New discus, 1 is lethargic

[dazzy]

Hello, greetings to all !
I bought 3 discus yesterday, my first. I've had a community tank for almost a year, and have been preparing for the discus in the meantime...so I only have friendly tankmates who can share the same temperature range. Also I have a pressurised CO2 system and 2 filters, one is the original internal that came with the Juwel Rio180, and also an Eheim external Prof 2224. Temperature is 29°centigrade, Ph is 6.8

One of the 3 discus I bought is acting very lethargic. It can swim, like hell in fact...but it chooses to just lay at the bottom on a piece of bog wood, or lay against the filter intake. It looks as though it is gasping. None of the other fish share those symptoms. The one discus is a kind of orange colour, and it has no other symptoms such as ich or any wounds. Actually, it was acting this way before I even opened the bag.

The other 2 are so far looking very at home, parading around together through the plants, meeting the other fish.

I have read about increasing the temperature......and I have read about adding salt. Trouble is, I don't know how much. The aquarium is 180 liters, about 50 US gallons I believe.

Oh yeah, nitrite is zero (or at least not enough to register)

Please help!!!

[April]

how long were they in the bags? i would add air....first...and maybe get him up higher so not as much pressure on him. he may just have shipping damage. he may get better.you could add salt...but if you have plants..not as good...usually alot of people do add salt and higher heat for new fish.
but...one thing for sure...3 is not a good number. you need 4 at least. how old are they? or what size?
at this point.not alot more you can do. was he in good shape when you got him? was he shipped or did you buy them and see them when you got them?

[dazzy]

Hi April, thanks for answering....
The fish were in the bag for about 1 1/2 hours.......I got them from the store where they seemed ok, and then I floated the bag in the aquarium and let the temperature even out. Then I opened the bag and dripped water from the aquarium into the bag, slowly...over about 30 minutes. Just before opening the bag to do this, I noticed the orange one was sitting upright with his mouth to the surface. I was concerned about this, so I wanted to get him into the aquarium as soon as possible (probably the opposite to what I should have done).

No idea how old they are...but they're about 2 inches measuring vertically

[April]

no...as long as you go to warmer and higher ph..that is fine to put him right in. so thats not the problem. think he was maybe oxygen deprived..or getting high ammonia in the bag. so....i would definitely add an airstone if you can..and salt may help. not sure theres much more you can do right now. were they all in the same bag..or separate bags?

[dazzy]

All in the same bag....actually, there wasn't a great deal of water in it now that you mention it. There was barely enough to cover them up when they stand normally. I didn't make that connection 'til now.

Yep I have an airstone and a very good air pump which I can get out and use. I'll do that right away. The plants are bubbling O2 right now too.

And thanks for telling me about the quantity....I asked the guy in the shop and he said "jaaaaaaa" (I live in Belgium). So I need a couple more, what a terrible shame that I must get more ;-) I'm still very concerned over this little thing though =(

[dazzy]

He's out swimming now....but seems a bit weak. He tips up a bit and almost goes horizontal. I have a strong current in there from the Eheim though, and all the other fish end up looking like that when they "sleep" so I don't think it's a lack of balance, more a lack of strength

[Carol_Roberts]

He may have been sick in the store. What is their return policy? I would hesitate to keep a fish that had problems after such a short time. Do you really want to start medicating your whole tank? If you start with healthy discus now you will have less problems 3 months from now.
CArol :heart1:

[dazzy]

Unfortunately, he/she died =(
I separated him/her..........and I made sure he/she had enough food and wouldn't be disturbed by any other hungry piglets...but the discus ate nothing, and died. Such a shame.

I will take the body back tomorrow to the store and ask for a replacement, but it kinda feels horrible to do that with a living thing. But I shall get a replacement, and purchase an additional one so we have 4 discus.

About the returns policy, well I think I'm going to have to help them to write one up, because Belgium must be the worst country in the world for consumer rights, next to Iran or something.

[April]

sorry to hear about the little one dying.but definitely sounds like it came weak. hope you do get a refund.
yes id say 4 is far better. make sure they come up to eat when you choose them. put your hand up the top of the tank...
and watch. and watch for any with a pinched looking head when you look at them straight on.
or no white feces...or check make sure both gills are working...togeather. not one..
well let us know how it goes.

[dazzy]

Unbelievably, a 2nd fish died. I went to the shop and I saw that they were keeping the discus in totally different conditions than I was. I did my research (maybe wrongly?) and I made sure the Ph was 6.8 and the temperature was 29°c, with zero nitrites of course. My aquarium is generally fantastically clean and clear, and the other fish seem really happy...so do the plants.

However, the guy in the shop had been keeping the discus at ph 7.2 and at 24° to 25°c.....to perhaps this is the cause? that I should have taken much longer to acclimatise the fish to my conditions.

Regarding the pinched head....do you know any site where I can see a comparison of a normal shape and a pinched shape? If I get a chance, I'll take a picture of the one remaining and post it.

[Carol_Roberts]

The 7.2 store pH is fine, but your lower pH may have been a shock. I think the store owner doesn't know how to keep discus if he had them in that cold of water. I'd find someone else to buy from. Have you been to this site? http://discus.pagina.nl/

Carol :heart1: