discus spitting out food

[jeff8428]

I moved 2 pigeon blood discus into a breding tank. They have been there for about 2 months. A few weeks after they moved the male stopped eating as well as he had been. He still eats but he used to eat like a horse. Now he doesn't eat as much and always spits out the flakes a few times before he eats them, and sometimes doesn't eat them at all. . Before he would attack anything as soon as it hit the water, bloodworms, beefheart and flakes. He came from a community tank of 10 discus. He seams absoultely normal other than this. I know moving them is hard on them but thought he would snap out if it by now and go back to his normal eating. Anyone else have this happen or have any ideas. All of the water parameters are the same as before. I have tried garlic too. Any Ideas

[ILLUSN]

i'd be thinking internal paracites, any chance of taking a stool sample to a vet?

[jeff8428]

Not really, The feces is brown and appears normal. I have had parisites in other fish and everytime the feces was white. Do you think I should treat for parisites just to be safe. And what would you recommend for the treatment.

[ILLUSN]

I WOULD NEVER TREAT UNLESS I'M 100% SURE!
but thats just me, have you tried some live brineshrimp? normally that gets fussy fish to eat.

[Hollowman]

I'm with Illusn here, sometimes they just stop eating, if he is still pooing and it is still brown, then he must be eating something. Just monitor for now. :wink:

Hollowman

[Merrilyn]

I think the key phrase here is "He came from a community tank of 10 discus".

Competition will make a fish rush to the food and eat perhaps more than they need. Now that he's in a tank with only one other tankmate, there is no need to rush. Food falls from the heavens, well actually the hand of the fish keeper, and he has all the time in the world to savour his meal. He can even afford to pass on his less favourite foods, and wait for the good stuff to arrive.

If there are still plenty of droppings, and he seems fat and healthy, don't be too concerned.

No healthy fish will starve himself.

[tomahawk]

I agree with Ms.Merrilyn above, it seems still not a reason to be too concerned, though I know how we feel as fishkeepers when we see even a hint of trouble..