Need Help with Diagnosis and Treatment

[JoeFromDC]

My 6 discus have been healthy and happy for about 9 months now. Today I noticed that one of them appears to be a bit faded in color and seems to have some mobility problems. Its head is currently pointing upward at about a 45 degree angle. Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong or how I should go about treating this condition? Thanks!

Joe

[JoeFromDC]

Also, it looks like there is something white on the tips of the fins and tail...

[Barb Newell]

Hi Joe. Is it only one fish tail standing. He may be bloated. Add 1 tbsp/ 10 gals of epsom salts to the tank.



Have you treated with any meds lately, any new fish/ plants, what is your water change regime?

Barb

[JoeFromDC]

Barb,

Thanks for your response. Yes, it is just one fish and I THOUGHT the fish might have looked a bit bloated, so maybe that is it. I will add some salt to the tank.

No, I haven't treated them with any prior meds and no new plants or other additions. I change 50% of the water twice a week. I know more is better, but since there are only 6 fish in a 90 gallon, it seems like that is enough. (I changed their water daily when they originally were in a smaller tank).

Thanks,
Joe

[Barb Newell]

Hi Joe, I'd increase the water changes to daily to clear the fins and tails up.

Make sure it's epsom salt that you add for bloat.

Barb

[JoeFromDC]

Barb-

Oops, in my rush to treat, I used salt and not epsom salt, so thanks again for that clarification. This morning the fish's condition was the same (and the others still seem fine), so I went to the store first thing and got some epsom salt. I'll post an update when I get home this afternoon. IF the condition hasn't improved, is there some other course of action I should be taking? Should I assume internal bacterial infection?

And yes, I will go back to daily water changes.

Thanks,
Joe

[ahmad]

Hi Joe

Is your fish eating?
have you notesed any change on its gill?
If you are feeding your fish blood worms then it might have caught some parasites from it and attached on the gill.

ahmad

[JoeFromDC]

Ahmad,

Yes, I feed CBW, although I am thinking that maybe I should stop. I thought that perhaps the gills were moving a bit more than the other fish. The latest report I received a little while ago is that the fish is now lying on its side in the tank.

Joe

[JoeFromDC]

Well, the fish didn't make it. It looks like the tip of the tail had rotted away during the day. (I tried to attach a picture - not sure it would help - but the file was too large).

The other fish seem to be OK so I will just do daily water changes and keep a closer eye of them. And, just in case this may have been part of the problem, I am going to stop feeding them CBW. If there is something else I should be doing, please let me know.

Thanks,
Joe

[Carol_Roberts]

I would do as you stated above - hopefully that should take care of any bacterial problems in the tank

[ShinShin]

Good choice in opting out of the CBW bandwagon.

[ahmad]

Hi Joe

I am very sorry about your fish, and i wish that you take care of the other fish.

ahmad

[Barb Newell]

Hi Joe, sorry you lost your fish. I have found when my fish are blocked, I need to get the epsom salts in there quickly or they don't make it.

Barb