Chris McMahon
Sat Aug 21, 2004, 03:27 PM
I've got a critical discus and don't know what to do. It's my new adult Golden Pigeon Blood.
It was fine when I did my water change at 7pm Sat. I had dinner and watched a move and came back for the last feeding at 11pm. At that time it what vertical in the water about 10cm below the surface. I gave it a little nudge with my finger and it hardly moved. Another nudge seemed to get it moving and it swam to the other end of the tank normally under it's own power.
About 3 minutes later it was vertical again about mid tank level. The current pushed it slowly to the end of the tank at it stuck to the filter intake (which is quiet gentle and requires very little effort to get off).
I gently moved it off the filter and put it in the centre of the tank. It again swam normally for a few seconds than "sank" to the bottom of the tank. It's currently resting in the crown of an Amazon sword, which is keeping it both away from the sand bottom, and in a normal upright position.
I'm inclined to leave it there as it's getting gentle support and being kept from laying flat on the sand and possibly inhaling sand particles into its gills.
It has no external signs of any disease that I can tell. It's breathing is normal, perhaps 30-40 breaths per minute. Its color is normal. All other discus in the tank, as well as the tankmates are acting normally.
I tested the water, here are the results:
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 5ppm
pH - 7.0 (up from normal 6.8 due to recent water change)
I've got an airline with a bubbler in the tank on full.
Filtration is 2 in-series canister filters - filter wool, ceramic rings and foam in each.
Temp is 29.5-30C.
Tank is 465L.
I did a 20% water change earlier today, like I normally do twice weekly. Using a hose from an internal tap with a mix of hot and cold water trickled in over 2 hours. ie less than 1 litre per minute. I added enough ACN dechlorinator (works on both chlorine and chloramine, and ammonia) to the tank before adding the water for 200L.
As a shotgun approach, I've treated the tank with "Easy Life" - a liquid filter agent and mineral tonic (like Geoliquid) - that will floc any heavy metals, MelaFix and PimaFix.
It hasn't been eating much the last week, but I put that down to the move. I have seen it peaking at food on the bottom, but it hasn't been rushing the food like the other discus.
For the last 90 minutes or so it's been motionless, apart from breathing, resting in the plant.
I have no idea what the cause of the problem is. The condition seemed to come on very quickly. Looking at the discus, it looks like it won't make morning. Apart from it's near catatonic state, it looks healthy.
Any ideas?
It was fine when I did my water change at 7pm Sat. I had dinner and watched a move and came back for the last feeding at 11pm. At that time it what vertical in the water about 10cm below the surface. I gave it a little nudge with my finger and it hardly moved. Another nudge seemed to get it moving and it swam to the other end of the tank normally under it's own power.
About 3 minutes later it was vertical again about mid tank level. The current pushed it slowly to the end of the tank at it stuck to the filter intake (which is quiet gentle and requires very little effort to get off).
I gently moved it off the filter and put it in the centre of the tank. It again swam normally for a few seconds than "sank" to the bottom of the tank. It's currently resting in the crown of an Amazon sword, which is keeping it both away from the sand bottom, and in a normal upright position.
I'm inclined to leave it there as it's getting gentle support and being kept from laying flat on the sand and possibly inhaling sand particles into its gills.
It has no external signs of any disease that I can tell. It's breathing is normal, perhaps 30-40 breaths per minute. Its color is normal. All other discus in the tank, as well as the tankmates are acting normally.
I tested the water, here are the results:
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 5ppm
pH - 7.0 (up from normal 6.8 due to recent water change)
I've got an airline with a bubbler in the tank on full.
Filtration is 2 in-series canister filters - filter wool, ceramic rings and foam in each.
Temp is 29.5-30C.
Tank is 465L.
I did a 20% water change earlier today, like I normally do twice weekly. Using a hose from an internal tap with a mix of hot and cold water trickled in over 2 hours. ie less than 1 litre per minute. I added enough ACN dechlorinator (works on both chlorine and chloramine, and ammonia) to the tank before adding the water for 200L.
As a shotgun approach, I've treated the tank with "Easy Life" - a liquid filter agent and mineral tonic (like Geoliquid) - that will floc any heavy metals, MelaFix and PimaFix.
It hasn't been eating much the last week, but I put that down to the move. I have seen it peaking at food on the bottom, but it hasn't been rushing the food like the other discus.
For the last 90 minutes or so it's been motionless, apart from breathing, resting in the plant.
I have no idea what the cause of the problem is. The condition seemed to come on very quickly. Looking at the discus, it looks like it won't make morning. Apart from it's near catatonic state, it looks healthy.
Any ideas?