TO quarantine or not to quarantine my fish......stressin!

[chuckiesmalls]

Hey guys, I would like your input so I can come to a decision about my blue diamond with a deep blue gene.

FIRST, let me say that I messed up. BIGTIME! I admit it. I DID NOT QT my last batch of fish I purchased from Kenny. I figured my last batch before that was from Kenny, blah blah blah I was WRONG so wrong, I know it, and am now suffering the consequences I deserve.

The problem is I don't know if my discus is sick or just still acclimating still bc as you can see from the picture his fin is erect and I would say apart from his eye being a bit dark his colors seem to be okay. He is the 3rd smallest fish I the tank but my other 2 about his size an AMG and albino BD get at it no problem!

The problem:
3 weeks ago I added 6 new fish from Kenny to my DT (display tank) without QT. AT first there seems to be no problems but.....I notice my Ruby Sapphire (4") and my BD with deep blue gene (3") are not eating. Well about a week ago my Ruby snapped out of it and is eating and spunky as Heck. However, the blue diamond is recluse to one corner pretty much since I added him (think he ate well first day or 2 but can't remember TBH) and acting like my Ruby was when she wasn't eating.. Does not wall face per say but is not very active. He seems to be extra scared of me kinda like one of my others I have...... but that one eats!

If he is ever out swimming around.... when I come by, he is RIGHT back in the corner. I have been sitting right next to him every available moment while at home and he seems to be warming up to me but still not eating. Or every time it seems to take a bite of food one of my other dang fish get in the way. I did see him take a bite and spit it out of BH this morning before work.

SO I set up my QT bucket, got the heater in there and am currently raising it to 87 degrees as my DT is 86 degrees right now.

Some of the other groups I am in for discus have said 'chill out...wait it out it may start eating like your Ruby did'..while others say 'dude get him in QT now and start using metro ASAP.'


The way I look at it is whether he doesn't eat in the DT or in the QT, I will be eliminating hex out at least if I start QT when I go home for lunch today.

I just fear if it is acclimating and he gets taken out for several days and then put back in...he'll have to acclimate ALL over again and by then will maybe be emaciated/stunted/a goner? I don't even know if I am thinking correctly as I am pretty new with Discus.

Tank info:
100 gallons, 4 sponge filters, 2 HOB AC 110s, 80% WC daily min.-sometimes more, Tank has 16 fish all juvies. Smallest being just under 3" (the AMG in the picture) largest being just under 5" (the mosaic turk also in the picture)--that are with the Blue Diamond in question (sorry some food particles floating--this was during feeding). parameters are 0, 0, 4-5. I feed BH, FDBW mostly and will add Bio Gold and sometimes flakes in between major feedings. Several detritus siphonings a day, stable pH at 7.8, ni microbubbles/pH swings9884898849
Hopefully someone can get back soon, because I plan on dropping buddy in a couple hours when I go home for an early lunch.

If you think I am making the wrong decision, although I will make the ultimate call, I would very much value your thoughts if you are an experienced discus keeper.

Many thanks in advance.....and if I need to provide more info, please ask!

CJ

[chuckiesmalls]

doing a WC on the big tank now...gonna net him I guess and put him in the QT I have setup.

I figure...this is the most risk averse path I can take since I don't have much help around me..def not going to a lfs for help xP LOL

Feel free to comment still

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Chuck, is the bucket your QT or are you placing him in an actual tank? Also is he bloated at all.
Pat

[chuckiesmalls]

bucket is my QT? Same one I used to QT my last fih back to health...?? SHould I be worrying?

[chuckiesmalls]

and no bloat, doesnt look skinny either..looks like a chubby kenny discus still.. the picture was from yesterday

I have him in the QT altready...

[warblad79]

Are you aging your water? I think it's stress related, give them more oxygen, set the temp to 84F and dim the light.

[chuckiesmalls]

I appreciate the advice warblad but have already started metro and am going to stay the course for now...I think itd be even worse to keep changing everything I do to the poor guy.

I need someone to come look up close....you down to come to long beach and check this guy out man???

I also just bought a bunch of pure metro from jehmco in the event I see anything else in my DT....If so I am just going to medicate everyone.

Was just watching them all eat like vicious beasts on some BH, blackworms and bio gold though so things are good so far with them.

really, thanks for the help. If this doesn't work or it seems to make it worse I may go down the path you have described.

Right now I feel Oxygen is decent even with the temp slightly up because of the 4 sponge filters and my great air pump. :)

[chuckiesmalls]

sorry my last comment may have been confusing. Yes I am using a 5 gallon home depot bucket. Those orange ones...

[chuckiesmalls]

Are you aging your water?

No not at the moment either. However I have no Ph swings so doubt it is gases/microbubbles causing stress. I never see any bubbles. I tuen on my HOBs, turn up my air pump and powerhead every WC and they dissipate the WC bubbles immediately. Nothing out of the ordinary

[Beestie]

I had the same problem with two of my fish when the where introduced to my tank. It's stress, nothing more. You basically eliminated disease as there's no signs of any on the fish and your other fish isn't affected. He's probably last on the list when it comes to there pecking order too. My weakest one took 4 weeks to come around. The only intervention from my part was salt baths as they where getting a bad rash which I know now was my fault. They freaked out every time I worked on the tank and hitting things.

I was very OCD on the tank cleaning it multiple times a day and so forth. Rather work on it once or twice a day morning and evenings. That little bit of poop waiting to be siphoned wont do anything, its the stuff you can't see that's the problem like the gunk inside a dirty filter or underneath a gravel bed.

I work on the tank once a day now and it has had a good effect on my fish. They swim around my hands now while cleaning. I'm treating them more like fish now than fragile little flowers. I've realized that if you restrict your involvement to meet there needs rather than meet yours they thrive. Whats sad is the two that I stressed fell behind the others now and are noticeably smaller. They are eating like the rest now so I hope to get some weight on them asap.

About your water. Mine is fine without micro bubbles but the aged water does wonders. When changing with the tap only they hide and cower for a while, with the aged water they don't even know I'm changing so they go about there business as if nothing is wrong.

I'm new to discus not fish keeping so about medicating. Don't do it until you know exactly whats wrong and what you are treating for. It will only end badly. Meds are hard on fish. Their immune system is the best meds to give them.

[Beestie]

By the way your fish is still looking alright. This is what mine looked like.
98864

[chuckiesmalls]

thanks for the advice but its too late my friend. He is being QT'd already and switching him around will only make him worse for wear I feel.

I will complete a 10 day metro treatment and the rest will be up to him to do the rest. At least I will know I have ruled out one possibility. Leaving him in the tank hoping it is just pecking order stuff, not knowing if he may get worse and infect others, was killing me....and honestly to me...not worth the stress anymore.

If anything it was more for peace of mind. To elimnate the doubt. I understand medications can be hard on fish but he is of strong stock (Kenny discus), still fat ancd thick head..... and I am sure will make it through the metro.

I had a RT that didn't eat for close to 3 months that I did a 12 day metro treatment on and it got better and it was sooooooo bad. I was 99% sure he would not make it.....maybe he didn't look as bad as your fish (looks bacterial to me-mine is internal) but my fish was emaciated and never ever ate... tried to but his tract was so irritated by the hex he would just spit out his food. Unable to swallow.

Thank you for your input though. It is appreciated.