Discus won't eat

[Insomnia]

I have a 2" discus that I got about 10 days ago, he is still in quarantine, with some other new discus. I have noticed that the fish is not eating and appears to be getting thinner. He just hangs in the upper corner of the tank and stays there. I had this happen with a marlboro red once. The fish had no apparant injuries, or parasites, he just stopped eating, eventually the fish literally disapeared. I have read a few of the other posts with similar problems, I have not been able to observe any feces with this fish and I find it hard to believe that he's just a shy eater since he does not seem to make any attempt to eat at all, or even move from his spot, really. :( Any suggestions?

[Insomnia]

I have decided to isolate this discus into its own tank, the fish still won't eat, it has pecked at the worms on the bottom a few times, but it doesn't actually get any. Something is definately wrong with it. I would like to treat it, but I have no idea what to treat it for.

[Insomnia]

Well, as much as I hate talking to myself, I have decided to put the fish back in the main quarantine tank and treat them all with met. I observed some small pitts on the heads of a few other fish, and although they seem to be acting as if they are healthy, since they are already in quarantine I might has well treat them before I put them into the main tank. The main tank is 250 Gal, and the small ones are very difficult to catch once they are in there. Hopefully if this is some kind of parasitic infection, the met will clear it up. I'm still open to ideas.

[Merrilyn]

Hi insomnia, and welcome to the forum.

Yeah, sounds like the little guy has a problem. I would certainly be treating with metro and a week later do a follow up treatment with prazi. Are you in Aus. We have been having a lot of trouble lately with imported fish.

Seems like some of the shipments have had quite a few problems. It shows up in the younger fish first, because of their lack of size. Later the adult fish seem to sicken and die.

I don't usually say this, but for anyone who brings new fish home, you MUST isolate them in quarantine for at least three weeks AND treat them for gill flukes and a worm burden. Anything that is still looking a bit sus, DO NOT add them to your main tank. Do a second course of treatment.

[Insomnia]

Thanks, ladyred, that sounds like a pretty good course of treatment. I will keep them in quarantine for another few weeks and do the prazi follow up like you suggested. Actually, I'm in the States... West Coast, although I believe this particular fish came from Thailand. Thanks again for the advice. :D

[Insomnia]

Well, it looks like the fish is favoring one gill, so now I'm thinking flukes. I have already started the met treatment yesterday, so do I discontinue the met, do a water change and add the prazi? Or finish out the met for a few more days and then do the prazi. The fish is still not eating.

[Merrilyn]

Definately finish out the treatment of metro first. That is very important, or you could end up with resistant bugs.

Once complete, do several large waterchanges over the next week, then begin treating with Praziquantal to treat gill and body flukes.