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  1. #1
    Hi, I'm New Here!
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    Do discus get constipated?

    For three weeks now I have had a 3 inch silver pigeon in a 10 gallon isolation tank. pH 6.5, water temp 86F.

    First I treated him for apparent hexamita, as he was not eating anything and excreting white feces.

    I finally got him eating a few live black worms, but he showed signs of gill flukes, so I treated him with a mix of praziquantel, diflubenzuron, metronidazole, and acriflavine. I added an airstone just under the return jet of an outside filter for more oxygen.

    I have done several 70% water changes between meds, using water from my 55 gallon discus tank where all are healthy.

    He isn't eating anything but some live black worms, but I have not seen any feces in at least 10 days. His stomach is distended. Could he be consitpated? If so what is the proper treatment?

    He now has some fin and tail rot . I changed the water again and switch to treatment with a mix of nitrofurazone, furazolidone and potassium dichromate.

    Any advice would be deeply appreciated. He is my prettiest discus.

    Enjoy the day........Mike

  2. #2
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    Hi Mike, they can get it if their diet doesn't contain enough veggi matter, try an epson salt bath, to see if you can get him to pass something.

  3. #3
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    Seems to me that you are throwing loads of different meds at this fish without looking at the real cause. Use clean water, not recycled water from another tank, and make sure the paramaters are right before you go any further. Can you post your parameters please.

    As for constipation, you can use Epson Salts, bought from a chemist/supermarket. Put the fish in a hospital tank and treat with 1-3 heaped teaspoons per 10 gallons. He should pass whatever the blockage is reasonably soon, just monitor the fish while treating for stress. Once the blockage has passed, you should be able to return it to the community.

    hth

    Hollowman
    Why me ?

  4. #4
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    Update on constipated discus

    Last nite he ate a substantial amount of live black worms.Today he is passing feces but they are white and long.

    Current meds in tank are for fin and tail rot which he clearly has.

    Since he is now passing feces again, should I still try the epsom salts? Should I leave meds for fin rot in or remove with carbon then treat with metronidazole for possible hexamita, as indicated by white feces?

    Thanks so much for the suggestions.


    Enjoy the day...........Mike

  5. #5
    Medium Discus
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    Are they jelly / fluffy white or cotton string white?

  6. #6
    Hi, I'm New Here!
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    Thes are sort of in between.

    When he first got sick weeks ago, they were thicker in diameter with a jelly like semi-opaque appearance. These are smaller in diameter and whiter but not like thin,cotton string I have seen with some discus in the past.

    Hope that helps, and thanks for asking.

    Regards..............Mike

  7. #7
    Medium Discus
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    yeah ok. my initial thought is hex by the sound of that. Long Stringy poos are worms (sometimes also has small red hairs pertruding). sorry to hear about it mate. do you have metro?

    PS. stop with the fin rot meds in their current tank and make a Large water change. Put them in a spare BB tank and treat with Metro. Thats my thoughts based on the poos. But Illusn or Hollowman etc may be more exact.

  8. #8
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    Healthy fish poo is generally black in colour, I think what you are seeing has been a result of all the meds, although Aaron has said the best thing, to put him in a hospital tank.
    Sometimes the fish will pass it's stomach lining which looks whitish and jelly like, and people often treat for hex/spiro when it is not necessary.
    In this case though I would give him lots of clean water in the hospital tank, at least 70% change each day for a week, feed only what he can eat and observe.
    As he is eating he will pass faeces, so monitor what comes out. After a week in just clean water, if he is still passing white poo, then as Aarron says treat with metro, or a 3 day course of Esha Hex, I am not sure if you can get that where you are, but it is the best med I have used.

    If he looks bloated over the next few days, use Epson Salts as per last post, then back on clean water.
    hth

    Hollowman
    Why me ?

  9. #9
    Hi, I'm New Here!
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    Update on constipated discus

    He HAS been in alone in a 10 gallon hospital tank since March 26th. A few days before that I noticed that he had stopped eating completely and then started passing thick white jelly like feces, which I though were from hex so I treated with metro for ~10 days.

    Then he started breathing out of one gill only, so I changed 70% water again and started treatment for gill flukes.

    I got that under control but gradually he developed fin rot. His tail has it and one of his lateral fins is all ragged toward the end. I did another water change and treated for fin rot just two days ago.

    I am hesitant to change to plain water when fin rot is still present. Should I?

    Up until this morning - for the last few days - he was staying in the back upper right corner while awake, yet sleep on the bottom front corner. Today he is on the bottom right corner and occasionally swimming around, which I take as a good sign.

    He refuses to eat anything but live black worms but is eating them all each day.

    I DO have metro but I do not have Esha Hex. Do I need it? If so where can I buy some?

    Once again thanks so much for your guidance.

    Respectfully..........Mike

  10. #10
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    I take it that you are doing daily w/c's ??
    Why me ?

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