Discus HELP!

[Amicus]

I have a problem. Last week a friend of mine gave me one of his discus fish. My friend's tank is 250g and he had 5 of them all the size of dinner plates, except for one. The one I got is considerably smaller and he thought it was getting picked on as it was not eating. I have had the fish for four days now and it has not eaten. It was gaunt when I got it and I getting worse. I have tried blood and glass worms along with NLS. I have never owned them but he wanted me to take it so I did because I felt bad. Now I feel worse, what can I do?!

 

[ilostnemo]

try black worms

 

[Amicus]

I think discus reach a point of no return, I need to know the signs and if this fish can come back.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Well...

back in the day when I was a newb and put six discus in a thirty gallon tank with three angelfish (I am sorry to those discus, may you and those fish above in the great ocean in the sky forgive me) died off one by one. Except this one discus that was a fighter, a red marbolo that went from sick to healthy and sick again. You could tell because he was sick because he did nothing and was very unmoveable. You could tell he was healthy because he was brightly colored and swam in what little space he had.

 

[Amicus]

I think this one is a melon discus. I have a 72g and all of my fish are small comm fish. She will swim around even when I approach the tank and watch her. When it comes time to feed she retreats to a corner. When feeding time is over she will swim around again. I am really concerned that she I suffering, she seems like a sweetheart. I am going to try beef hear tomorrow.

 

[Amicus]

If anyone recognizes this behavior I would appreciate some advice.

 

[ilostnemo]

whats your ph? water parms? tap or ro water?

 

[Amicus]

Ph is 6.5 - 7. Tank is heavily planted and the amm is 0, nitrite is 0 and nitrates are 0- 10 ppm.

 

[Amicus]

Sorry, tap water.

 

[ilostnemo]

temp of the tank? and tap water wont help :/

 

[ilostnemo]

also whats your general hardness? or how soft is your water?

 

[Amicus]

Temp is 80 and Chicago tap water's biggest threat to fish is chlorine and that is taken care of during water changes. My current conditions are very close to the tank I got the fish from. The pwc is done once a week including the filter.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Try boosting the temp. Discus like it fairly warm, from 84-88, so that my be a possibility why.

 

[herp_mommy]

I use tap water for my discus and have absolutely no problem, as long as you treat it first of course. But anyway, I also think discus will reach a point of no return. You could possibly have a stunted one who just had bad genes from poor breeding. Try live foods, if that doesn't work then your discus probably wasn't meant to live. Sorry

 

[alLexX]

try crickets,my fish love them

 

[ilostnemo]

I use tap water for my discus and have absolutely no problem, as long as you treat it first of course. But anyway, I also think discus will reach a point of no return. You could possibly have a stunted one who just had bad genes from poor breeding. Try live foods, if that doesn't work then your discus probably wasn't meant to live. Sorry

You must have good water then. Using tap still isn't recommended.

 

[Amicus]

Not sure what to do. Tried different food and she eyed it took one little nibble and never gave it another thought. I really like my lfs so I am thinking of bringing her there. I certainly can't euthanize or watch her waste away. REALLY SUCKS! I appreciate all of the great advice I got.