Swollen Lip

[Blybo]

My discus has a swollen bottom lip(no photo available yet). Looks like a blister with clear fluid in it and I thought it may be the result of fighting with other discus in my tank. The problem is that it has been that way for over a week now with no improvement in sight. He/she otherwise seems healthy and is still eating well. It is turning quite dark from time to time but I suspect :?: this may have something more to do with courting a new arrival in the tank.

Any advise would be most welcome as I'm travelling quite a bit this month so time for treatment is limited.

Cheers,
Neil

[Blybo]

I decided to treat for Hex when no one replied. It must have been the right diagnosis as after 3 days flagyl treatment and 4 days days back in the display tank her lip has fully healed(minus the bit that rotted away).
She is still quite dark and has a few marks on her side that for want of a better discpription looks like peeling skin. I'm hoping that this will improve over the next week or so.

The great news is she (I now "know" she is a she) layed eggs for the first time yesterday afternoon :D . She must be feeling much better to do this however I'm somewhat concerned that the process may be too taxing for her so early in her recovery...

[sammigold]

Blybo, I am glad to hear your fish is better. Did not reply as did not know what that might be...

In regard to your query about the "peeling" skin.... it may be slime coat...maybe try putting some rock/cooking salt into the tank at a rate of 1 teaspoon per 40 litres, that can help to promote slime coat production.

also I noticed you said you would be travelling abit, does this mean that your w/c have been less...maybe more regular w/c if that has been the case, just to make sure that water is pristine condition for her.

the fact that she has been laying eggs must be looked at as a positive and I think I have read somewhere here that some discus do go darker and produce thicker slimecoat upon spawning in preparation for fry... maybe that is what is happening and why she looks darker.... (somebody can correct me if I am wrong here please!)

cheers,
hth
sammi

[Blybo]

Thanks Sammi,
Yes she seems ok now so I'm happy.

I used some Melafix in my display tank before removing her for metro treatment. Now the display tank (9 days later) has green water and I'm guessing its an algal bloom. The Melafix is the only thing I can put it down to.

Now to fix another problem :( ...

[sammigold]

Its never ending isn't it? lol but we still love them!!