skinny discus

[lpiasente]

I have 3 discus that are skinny. One is soooooooo skinny, I bought her like that because I knew no different. After a few days of having her home she refused to eat and got so unwell that she couldn't balance herself and I was sure I was going to find her dead when I woke up. I seperated her from the other fishies with a grid and slowly she started eating and I was able to put her back in with the other fish. She is a red melon but I am not exaggerating she went white well opaque and I can see right through her. She is now happy active and feeds very well even from my hand. Her colour has turned apricot and getting darker all the time but she is still very skinny. I have wormed them all and they all get fed 2-3 times a day. Different things all the time. Blood worms,beefheart frozen and live brine shrimp different types of pellets tetra bits spriulina flakes tubifex worms. What should I be feeding them and when to add the weight on. The other 2 are ok but compared to the 4 really healthy ones they don't look as well filled out. Thanks Leanne

[Merrilyn]

Your feeding routine seems pretty good. Perhaps increase the beefheart meals to at least one a day, and alternate with the other foods. Beefheart seems the best to put weight on them.

As far as them still being skinny, I really do think you need to worm them again, this time using levamisole which will remove nematodes (round worm and thread worm.)

These worms can be difficult to remove so often take a couple of treatments to fully eradicate.

[lpiasente]

Thanks Merrylin. Is that a brand of wormer?

[Merrilyn]

Have a read of this thread.

http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13278

The brand we use is Sykes Big L Pig and Poultry Wormer. Add it to the tank at the rate of 1 ml per per 7 litres of water (or 10 ml per 70 litres)

[waitaki]

good work on saving your fish! well done, I lost 2 recently - worms stopped eating, I tried really hard to save them so you have done really well. Hope you fish grow fat and healthy :D :D

[lpiasente]

Thanks. I really can't believe she is still alive, she was so close to death. I was holding her upright in my hand because I was freaking out and didn't know what to do. Off to buy big L today.
Thanks