Dead Discus. Shocked.

[DiscusKeeper403]

Hello all,

I just found a dead guy in my tank. No idea why he is dead! He was the runt, who had been being bullied a bit. He was eating (not as much as the others) I noticed a slight color change in the last few months (as he had been being bullied more so lately) he became more peppered. I know one of my fish is showing signs of internal parasite (all are still eating) which I am thinking is a nematode. I have ordered medication, but am not very happy with their service as they forgot what I ordered and did not have a record of me ordering (although they received payment for it) so this has set me back a few days. For those of you that know I am having this problem, it was not the fish that is thought to have the parasites that died, which is why I am a little shocked. When I found him dead the only thing I could see was that his belly looked sort of red for some reason.

[Eddie]

Hello all,

I just found a dead guy in my tank. No idea why he is dead! He was the runt, who had been being bullied a bit. He was eating (not as much as the others) I noticed a slight color change in the last few months (as he had been being bullied more so lately) he became more peppered. I know one of my fish is showing signs of internal parasite (all are still eating) which I am thinking is a nematode. I have ordered medication, but am not very happy with their service as they forgot what I ordered and did not have a record of me ordering (although they received payment for it) so this has set me back a few days. For those of you that know I am having this problem, it was not the fish that is thought to have the parasites that died, which is why I am a little shocked. When I found him dead the only thing I could see was that his belly looked sort of red for some reason.

I'm sorry to hear. If the water checks good, could be internal worms. What meds are you waiting for?



Eddie

[DiscusKeeper403]

Hey Eddie,

I am still waiting for the de-worming flake from angelplus. They are making a mess of things as they couldn't find my order on file (if they did I would probably have it by now.) Still hasn't been sent but I am hoping it will be sent by tomorrow.

I am still in a state of shock though, this fish was healthy yesterday, came and greeted me at the front of the tank begging for food, and is now dead today.

Do you think it could of been old age? I have had him for 2 years now, and when I got him from the LFS he was majorly stunted and I am estimating at around 8 or so months of age. I know stunting can lower life span, do you think it could have just been old age? I know it might be a long stretch. Although probably more probable is worms.

[Eddie]

Could have been alot of different things so its hard to say. It does sound like internal worms though. You said he has been getting bullied and started peppering up alot lately. I am sure the stress allowed whatever it was to take over. Sorry to hear about that man, that blows.

Eddie

[Don Trinko]

Not likely old age; Discus can live for 10 years and more.
I think everyone has lost a fish or two. It hurts to see a living thing die especialy if it was under our care but it happens and usualy we learn from it. This benifits all the future discus in our tanks.
I have had similar things happen because I did not recognise the symptoms of a disease.
We can not go back in time to fix these things but we can learn and go forawd.. Don T.

[DiscusKeeper403]

Thanks for the replies Don and Eddie. I am pretty sure it was that parasite though, as now that I think of it he was eating less then the past two months and was looking a bit skinnier. I didn't get a chance to test the water, as it slipped my mind and I am half way through a 100% water change.

[Eddie]

Thanks for the replies Don and Eddie. I am pretty sure it was that parasite though, as now that I think of it he was eating less then the past two months and was looking a bit skinnier. I didn't get a chance to test the water, as it slipped my mind and I am half way through a 100% water change.

Hey DL, just curious, how old are your fish now? Did you get some new ones?


Eddie

[Jhhnn]

Stunted fish are damaged fish- their constitution has been weakened. The other fish sense this, and have a tendency to bully them mercilessly- gotta take it out on somebody, right?

Think of it as a blessing in disguise, a canary in a coalmine kinda deal...

[DiscusKeeper403]

Thanks for the replies.

My oldest one in the tank now is that blue guy which I've had probably 1 year now. I got him pretty small at around 2.5 inches, so my a little older then 1 year old.

[Eddie]

Thanks for the replies.

My oldest one in the tank now is that blue guy which I've had probably 1 year now. I got him pretty small at around 2.5 inches, so my a little older then 1 year old.

If your current fish are above 9 months old, they probably won't be benefiting much from those large water changes you mentioned earlier. Do you have new fish?

Eddie

[Daniella]

All I can think of is organ failure.

If the fish was still eating, then what else can it be? Discus don't die fast usualy. I just brought back really sick fish which I thought woudl die but they recovered quickly. One was not eating for a month and it started to eat now. So they don't die instantly unless there is poison in the water and they would all be affected, or some organ failure.

I know some discus have received hormones from the breeder and this can affect their internal organs. Later these fish can die suddendly for no apparent reason.

Maybe it was a kidney failure or something like that, if the fish was not showing sign of heavy breathing or clamped fins and was still eating.

Or maybe he had some internal parasite and he developped blood poisoning from an internal infection due to the parasites?





Not likely old age; Discus can live for 10 years and more.
I think everyone has lost a fish or two. It hurts to see a living thing die especialy if it was under our care but it happens and usualy we learn from it. This benifits all the future discus in our tanks.
I have had similar things happen because I did not recognise the symptoms of a disease.
We can not go back in time to fix these things but we can learn and go forawd.. Don T.