot). It has been 5 days since treatment began and the finrot fish has recovered remarkably! Almost no rot remains and the eye is clear. Original thread for that is here: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?115498-Right-eye-bulging-now-right-pectoral-turning-white-what-next
Here is the rest of the current situation for the small fish not eating.
Problem
1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?
See first paragraph
2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).
As explained above, not eating, darkening, clamped fins.
3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.
Kanaplex for unrelated incident.
Tank/Water
4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.
55 gallon long
6 discus 3.5 - 4" in length
6 Corys all small
1 Zebra Pleco small
5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).
30% every 2 days, thorough gravel vacuuming
6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?
Tank have been running 3 weeks
Not bare bottom (3 to 5" small rock substrate with plants)
7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.
No.
8. Parameters and water source
- temp 83 F
- ph 6.7
- ammonia reading 0.25 to 0.50
- 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 % tap water, treated with Seachem Prime
- RO water 0 %
9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.
Everything is new (within the last 3 weeks)
10. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.
http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b598/GTOAviator/20140811_132726_zps1f9cbb1c.jpg (http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/GTOAviator/media/20140811_132726_zps1f9cbb1c.jpg.html)
http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b598/GTOAviator/20140812_181035_RichtoneHDR_zps6ddf1752.jpg (http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/GTOAviator/media/20140812_181035_RichtoneHDR_zps6ddf1752.jpg.html)