Red Marlboro Discus is Not Eating

[Ata.Sultani]

Introduction: :fish:

Dear All friends, :D

I had earlier about 3 years ago keep 2 wild discus one was dead and one which was survive i sold it later. now after 3 years i my self setup homemade aquarium of about 17 Gallon (Length 3 ft' height 10 inches and width 18 inches), since 2 week ago on 29-April-2016 and fill "fresh tap water" and left it empty only with 2 under gravel filters, medium brown stones, small plastic grass, white Coral and artificial leaves as shown in photos here i also drops mythlyne blue and some silver water to clear cloudy water drops in aquarium. Alhamdolillah after 1 week day before yesterday on Friday 6-May, 2016 I brought 2 yellow head angle fish and 2 red marlboro discus pair. MashAllah both pair are approx. 2.5 till 3 inches.

Problems::mad:

I brought "Today's Taiwan's Company Dry Blood worms" Angle are moving and eating actively while from 3 days now my red marlboro discus pair both moving actively but not eating neither go near by blood warms, i also tried frozen shrimps today also but it left its brown color in water and smells a lot so i take out shrimps after less then minute. my one red marlboro discus is now stick in one place near by under gravel filter it sometime goes tilt and remain at upper level surface of water, both upper and lower fins are slightly goes black sometimes of both discus, i had pink light on my aquarium.Color is not fade yet it remains red and orange sometimes.

I take 1/2 half liter water from aquarium and desolve 1/2 half table spoon "Iodized Salt" in it and again put it in my aquarium, but it also not works, they still not eating, its hot here in my city Karachi, Pakistan near about 35 degree calcius, but at night when i use split AC in my room i turn on aquarium heater.

my fish seller told me to remove 3 to 4 inch water of aquarium and put new fresh tap water in it and make it change every week, so i will also try this tomorrow, may it helps. ( i keep aquarium fishes like guppy, molly, moon tail,etc. etc. since 2001 when i was in college but now after keeping 1 wild discus i love to have discus again but i face problem now.)

Questions::confused:

what else i would do to let make my fish hungry to eat well...... please expert help. :)

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[Ata.Sultani]

Introduction: :fish:

Dear All friends, :D

I had earlier about 3 years ago keep 2 wild discus one was dead and one which was survive i sold it later. now after 3 years i my self setup homemade aquarium of about 17 Gallon (Length 3 ft' height 10 inches and width 18 inches), since 2 week ago on 29-April-2016 and fill "fresh tap water" and left it empty only with 2 under gravel filters, medium brown stones, small plastic grass, white Coral and artificial leaves as shown in photos here i also drops mythlyne blue and some silver water to clear cloudy water drops in aquarium. Alhamdolillah after 1 week day before yesterday on Friday 6-May, 2016 I brought 2 yellow head angle fish and 2 red marlboro discus pair. MashAllah both pair are approx. 2.5 till 3 inches.

Problems::mad:

I brought "Today's Taiwan's Company Dry Blood worms" Angle are moving and eating actively while from 3 days now my red marlboro discus pair both moving actively but not eating neither go near by blood warms, i also tried frozen shrimps today also but it left its brown color in water and smells a lot so i take out shrimps after less then minute. my one red marlboro discus is now stick in one place near by under gravel filter it sometime goes tilt and remain at upper level surface of water, both upper and lower fins are slightly goes black sometimes of both discus, i had pink light on my aquarium.Color is not fade yet it remains red and orange sometimes.

I take 1/2 half liter water from aquarium and desolve 1/2 half table spoon "Iodized Salt" in it and again put it in my aquarium, but it also not works, they still not eating, its hot here in my city Karachi, Pakistan near about 35 degree calcius, but at night when i use split AC in my room i turn on aquarium heater.

my fish seller told me to remove 3 to 4 inch water of aquarium and put new fresh tap water in it and make it change every week, so i will also try this tomorrow, may it helps. ( i keep aquarium fishes like guppy, molly, moon tail,etc. etc. since 2001 when i was in college but now after keeping 1 wild discus i love to have discus again but i face problem now.)

Questions::confused:

what else i would do to let make my fish hungry to eat well...... please expert help. :)

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[Akili]

Muhammad Welcome to SimplyDiscus and As-salāmu ʿalaykum, I recommend to go through the stickies’ in the Beginners Section and watch this video
https://youtu.be/VXe3VKh7qF8 it is just over an hour long but worth hours of information P.S. A must read thread form the beginner section http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?86009-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Getting-Started-with-Discus

To begin with you have odds stacked against you.Keeping two discus is not a good idea unless they are a breeding pair.Discus do better in groups of 6 or more. Second your tank has Substrate,a better option is to go bare-bottom.Do not go by what you fish seller said, he is partially right instead do more and large water changes daily.Discus need lots of fresh, clean,warm water.Adding "Iodized Salt" is not going to increase appetite. Can you provide more details about your water parameters After this if you have questions feel free to post them and I sure someone will help you out.

[Kyla]

definitely watch that video, it is very helpful. a bare floor in your tank will allow you to keep it much cleaner while you are learning the basics. i also suggest to remove the coral, because it is sharp and the discus may cut themselves on it.

[megatrev62]

Egad !, check out some discus scapes bud, and keep asking questions. I have learned much since my short time here.

[Ata.Sultani]

My One Discus which was tilting had died today morning..... :( now i got only one and 2 angles

[Akili]

Sorry about your loss Muhammad,Like I posted before do all the reading you can on Discus on this website before you get any more additions for your tank.

[Kyla]

undergravel filtration is also a poor choice for discus, as rotting debris and waste collect in the gravel bed, making the tank even dirtier.

an easy-to-clean hang-on-back box filter, or internal sponge filter, would allow you to regularly remove the organic sludge that accumulates.

sorry to hear about your loss :( dont get discouraged, keep reading thru the posts in the beginner section so you can have future success!

[Ata.Sultani]

my fish store keeper said that, put " khy lo ro my cine capsoles " in tank , 3 capsoles for 3 ft' tank but i fear if i had don this i will loss discus again.....i was reading on web sites but i now found any solution to check pH of water manually from home thing.....it shows costly equipments here.....i need some homemad pH tester...... i think they are dieying because of bad pH water.....lastt night change 7 gallon of water from my 17 gallon tank aprrox.............how can i get high or low or how can i conrol my pH to 7 ~8 easily..... please help.....another discus is not eat yet as before even after chaange of water since last night

[chuckiesmalls]

Garlic can sometimes really assist with fish that are being finicky. Seachem even makes a product called Garlic Guard. TherA by NLS pellets have garlic in them but for some reason that is the ONLY food my discus have neber caught onto.

ANother thing--it has only been 3 days? If so, your discus look young, so it may take them time to acclimate to their new conditions.

How are your water parameters. and I am sure others have already pointed out that Bare bottom with daily big water changes is what your first measure of defense should be.

If only been there 3 days. Only feed small bits at a time and try not to disturb the environment too much by taking in/out food. It could be possibly freaking them out.

never feed your fish or put something in your tank that smells nasty or suspect..Well, at least I wouldn't. Hope things get better soon.

I fear your setup as mentioned by others above is not ideal. Do lots of research here. People are ready to help but like to see people help themselves to a certain extent too

[Ata.Sultani]

thanks...all suggestions...... i am right now thinking that as i get holiday off from office on Sunday i will make small aquairum my slf only for discus and nothing put in it except out side spoung filter......i wil share pictures as i do Insha Allah......just you guys pray for my discus o live till amd more then this sunday........

[DISCUS STU]

thanks...all suggestions...... i am right now thinking that as i get holiday off from office on Sunday i will make small aquairum my slf only for discus and nothing put in it except out side spoung filter......i wil share pictures as i do Insha Allah......just you guys pray for my discus o live till amd more then this sunday........

This is the way to go. Bb tank, no pebbles, coral, or anything else. Discus are very sensitive to harmful bacteria as their native waters are acidic and this acts as a germicide.

[chuckiesmalls]

we will pray

[Ata.Sultani]

I was very worried and can't wait for Sunday at yesterday change my tank and just take out every things there are now just 2 upper spong filters and my beautiful tank is now looks like this as given in photos below, you can see but after i came from office whole day my discus still not eat any thing it change orange from red and some times now change its fins color to black, may be its getting frighting, now please give suggestion from last Friday when fish arrives till now whole week my one discus not eat and even get closer to dried blood worms.......i change tank water also but not complete i change almost 1/2+ of it......how my discus starts eating please help........there also my died discus fish photo also.......

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[Ata.Sultani]

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[Akili]

Muhammad,What is the temperature of the tank.It is not clear from your photo if you have a heater in the tank.I know that outside temperature in Karachi get very high but that does not mean that you can skip a heater in the tank.

[Ata.Sultani]

how my discus starts eating please help..........i also change food but not yet starts eating since 7 days.....worried......

[guggas]

how my discus starts eating please help..........i also change food but not yet starts eating since 7 days.....worried......

People have told you what to do, but you have to actually do it. Read the stickies and watch the video.

You have to start with a cycled tank. Is your tank cycled?
You should be doing water changes at least every other day.
Do you have a heater and thermometer? Discus need warm water.

Im sorry your fish are dying and i know its hard and sad.

[Akili]

how my discus starts eating please help..........i also change food but not yet starts eating since 7 days.....worried......We can only help you if answer the questions (sawal ka jawab do) that are put to you.So again what is the tank temperature and is there a heater in the tank.

[Ata.Sultani]

We can only help you if answer the questions (sawal ka jawab do) that are put to you.So again what is the tank temperature and is there a heater in the tank.

Yes i got underwater heater but i could not see temperature in it........Urdu Aati hy, Which country you belong?

[Akili]

Yes i got underwater heater but i could not see temperature in it........Urdu Aati hy, Which country you belong?It is very important that you know the temperature of the tank. Discus do best at or above 82 degrees Fahrenheit.Sometimes increasing the temperatures to 84/86 Fahrenheit will increase their appetite.. Discus can thrive in a wider range of water parameters as long as the changes are not sudden and the fish has adequate time to adjust to changing parameters.

[Ata.Sultani]

Mr. Akili..... are you also Pakistani....but your hometown is writen Canada! you had writen Urdu in your above post........any way if you are Pakistani then....cha gaye ho tussi....is forum py bhi Pakistani......It means any where in this world Pakistani's are the best in ever feild....hats off and thanks to Almighty Allah........some days before I brought....... these things :

1. Drops of Anti Chlorine
2.Drops of Water Brightner
3.Drops of Mehtlyne Blue
4. Discus Bits ( another discus food )
5. Brine Shrimps
6. Blood worms
7.Some toy fish

and today i buy I thermometer to measure temperature.... and after place it in tank i note temperature after 10 to 15 minutes it shows 80 F' below 30 C'

yesterday i had broken my thermometer while playing with it....... half in water and half in air.... it burst out..... and it broken....i will buy on next Friday when i go to market........

after added Anti chlorine yesterday i saw that discus eat some blood worms and very few " Discus Bits Food " but from yesterday it slightly turn red from orange again but only from its upper side and lower side, fins are still black and middle part of stomach is still orange as you can see in the photos....... now please give more suggestions about red colors and after see temperature........I also made Foam filled filter in home see in photos......

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[Ata.Sultani]

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[Akili]

Muhammad,I am not a Pakistani and as you see in my profile that I am a Canadian.now as to your Discus: Let me try to explain to you a few things and if do not understand or miss something in the post then ask again and we will try to help you out.. Drops of Anti Chlorine use the proper amount when doing water changes.Drops of Water Brightner you really do not need it,by now you know that Discus do better with daily water changes and those water changes will keep your tank water pristine.Methylene blue is good to have, it mostly used to deal with fungus on fish eggs when Discus have laid them. Discus Bits is good if your Discus get to eat them, in your case chances are your Angels are going to get most of it. Brine Shrimps and Bloodworms will provide more nutrition. Stay away from live foods.Toy fish are only for decoration
If did some reading in the beginner's section you find that Discus are a schooling fish and the do better in groups of six or more.Try to rehome your Angels Once again look at Video Link in post # 3 Good Luck