headstanding advice

I got some extra tanks set up and decided to give it a shot curing my male of headstanding....he was given to me with a pre-existing problem(for approximately 4 months)...i know the chances are pretty slim at this point but i'm gonna give it a try...I've got him in a 25 gallon tank, with the water approximately 3-4 inches above his fin when he's swimming level, and i've added some epsom salts(approx 1 tbsp per 5 gallons) how long would you leave him in this tank?? would you raise/lower the water level at all?? any suggestions would be welcome....
I realize there are previous threads about this but i wanted some suggestions to my particular questions....thanks, david

p.s. other than the headstanding he seems happy, and gets the lion share of the food cos he's usually facing the bottom ;)

[fcdiscus]

Hi David, You can try it, but take it from me- it will not work. I hope it does, but I have tried it, and the results were negative. Frank

I believe it's an bacterial infection of the bladder. I've dissected a few handstanders and found the bladders were all inflammed and loaded with water. some people try wide spectrum anti-biotic and works. Try Maracyn which is a Tetracycline base antibiotic. I'm not convince it had worked for me. I have a few right themselves after I've tried it. But most didn't last long. They did it again and again and eventually i said good bye and sent them to my garden where they live happily ever after..
Jimmy.

[Discusgeo]

David here is a link to Discus Page Holland. Read the article, it explains about headstanding and the cause. I hope it helps you out.
George
http://www.dph.nl/sub-article/cat-02/swimblader.shtml

[brewmaster15]

George... ;) :)


David, I'm with Jimmy... I'd go with a good wide spectrum antibiotic...a systemic...

Jimmy mentioned maracyn.(erythromycin).. that works great on gram positive bacteria, and can be used with maracyn 2(minocycline). which works systemically and is readily absorbed.

hth,
al

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

I have had only one Discus that was a head stander, I tried the lowering water thing with no results, after weeks I was ready to destroy the fish but decided why not try an antibotic. I used penicillin and with in 24 hours the fish was better and by three days the fish was normal, this was over a year ago and the female has spawned many time since and never has had a relapse, I may have been luck with this fish, but I do think an antibiotic is worth a try.
Dennis