Help with a sick discus please

[shawn barker]

Hi all

I'm in need of some advice about one of my discus.

Yesterday they were all fine, swimming around eating well etc. but this morning I have see one of them swimming at a very odd angle(almost on its side) with its top and bottom fins almost clamped tight to its body, with its colouration darker than usual.

Anyone any ideas what may be wrong and what treatment, if any, may be readily available in the UK to treat whatever ails the poor thing? Would I be correct in assuming that I would probably need to treat its tankmates at the same time even though at present(fingers crossed) they appear well?

Shawn(worried fish keeper)

PS Water test checks out fine.

[mistakes r crucial]

Hi Shawn,

It's very difficult to tell what is wrong, if anything, without seeing the fish. If you can post pics of your fish together with water params people here will be far more able to help point you in the right direction.
Cheers and the best of luck,
MAC

[MattB]

Hey shawn.

I had the same problem but I think mine was far more severe than yours, where my discus was floating on the side at the surface. I was told by some expert advisers here to put in 1 teaspoon of epsom salt (Magnesium sulfate- got mine from a pharmacist) per 40L of tank water into the tank.

I did this because I suspected an intestinal/swim bladder problem and epsom salt helps to clear the bowels/digestive tracts. It is also relatively harmless to the fish (I think). Somehow the discus made a miraculous recovery, but a week has passed now and its still a little less active than usual, eating less than the others etc. I am hoping it will gradually regain confidence as hunger gets the better of it.

From what I know, it might be a swim bladder problem. I'm sorry to say I dont know much about that. You might be able to research some information.

Good luck, hopefully someone with more experience can help :)

[shawn barker]

Thanks for the help both of you.

Batteries are dead in my camera so no pics of the sick fish, not much help I know...sorry.

The strange thing is now the sick fish appears to have had a miracle and is swimming around and even pecking at some food, granted not as ravenously as the others who eat like its the first time they have seen food in months...even though I feed them 3-4 times a day (smallish amounts- 2 cubes of either BH, BW, daphnia, or schillingmans discus fit twice a day and maybe a small amount of tetra prima a couple of times daily if they are lucky!).

Now feel a bit like I have wasted your time seeing the little devil swimming around. But should I be concerned or just put it down to one of those things?

[mistakes r crucial]

Hi Shawn,

Just keep your eye on it for the next week or so and if it were me I would be increasing W/C's during that time. 20%-30% per day if you can or at least 3 times a week for the next week or two. Best of luck.
MAC

[Bill T]

I've had this sort of thing happen also. Fish looks like it will die any second, next thing it's happy as. I treated with Octozin & there was a great intestinal parasite purge. My fish have been great ever since.

[shawn barker]

I've had this sort of thing happen also. Fish looks like it will die any second, next thing it's happy as. I treated with Octozin & there was a great intestinal parasite purge. My fish have been great ever since.

Might have to pop down my LFS and get some wormer then, it wouldn't hurt as it was a while ago that I did it.

Out of interest how often should I be worming? (The fish not me)