Problematic fish!

[angel101]

Hi there, I recently purchased two adult discus and both settled into their new planted tank well. One, the smaller of the two has eaten everything offered, but the larger one has only mouthed and spat out offered food. I have offered Tetra Bits, Live brine Shrimp. frozen Blood worm and live Black worm. This fish is active, it displays to its parner, it's showing good colour and is nice and light. The strange thing is that it has eaten plant matter. At first I thought it was cleaning a nest site, but then in launched into a sword leaf and ate some of it, it has a particular fondness for the browned off sections and sems to target them. It also seems to be consuming algae from the leaves.

It's now Tuesday night and I got him on Friday, so how long bfore I should start to worry? I have never had a fish go this long without eating, so its a bit of a worry. I have already increased the temperature of the water fron 28 to 30 degrees celsius. Also does anyone know of a shop in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne that stocks Octozin? I'm concerned that he might have Hexamita in its early stages and I have no access to Metro.


Regards Gary

[lpiasente]

Hi Gary, I would worm them. Metro comes from a vet. I have had no problems getting it. I just took a picture of the sick fish, pic of the poop and a print out of the metro dosage on here and they gave it to me.

[m.ingram]

Hi Gary i dont think octozin is avalible in australia any more you will need to see your vet and get some metro.

[ILLUSN]

octozin and metro use a very similar drug, pay for the consult and get the metro if you cant find octozin, as for the vegimatter, try giving the fish a quick dip in epson salts 1tbl spoon, 4L for 10 min should di it, it might have an internal blockadge and is trying to use the vegimatter to clear it, my discus do pick at zucchini i give the bristlenoses in the tank, it seems to help them pass stools. if he excretes white poo in the epson salt bath begin treatment with metro then start worming once complete, if he pass regular poo just offer him food tomorrow and I'm sure he'll eat it.

[angel101]

Well I accessed some Octozin, dont ask how much I paid for it!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, the fish has passed some dark stools and Im thinking great he's not got hex, then he passed some white and then some hard segmented brownish droppings. What do I make of this? Many thanks.


Gary

[ILLUSN]

If you've done the octozin treatment the next thing is worms, I'd treat with levimenisole 1st then prazi, then prazi again then levimenisole, after that he will be worm free.

[angel101]

Just a quick up-date. This fish has now started to eat beef heart.


Gary.

[lpiasente]

That's great. I hope he continues to do well.

[angel101]

Just another quck up-date. The fish has relapsed, gone dark, hiding, clamped fins, white stools and not eating. Will do another treatment.


Gary

[angel101]

Well it took three Octozin treatments, but he is now eating consistently. He has good colour and actively searchs for food. Only problem is he will only eat beefheart-nothing else, not even live blackworm.


Gary.

[ILLUSN]

thats not exactly a bad thing

[angel101]

Today he has eaten beefheart, live black worm and frozen bloodworm-hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Gary

[AHC]

Good Stuff Gary - Glad its not a vegetarian :lol: It orginally sounded exactly the same as when my sister became a vegetarian. She too turned dark when we tried to get her back on beef.

[angel101]

Good Stuff Gary - Glad its not a vegetarian :lol: It orginally sounded exactly the same as when my sister became a vegetarian. She too turned dark when we tried to get her back on beef.


:lol: