Discus swimming on its side around in circles

[byrnsy]

Have an adult (3year old) discus which i have just discovered swimming on its side around in circles, is there any hope for it? And what is the problem? Its the male in my breeding pair.


Mick

[dean30bb]

hi mick
the same thing happend to my angel fish and it was a urinery infection or something but he died b4 i got medicine

[byrnsy]

what kind of medication were you going to get for your angel dean?

[waitaki]

have you checked all your water conditions - ph etc
have you done big water changes?

[byrnsy]

pH is at 6.8 and have been doing 30% water changes every day. Temp is 30-32degrees.

[Merrilyn]

Mick, it sounds to me like a swim bladder infection.

I'd treat with tetracycline (available from your local fish shop) but it will wipe out your bio filter, so treat in a clean hospital tank (a big plastic tub will do) with a heater and airstone.

Good luck.

[byrnsy]

would i maybe be able to add stresszyme after it wipes my bio? have the tetraclyn coming via mail as local shops dont have it. Hopefully it arrives in time. Have added epsom salts and melafix since.

Mick

[Merrilyn]

The epsom salts will help the fish to empty it's gut, so may do some good.

I don't have much faith in all those bacteria boosting products, so if you treat in the main tank, you'll have to recycle from scratch. Discus don't cope well with an uncycled tank, and it certainly won't do your sick fish any favours.

How about running your filter in another tank, or even in a bucket of tank water for a few days while you carry out the treatment on the main tank.

You'll need to supply the bacteria some food in the form of ammonia, but that's easily achieved with some rotting fish food or a piece of green prawn. Both will give off ammonia as they decay, thus feeding your bio filter and keeping it alive till you can put the filter back on the main tank.

[Hollowman]

I think if you can remove the fish to a smaller enclosure (bucket) or small tank, you can treat it there. Big daily water changes for the time of the treatment will be ok, the fish will survive this. Leave your present filter where it is so you don't kill the bacteria.


Hollowman

[byrnsy]

theanks Merrilyn and Hollowman, will move the fish into a small hospital tank today. Can i continue treating with things like melafix or trysulfate while treating with tetraclyne? Or shoudlnt i have to? The fish is still dark however more upright now than before :)

Mick

[Merrilyn]

Just one medication at a time. I don't like to mix them at all, because the meds can be lethal if you don't know what you're doing.

If you want to change from one med to another, then do a couple of big water changes and add some carbon to the filter for 24 hours to remove all traces of the previous med. You can then safely begin treatment with the second medication.

I don't think Melafix does much for discus due to their unique slime coating. I've had success using it on other fish, but never on discus.

[byrnsy]

thanks merrilyn, have you ever used trisulfate or a product similar? Will start on the med once my hospital tank gets to 30deg and the discus can go in

Mick

[byrnsy]

Sad news this morning as we lost the Discus. Hopefully there wont be a next time and if there is we'll be able to find the medication to treat the illness.
Thanks for everyone's help in the process.

Mick