Discus Freak Out?

[carladav]

Hello there, I have a strange situation and I could really use the help,I have a Discus that freak's out about once a week, it flip's all over the tank and then stop's breathing, after a few second's it start's to breath again,every time it does this I check all the peramiter's and they are alway's normal:ph 6-8.7.0,ammonia-normal,nitrate,nitrite-normal,temp 86dgsF,1 tbls of salt per 10 gallon's. There is another Discus in the tank and it does not show any sign's of stress or exsibet any of the above sign's.Please let me know if there is any thing I can do for my Discus.I have had it for 31/2 week's and I do daily water change's of 50%.Nothing in particular set's my Discus off, for example I heard it from my room this morning befor I was even out of bed.Thank you for your time,
Hemi Cuda

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't have an answer for you. It seems like every couple of weeks someone will post with one fish that freaks out in the tank. We have never figured out the problem and usually the fish dies. Sorry . . .

[Rhinoboy38]

sometimes these things just happen...... i had one freaking out and i never figured out why. my therory is that there was a parasite in the water and when i got an ammonia spike it stressed the fish out and got a parasite from the low immunities (thats what happens with fish stress right???)

[Denny]

Does this problem coincide with that elephant coming to life? Maybe it is scared of the thunder.

[simply_fishlover]

Is this problem happen before WC or after WC? Please give better description on when and how it happened. When you first notice comparing the time of the WC. My friend has this problem before it's usually happen after the WC. Could be the discus don't like the water. Try not to skip a day of WC and see how it goes.

[iceskater]

Hi
This problem seems more common than not. I had a fish die from this as well. The initial thrashing happened after a WC but the fish would thrash around various times of the day and night.

I am curious Carol, Cary has this happened to you before? Sure would be nice to have the answer to why this occurs.

[Carol_Roberts]

Never happened to me - only read about other's problems

[carladav]

Thank you for the promt responses, nothing really set's it off, I do my water change's in the morning,the first time that it happened was around 6:00 pm. Nothing out of the ordinary was going on I was watching T.V. and I heard it freaking out, I have two other tank's with Discus and they are all doing very good,even it's tank mate is fine.I have had it for 3 1/2 week's and these freak out's started 1 1/2 week's ago.If you need any other information please ask, I would really like to try and save my fish if I can.Thank you for your time,Hemi Cuda

[Rhinoboy38]

ok when it freaks out does it splash at the top of the tank and/or swims at the bottom rubbing its side on the bottom??? it could be getting erritated from something.

[carladav]

hey there, when it freak's out it splash's at the top of the tank while swimming the lenght of the tank, some time's it does sumersalt's, then it stop's breathing and sink's to the bottom of the tank.After a few second's it start's to breath again. It stay's hidden but it still eat's.( The other discus is doing great which make's me think that it could be genetic? is that possoble?)
Hemi Cuda


hey Denny do you import elephant's or something??? I thought I wrote Discus, my bad.

[Barb Newell]

Maybe parasites or worms in their flesh. I'd treat with Dyacide or Fluke Tabs to rule this out.

Barb

[alex_m]

Hi,

put the fish in a different tank, different location, preferably high.

alex

[carladav]

Barb,
If it is worm's or paresite's in their flesh would both of the fish have the same symptom's?

Alex,
Do you think that the fish do not like their tank placemant? The one that freak's out is a bit flighty, and the other show's no sign's of this behavior at all.

Thank you for your time,
Hemi Cuda

[mattrox]

I had this problem too. I found that separating the affected fish into a seperate tank all by itself helped.

I noticed that when one fish moved suddenly it kinda freaked out the 'sensitive one'. I think it happens when the fish are stressed and something else invades the fish's system. I haven't put my finger on the actual cause, but when they are stressed it happens.

They can recover, but I have also lost fish. A quiet tank where it can regain health in peace is my suggestion. FWIW

Best of luck.
Matt