discus with sunken sides ?

[mike J]

I have a blue snakeskin female and I am thinking she may be sick. I have noticed that her vertical stripes are always dark and when you view her from the front or back you can see large depressions on both sides. These depressions are halfway between the fish's midsectoin and the base of the tail on both sides. She seems to be eating and excreting normally but she is not a vigorous eater. I have also seen,occasionaly, that she shakes and jerks her head around.

i've wondered if the depressions could be from heximita or some other internal problem, but there is no white exrement.

any advice would be appreciated.

[Barb Newell]

Hi Mike. When the bars are showing all the time it can mean stress or illness or bad water conditions. I'd increase water changes. Is her poop dark? Have you dewormed, your fish may have worms. Piperazine is a good dewormer.

"she shakes and jerks her head around."

Any clamped gills, or rubbing/flashing off of objects? May be flukes.

Barb

[Carol_Roberts]

If the discus is full in teh stomach area and then pinched behind it may be constipation. Try 1 tablespoon epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) per 10 gallons water. Discus should improve in 4 hours. You can dose in main tank as it does not hurt other fish or biiofilters.