Quick Question about Discus Getting Dark

[YSS]

This is a general question and there may not be a definite answer, but I ask anyways.

When a fish eats well and acts pretty much normal, but gets dark often, what does that mean? Internal parasites, bacterial infection, and/or viral infection? Any thoughts?

[Chicago Discus]

This is a general question and there may not be a definite answer, but I ask anyways.

When a fish eats well and acts pretty much normal, but gets dark often, what does that mean? Internal parasites, bacterial infection, and/or viral infection? Any thoughts?
Oh God, IMO it could mean all the above or nothing some of my guys turn dark when they eat, spawn, fight, get sick etc..... it depends on what else is going on ........Josie

[Skip]

dude..i had a LSS go through that for a few months.. then it stopped..

[YSS]

Oh God, IMO it could mean all the above or nothing some of my guys turn dark when they eat, spawn, fight, get sick etc..... it depends on what else is going on ........Josie

I am sure it's sickness related. My question is what kind of sickness, but sounds like one or all of the above.



dude..i had a LSS go through that for a few months.. then it stopped..

Stopped meaning dead? :-(

[Second Hand Pat]

Yun, some of my smaller Tefe will get a little dark and clamped fins after eating live red wigglers. They recover in a couple of hours. Almost like the wiggler gives them a small bellyache.

[Chicago Discus]

I am sure it's sickness related. My question is what kind of sickness, but sounds like one or all of the above.
fill out the sickness questioner and lets take a look............Josie

[ZX10R]

A couple of mine do it during feedings

[Skip]

lol... happy as a calm he is

[YSS]

fill out the sickness questioner and lets take a look............Josie

Not sure about that. It is going to say "... been feeding frozen blackworms and ....." :)

On a serious note, some have mentioned bacterial infection. He stopeed eating so put him through the heat treatment. He is now eating and eating better each day, however, he is turning dark here and there. Could be something else bothering him.



lol... happy as a calm he is

So, he is all good, I presume?

[Skip]

yes.. he is alive and has not turned dark in several weeks.. after starting in AUG. to be dark..

[DonMD]

I had a positive diagnosis of cryptobia in my fish in December. I can't say where the bugger came from, who knows. But the symptoms have been some darkening, some sulking, but still eating, sometimes coloring up, but not the typical signs of hex, meaning not the long stringy white feces, not the pinched forehead. But I've lost a couple fish between October, I think, and December, and another one is now showing those symptoms.

The symptoms you describe could be lots of things, that's why behavioral and observational diagnosis of discus disease is so difficult. Cryptobia is a flagellate, a parasite, similar to but distinct from spironucleus vortens, or hex.

I'm hoping that the NADA convention in Atlanta will include a workshop on scoping fish, I would certainly like to learn how to use one, and how to interpret the slides.

[YSS]

I had a positive diagnosis of cryptobia in my fish in December. I can't say where the bugger came from, who knows. But the symptoms have been some darkening, some sulking, but still eating, sometimes coloring up, but not the typical signs of hex, meaning not the long stringy white feces, not the pinched forehead. But I've lost a couple fish between October, I think, and December, and another one is now showing those symptoms.

The symptoms you describe could be lots of things, that's why behavioral and observational diagnosis of discus disease is so difficult. Cryptobia is a flagellate, a parasite, similar to but distinct from spironucleus vortens, or hex.

I'm hoping that the NADA convention in Atlanta will include a workshop on scoping fish, I would certainly like to learn how to use one, and how to interpret the slides.

Thanks for the info, Don. I wonder if heat would be effective against cryptobia .... I just put one fish that stopped eating through heat treatment and he appears to be well. I just put another one in the hospital tank today and will do the heat treatment for a week. Will keep everyone updated.

Yun-

[Brokenrack]

Don here is good link to using a microscope with nice videos at the end to show common parisites.
http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/microscope/micro01.htm
Hope it helps,
Scott

I had a positive diagnosis of cryptobia in my fish in December. I can't say where the bugger came from, who knows. But the symptoms have been some darkening, some sulking, but still eating, sometimes coloring up, but not the typical signs of hex, meaning not the long stringy white feces, not the pinched forehead. But I've lost a couple fish between October, I think, and December, and another one is now showing those symptoms.

The symptoms you describe could be lots of things, that's why behavioral and observational diagnosis of discus disease is so difficult. Cryptobia is a flagellate, a parasite, similar to but distinct from spironucleus vortens, or hex.

I'm hoping that the NADA convention in Atlanta will include a workshop on scoping fish, I would certainly like to learn how to use one, and how to interpret the slides.