Help with discus appetite

[Sparth]

Hi all,

I just finished 4 doses of Furan-2 treatment. I have 2 female. The PE is doing fine, very nice red color as usual. The SS is dark right now, like she’s spawning. After their treatment (from my previous post, their mates died from what looked like bacteria infection but unsure), I fed them a bit of BH and the SS took one bite, the PE swam to it and swam away. After 5 mins of them showing no interest, I took it out and gave them half a cube of bloodworm. They ate maybe a hand full of worms then showed little to no interest in them. After 10 mins of them not eating them, I removed the left over. I have been starving them for 4 days, during the treatment. No visible symptoms like white poop or anything. Both looks very healthy and thick, not skinny like they have worms. What should I do? I have these for about 2 months. Both had laid eggs before. Nothing I’ve done differently since I got them.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi John, meds can put discus off eating so you might give it some time. Keep up with the water changes. If no changes after a few days bump the temp to about 86 or so. Higher temps can make them hungry.
Pat

[Sparth]

Pat, Still no improvement, any other suggestions?

[Second Hand Pat]

Pat, Still no improvement, any other suggestions?

Hi John, may need more time. Did you bump the temp up a little?
Pat

[Sparth]

Hi Pat,

I have. The tank is outside in my garage in FL weather. They are always in 88 deg. Water. I’ll continue to monitor them

[Dee1958]

John I know you did not like the way I came across on my first reply to you and you can call it advice or opinion whatever but I am still willing to send you a sample of my food, my remaining fry are doing very well and are showing beautiful color at quarter size if you want to try the food you can pm me with a address. Dee

[Sparth]

Dee, thanks but the concern is that I am dealing with them not eating like before. It’s not the food, it’s their appetite, whether from recovering or other diseases may have caused. I have 3 types of food and they ate them, just not eating enough like before.

[Dee1958]

Ok well the offer still stands my fry are loving my recipe growing good and showing beautiful color it could be they don't like the food your feeding. Dee

[sanjay21]

I've had this happen a few times for me as well, as Pat mentioned higher heat is the first step. If that doesn't help, which it didn't in your case too. I would then try feeding live blackworms. Live blackworms always did the trick ! I've recommended this method to many friends of mine and it worked all the time (unless the fish has some other internal parasites).
Before adding the live blackworms I soak them in methylene blue water and then add.

[Lewjo11]

Temp Bump up to 90 or 91 always seemed to be the Magic number! Temp or meds everytime.

[Sparth]

They used to love their blood worm and now doesn’t care. They are even scared of blood worms when see them in the tank. They turn dark, hide in the corner. I had to take the bloodworm out.

As for blackworm, where can I get that?

They are outside in florida weather in the garage so the temp are pretty nice and toasty.

They still haven’t eat anything and its been 2 weeks. Should I do a 10 days metro treatment?

[Second Hand Pat]

John, can you post pics of the fish and tank? Also what does the poop look like? When the temp drops at night does the tank have a heater in it? If yes, what temp does the heater hold the temp at?
Pat

[Sparth]

Pat. The temp always kept at 88-89. If they do eat, they poop normal, no white stringy poop. I will take photos when I get home. They look stunning as usually, just wont eat like before

[Dee1958]

Sparth sorry to hear you’re still having problems and I'm not ready to go away, I won't give you advice but I would like to ask you a few questions I don't think you're problems are parasites but water so here goes, did you cycle this tank when you set it up,how old is your aged water, and do you treat for chlorimines I use amquell Dee

[Sparth]

Dee,

The tank has always been cycled with the sponge filter. Age water are usually at least 24 hr. I use a 55gal drum, I refill them every 3 days or so for next day WC. I don’t think it’s water related. I use prime to treat chloramine. I now use Safe since last week.

[Sparth]

Pat. Here are some pictures

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0jCCFw-_xLoW_-6na-hEi_NZg#Home

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0TRka_sEFoE1mSP90LwP7rJYg#Home

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ER8qVrTsek6IcR7Mi6_H8L6g#Home

I can’t upload photos using my phone :(

[Second Hand Pat]

John, you live pretty close to me. I am tempted to bring you a small sample of FDBWs. Do the fish shy away when you approach the tank. There are only two fish right?
Pat

[Sparth]

Pat, where do you live? I would be blessed for you to stop by :)

Sometimes they are fine, sometimes they startle, sometimes they’ll be fine one minute and the next they started dashing around like i was going to deep fry them. These are the only 2 female i have left. Trying to find them the replacement mates but I want to fix them first

[Second Hand Pat]

John, I am in the Lake Nona area. I think that being just the two of them might be the problem. Lets try an experiment. Do you have some plain black tea? If yes, place a couple tea bags in the water and let the tea darken the water a bit. Also dim the lights if possible or even turn them out. When you approach the tank, approach from the side of the tank (vs the front) and make sure they see you before approaching the tank and move slow. Let see if we can calm them down a bit. How do they act when you are doing a water change?
Pat

[Sparth]

Hi Pat, I just got back from orlando LOL. It is still a 1.5 hrs drive though. As far as startling or calming, I don’t think they are jumpy every times they see me. 9 out of 10 time they act normal, swim up like begging for food like usual. The PE stays in her corner 24/7, the SS swims around like a normal fish. I’ve seen jumpy discus before and this isn’t the case. But from time to time, they are do get startle...especially when I turn on the lights and check up in them. But this never was the case when I first had them. They ate just fine 😭

[Second Hand Pat]

So they are begging but not eating John?
Pat

[Sparth]

Pat, yes. When I come near the tank, they swim up to the top like usual as if I am about to feed them. Then I get a little bit of food, whether it be worms, flakes, BH, they would swim to it, took a sniff or peck at it, then act like I fed them garbage and give me the deer in headlight look.

[Sparth]

Pat, another thing is that since they are in the garage, I am unsure mosquitoes have larvae and they have been munching on them and whenI feed them, they arent eating. I dont know how a fish would not eat anything in 20 days and look healthy is beyond me.

[Second Hand Pat]

Sent you a pm John.
Pat

[Dee1958]

Dee,

The tank has always been cycled with the sponge filter. Age water are usually at least 24 hr. I use a 55gal drum, I refill them every 3 days or so for next day WC. I don’t think it’s water related. I use prime to treat chloramine. I now use Safe since last week.

If that's tetra safe I wouldn't put anything tetra in my tank including food I would get a quality water treatment. Dee

[Sparth]

If that's tetra safe I wouldn't put anything tetra in my tank including food I would get a quality water treatment. Dee

It’s Seachun Safe.