Am i being paranoid....or should I be worried?

[Scribbles]

Hi all. Don't know if I'm just being paranoid but one of my discus has been dark for a week. I got it twelve days ago with seven others. They had all been doing great. However one week ago my heater died in the night and we don't heat the downstairs in the PM. The temp went from 86 to 74. I put my spare heater in and warmed them back up. Half were dark for 24 hours. Only 2 dark after 48 hours. This guy though is still dark. He eats like a pig and swims with the rest of them. I don't see any marks or parasites and his gills look normal. He looks like he has even grown this past week. Amonia and nitrite are 0 Nitrates slightly under 5. I'm feeding 8 times a day give or take and doing 50-70% wc daily. Any thoughts? I don't have much experience with sick discus.

Thank you for any help.

[Roxanne]

Hey Scrib, Usually when they have been subjected to temp drops, they get a bit of fin rot/damage...are any of their fins damaged/tattered? They can be susceptable to bacterial infection also, but a desciption of their "fin health" would help...
Rox

[Scribbles]

Sorry, I should have added that in the original post. Fins appear normal. In fact everything about this fish appears normal except its color. In fact I just fed them again and he was first in line for the grub.

[Roxanne]

isn't it always the way?, get new fish, 'something' happens around the same time, we're left scratching our head wondering if the 2 are related...hmm...have you treated them for worms etc since you bought them or any meds at all?

[Don Trinko]

I'm no expert but if it is eating well, not hidding, and has no visible sign of disease I would not worry but I would keep an eye on it.
Don t.
P.S. You think your paranoid? I bought a pair of binoculars so I could watch my discus from across the room!

[Scribbles]

I'm no expert but if it is eating well, not hidding, and has no visible sign of disease I would not worry but I would keep an eye on it.
Don t.
P.S. You think your paranoid? I bought a pair of binoculars so I could watch my discus from across the room!

Ha ha, you may have me on that one. I'm blind in one eye and over half blind in the other. I always feed by hand so that I can get everybody lined up in my "good spot" to thoroughly inspect them. I also have other family members check them out daily in case I miss something.

Hey Rox, thanks for the input. No, I haven't used any meds on these guys. My inclination is not to unless something shows up that needs it. But as I said before, I haven't had much ecperience with sick discus.

[Scribbles]

Forgot to add, feces appear normal.