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teslafan
08-09-2016, 02:12 PM
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?

Our 4 year old Discus, Mr. Blue, was moved from his original tank 75 gallon tank to a 20 gallon tank. He was transported to a new house, was in transport container about 30 minutes.

He seemed fine the first 2 days and on day 3 we woke up to him headstanding. We have been researching swimbladder issues.

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).

Headstanding
Tail fin - part of it came off today:cry:
Not eating
Slime all came off
Eyes cloudy
Turned dark
Dorsal fin is clamped
He seems to be breathing normally and his side fins are constantly in motion.

He is moving around the tank, but can't upright himself.

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

Lowered tank volume
Epsom Salt - 4 TBL - we have done this two times so far
Seachem Prime added
We are considering using Prazipro today

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

20 Gallon tall
1 Discus
4 years old - approx 7 inches

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

New tank. No water change yet.

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

Tank was set up on Aug 3rd. We brought a cycled sponge filter from his original tank. We brought him over on August 6th.

Substrate is 1 inch gravel

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

Yes, he was transported in a bag with aged water. His new tank has been set up/aged for a couple days prior to him being introduced.

8. Parameters and water source;

Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.


- temp _____85

- ph _____ n/a

- ammonia reading ____n/a

- nitrite reading ____n/a

- nitrate reading ____n/a

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 ____no

- municipal water ____yes

- RO water ____no


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

I added fake plants and gravel, he has never had them before. Not sure if this makes a difference or not.

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

I'm devastated. I don't know if he is going to survive this move. He started out in a group of 9, and his last sibling passed away 2 months ago. When we moved, the thought was putting him in a smaller tank might cheer him up. He seemed depressed and was not eating regularly since his last sibling died. He became "flappy" and happy when I interacted with him over the past month or so and it appeared he was becoming happier.

He did well the first two days, he seemed to adjust and then Monday we woke up to him headstanding. It's killing me to see him like this. :cry::cry:
If we cannot heal him, can he live like this? Or would it be more human to euthanize him? I don't want to lose him. :(

Thank you in advance.

Here is a link to a photo I just took of him.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209249425968428&set=a.1815667347181.2105690.1105013314&type=3

Second Hand Pat
08-09-2016, 02:36 PM
Do a 100% water change ASAP but grab a water sample first and test ammonia and nitrite. Guessing you have both.
Pat

teslafan
08-09-2016, 03:11 PM
Thank you!!

teslafan
08-10-2016, 04:34 PM
Hi Pat,

Several water changes, added stress coat as well as aquarium salt and Prime.

The ammonia level was a little high, the nitrates/nitrites were good earlier when we tested. I'm going to test again in a bit, as I just did another water change.

He was headstanding this morning, however as the day has gone on and after the water change today, he is swimming normal again. Keeping my fingers crossed!

His blue color is returning and he is not black any longer. His Dorsal fin is standing up and he seems much more relaxed, as he is swimming all over the tank!! :)

We gave him a treat, some bloodworms, and so far he has not ate them, but perhaps within a day or so he might start eating again.

Thank you so much for your suggestions!!

https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13872721_10209259217373207_7857071508352209195_n.j pg?oh=afecd621681a5d0f8f746a634f8414ae&oe=58509CBC

Second Hand Pat
08-10-2016, 05:26 PM
HI Teslafan, do you understand why I suggested as I did? Also are you game for a couple more suggestions? Also glad things are looking up. :)
Pat

teslafan
08-11-2016, 12:41 AM
HI Teslafan, do you understand why I suggested as I did? Also are you game for a couple more suggestions? Also glad things are looking up. :)
Pat

I would love any suggestions you have to offer!! Thank you!

Second Hand Pat
08-11-2016, 07:41 AM
I would love any suggestions you have to offer!! Thank you!

Ok, ditch the stress coat. It is just a waste of money. Also consider replacing that gravel with a thin layer of pool filter sand. The gravel collects and lot of junk which implies water quality and your discus is dark to match the substrate. The sand will lighten your fish and you will be surprised at how much better your fish will look when it is lighter.

Continue your daily WC to get your mini-cycle under control.
Pat

Phillydubs
08-11-2016, 02:34 PM
When you moved the tank did you just have a cycled sponge in an empty tank for 3 days before you added him?

If that is the case, the BB prob died off since there was nothing in the tank to feed it and you weren't manually... Whenever you transfer sponges and filters, you should do so with fish to keep the colony alive...

Pat has already given you excellent advice and it seems like you killed off the good stuff and were left with the bad...

Also, you seem to elude that your fish have slowly died off one by one... Have you ever figured out why that was and what caused it. Could this fish just be diseased and exposed to far too much and now with the stress of a move and an uncycled tank is just succumbing to it all?

teslafan
08-13-2016, 12:49 PM
When you moved the tank did you just have a cycled sponge in an empty tank for 3 days before you added him?

If that is the case, the BB prob died off since there was nothing in the tank to feed it and you weren't manually... Whenever you transfer sponges and filters, you should do so with fish to keep the colony alive...

Pat has already given you excellent advice and it seems like you killed off the good stuff and were left with the bad...

Also, you seem to elude that your fish have slowly died off one by one... Have you ever figured out why that was and what caused it. Could this fish just be diseased and exposed to far too much and now with the stress of a move and an uncycled tank is just succumbing to it all?



We actually brought him and the sponge over on the same day.

We are not sure why the others died over the years. Once there were only two left, the water changes were not daily, as we had two fish in a 75 gallon tank and they seemed to do well with weekly changes. In March of this year the thermometer malfunctioned on the heater and the temp rose to 90. A new heater was put in, it brought the temp back down to normal range, but were thinking that temp change started the issues that caused his last remaining sibling to die. Both of them developed holes in their nose area and they seemed to be slowly recovering from that, although Mr. Blue went on a hunger strike. After the other one died he seemed very depressed, quit eating again and just seemed to go downhill.


Since moving him to the new smaller tank I'm doing the daily changes. Once he begins eating again and we are sure he is going to make it, then we are going to get him a friend. I can't help but think he is lonely in there, despite having me talking to him all day long. :fish:

He has been doing so well since the headstanding stopped. His fins are fanned out, he is reactive when we approach the tank and talk to him and the only issue now is he is still on a hunger strike.

Thanks much for your comments.

teslafan
08-21-2016, 09:02 AM
Mr. Blue Update;

He is doing so much better!

He finally started eating and pooping few days ago!! I was so excited, I took a photo of his poop. :eek::p

I took Pat's advice and removed the gravel and it certainly makes daily cleaning much easier and makes the food easier for him to locate as well. He seems to tolerate the fake plants (They are new to him, as he had a bare tank all of his life)

He has been active in his tank and quite interactive with us over the past week!! Such positive changes we have seen! :fish:

Thanks again, everyone!

100592

Second Hand Pat
08-21-2016, 09:06 AM
That is great news. Be sure to QT any new fish. :)
Pat

teslafan
08-21-2016, 09:15 AM
Yes, we will! We have been researching introducing new fish and we are pretty excited about giving him a friend. :fish::)