Advice Needed

[shanek]

I have (4) adult discus (5" to 7") in a 60 gallon planted aquarium. Recently (1), possibly (2) discus have stopped eating. The other (2) are eating.

The discus that has recently stopped eating gets chased a bit. This discus used to eat well even tough it was the lowest on the pecking order. Yesterday, I saw some white feces. It was about 4" long or so.

I run the water temp at 83F. Did a 50% water change yesterday. Tested NH4 and NO2 with cheap test kits and they both read 0. The pH is held at about 6.7 with a pH controller via CO2 injections. The tank has been up for about 1.5 years.

Recently (6 weeks ago) the tank has been rescaped a bit. Could it be stress related to this?

Should my remedy for now be 50% water changes every other day for like 2 weeks and see what happens?

Or should I do something else? I have never had any sort of disease with discus, so I am in uncharted territory.

I do not want to put any sort of medications in the tank because of the plants.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

[brewmaster15]

Hi,
It could be just stress from the changes but have you checked your water parameters? Ammonia and nitrite?

Can you post some pictures of the fish?

thanks ,
al

[shanek]

Hi Bremaster,

Last night the nitrite and ammonia were 0 acording to my cheap test kits. I have removed the (1) discus that is pooping white into a hospital tank. I will try to take a pic of the poop from the fish the next time I see some in the hospital tank.

I am also administering PrazilPro. The bottle claims that you can use it as a preventative measure as well; so it sounds like if the fish doesn't have a parasite, etc. it won't harm it.

I figured being the fish was also getting stressed from the others chasing it all over the tank; it might be nice for it to have its own place for now.

[shanek]

Here are some pics of the poop of the fish in the hospital tank.

Does this look familiar to anybody?

The fish has been in PraziPro for almost 1 day now.

There is another fish in the main tank that isn't eating. Not sure if I should put it into the hospital tank as well.

Also, would UV sterilization in the main tank be good to do now?

[brewmaster15]

Hi again,
Definetly not tapeworms, but could be intestinal lining, possibly related to flagellate protozoans...

Since the other isn't eating either I would put them together and get that Temperature up a few degrees..sometimes thats all thats needed... try keeping them at 88F for a few days... and for food...just try feeding them sparingly ..I would try frzn blood worms and brine shrimp.. avoid messy foods.

if you don't see an improvement with the temp after a few days..I would consider using metronidazole.

HTH,
al
ps... The prazi mosty likely won't help here.

[shanek]

Hi Brewmaster,

Okay, I will take out the other discus that isn't eating into the hospital tank. I am doing 50% water changes every other day in the main planted tank. How often should I change the water in the hospital tank. The hospital tank is only a 10 gallon with a sponge filter and heater.

Should I discontinue the PraziPro treatment?

Should I use UV Sterlizer on the main tank?

[brewmaster15]

If the filter is cycled in that tank...daily 50% should be fine......if not cycled then I'd do much more wc... you can just use tank water from the planted tank to do the wcs.

I'd discontinue the prazi...

UV isn't going to hurt anything on that tank...so you can use it if you like...I don't think it would have helped prevent this though....

sometimes when a fish is stressed their immune system weakens...much as ours do and they get sick from things that normally would not make them sick.

hth,
al

[shanek]

The tank is not cycled. How about I do (2) 50% water changes per day on the hospital tank using the water from the planted tank? Would that be good enough?

[brewmaster15]

should work.. Just monitor your ammonia.:)

hth,
al

[shanek]

I took a closer look at the other discus that is currently in the planted tank. I think I sawa small spot on his body that has soe cottony stuff haging off of it. The discus is scratching itself on driftwood, plants, etc.

I am planning on putting it in the hospital tank as well.

What is used to clear this up? Can I use the PraziPro?

[brewmaster15]

Hi,
That may be nothing to worry about ..( a pic may help)...I would not treat with anything for it...it may just be a minor wound... I'd focus on the ones not eating.

If you want to put it in with the hospitol tank...its going to be cramped in that 10 gal tank!:)

-al

[shanek]

What is the best way to cycle a tank quickly and safely while a fish is in the hospital tank?

Use a product like Seachem stability?

[brewmaster15]

Use some biofilter material from the tank they came from or another tank that you are sure has no issues.

hth,
al

[shanek]

Update: I put the other discus that wasn't eating in the hospital tank yesterday. I have continued the PraziPro treatment. Doing (2) 50% water changes per day. The first discus was eating frozen bloodworms for the first time yesterday. Today the poop if the 1st discus is black. Water temp 86-88F.

The second discus hasn't eaten yet but is 1-2 days behind the first one in treatment. These (2) are now fighting. I believe these (2) fish are a pair. They laid eggs one time and ate them.

Not sure if having these two together will hinder their recovery. I put bloodworms into the tank today and so far neither has eaten any. They are too busy tail slapping eat other, doing head-to-head peking, and chasing each other around.

[shanek]

Update: It seems both discus are now eating small amounts of hikari bloodworms. They are still fighting with each other a bit. I have not noticed any white poop. Have seen a few dark poops in the hospital tank.

The first discus is on Day 5 of PraziPro treatment and the second is on Day 3 of PraziPro treatment.

I am thinking of taking them off of the ParaziPro treatment after today; what do you think?

When should I place them back in the main tank?

[shanek]

Update:

I put both discus back in the main planted tank. Both fish eating great, swimming around normally. They seem to be doing well.

I have seen them flash and do some fin shimmering. Maybe add a UV to the tank?

[shanek]

Update:

Well, a strange turn of events. One of the two discus that were in the hospital tank has passed today. Was eating this morning and tonight is gone. I did notice the discus shaking quivering today. My suspicion is its parasitic but have no real evidence of it. I have noticed this discus scraping up against driftwood. But has been doing this for a very long time. Perhaps the parasite got the best of him?

I was actually doing the water change when this particular discus began to lay flat at the bottom.

Wondering what I whould do if anything to the rest of the tank. There are 3 more discus in the tank.