Are any diseases associated with aging

[Karyn Rees]

in wild discus ?
Do they become more susceptible to any health problems in particular, as they age ?

[Discus Origins]

In my experience not any more than domestics, in fact I usually have less problems with wilds if they were properly QT'd and dewormed in the beginning. How old is the fish (itll be a guess since wild caught) but I've had a manacapuru blue that I received as a 4" juvenile (prob 9-12 months old) that lived for 6 years.

[Moon]

I've got a 8 year old female turq that has a bump on her side. I suspect it is some type of internal organ issue. She's not able to swim erect. Swims with her head down. She eats well and comes to greet me every morning and evening. I suppose like humans discus are prone to some health issues as they age.

[Karyn Rees]

In my experience not any more than domestics, in fact I usually have less problems with wilds if they were properly QT'd and dewormed in the beginning. How old is the fish (itll be a guess since wild caught) but I've had a manacapuru blue that I received as a 4" juvenile (prob 9-12 months old) that lived for 6 years. Hi Mark. The fish are offered to me because they are 4 years old and have started to drop off one by one with a lingering illness where one separates from the group, has trouble eating, gets very thin forehead, and eventually dies. They've been treated several times with antiparasite, antiworm, and antiflagellate metro and heat, and the owner tended to think it was still maybe flagellates. It started before any should have been in old age, but it seems to have been associated with getting older. Otherwise they still look great.

[TURQ64]

Pretty much sounds like what was once termed 'wasting disease'....usually either Hex or Spiro, (they are flagellates) and Metro is about the only means of any success, although there is little hope once they become razor-headed...Gary

[Discus Origins]

+1. Sounds like the fish were not treated properly and still harbor the flagellates. Can you tell me what the treatment process that was given to the fish in detail? Most of the time if the meds, in this case metro, do not get into the fish there is low chance of keeping the parasites under control.

[Karyn Rees]

+1. Sounds like the fish were not treated properly and still harbor the flagellates. Can you tell me what the treatment process that was given to the fish in detail? Most of the time if the meds, in this case metro, do not get into the fish there is low chance of keeping the parasites under control.Hi, m3hc3.

I'm told that they have been treated with metro, keeping higher than recommended dosages in the water and heat, for several periods of a week at least, maybe 5 or 6 times all told. At the same time they were fed it mixed heavily in food as possible to get them to eat some of it too, which all did to different degrees.