New Discus not eating

[mr troph]

G'day. I picked up a new young adult Discus from a nearby town on Wednesday and have yet to see it eat. Also it has started to develope a fungus on it tail fin and top fin. How do I treat this?.

I didnt think to ask the store what they were feeding there discus. I rang them today and they are feeding live black worms. The shop is 1hrs drive so I will see if I can get over tommorro for some black worms.

The new discus is in a 6ft with 6 other young adults that are very heathy. I feed home made BH, frozen brine, frozen blood worms, NLS Discus, NLS Cichlid, tetra bits and live mosqieto larve.

PH 6
temp 28
water changes 50% every 2 days, sometimes daily.

Any advise on these problem would be much appreciated. The new D was expensive and I would hate to lose it.

Thanks.

Todd

[ILLUSN]

protozin has always worked for me with fungus, that would be my first port of call, next you'll proably have to isolate him in a seperate tank and wheen him onto your beefheart mix. if you can add the beefheart first and then the worms so they ar crawling on and through it, he'll soon get the taste as he eats both the worms and the heart together.

[mr troph]

:D Thanks ILLUSN. Where do I get protozin? Is it available at a good LFS or vet only.
I remember reading about salt baths for treating Discus but I cant find that article. would you advise this?

Thanks.

Todd

[ILLUSN]

I got mine from ASA but any decent aquarium should have it.

I've never used a salt bath for fungus so I cant comment on it.

Salt is an excellent tonic for discus (IME) and i use it when ever my fish look off color (1-2tsp/40L), but i dont use it specifically for fungus.

[mr troph]

Thanks mate. I got my hands on 2 types of fungus cure. Both contain Acriflavine and Malachite green. Directions for both are 5ml to 20lts. I have set up a 2ft hospital tank for a salt bath should I give this a go? If so how long should I keep it in there before I change the salty water out? Or should I go strait for the meds.
I will have some black worms tommorro afternoon.

Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks.

Todd

[ILLUSN]

if you've got some fungus meds use them over salt, they always work.

if you do the salt bath watch him and when he starts showing distress take him out.

i'd keep him in the hosp tank for a month or so till he's eating all the foods you feed your other fish.

[mr troph]

:) Thanks I really appreciate the help. I will take the water salty water out add some meds and put he/she in. How long should I keep the treatment up for. The fungus has gotten worse very quickly.

[mr troph]

:( I just discovered the treatments I have are about 6month out of date. Can the be used?

[ILLUSN]

meth blue and malechit green never go off, the stuff i use at work is 19 years old.

[mr troph]

:) Ok sweet. I gave a salt bath for about 45mins. Then changed all the water in hospital tank with water from discus display and about 30% from my water change drum. I will see if I can find some protozin tommorro. If not I will use the stuff I've got.
Thanks again.

[mr troph]

I rang the shop this morning and the told me they had black worms. When I got there and asked for them they told me they didnt have any so you could imagine after they hours drive I was a little peved but I held my tongue.
I picked up some Protozin and when I got home gave the hospital tank a 75% water change and dosed will protozin as directed on bottle. I'll see how it looks in the morning. Is there anything else I should do.
I guess my main concern is its appatite. They wont have any black worms until tuesday.
Thanks.

Todd

[Merrilyn]

A number of members, myself included, have had wonderful success with feeding Mal's Freeze Dried Blackworms to reluctant eaters.

You can find a thread on them here http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15132

Mal will post out a sample to you if you send him a PM.