The case of the dead discus

[AquaAussie]

I have a great 100g planted tank water levels seem perfect but I just had another discus die this morning. I have larger and smaller ones and I seem to have trouble with the smaller ones dieing. I think this is my third small discus that died. This ones face went white. Any ideas about this? Any discus keepers have experience with this? I heard that discus can have weak immune systems when young. This fish was almost 3" though.

 

[megastri]

I personally don't have any experience in housing these fish in my tank.
but my moms friend has had all sorts of problems with her discus fish to the point where she stopped trying to keep them. They are exposed to so many external and internal diseases and parasites.

 

[megastri]

I also typed in your problem in the google bar and it gave me this website with a list and symptoms and treatments.

Discus Fish Diseases

hope that helps

 

[AquaAussie]

It has to either be an immune problem or else my galaxy pleco killed him at night.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I don't have discus either but he looks stunted? His eyes look rather large compared to his body.

 

[Tinadno]

I have discus in my tank and my experience is that the smaller the discus the harder they are to care for. I was always buying discus that were small between 3-4 inches and I could never keep them alive long enough. I think because they need a lot more attention than full grown adult discus. They need pristine water and many many feedings. So I started getting adult discus that are 5-7 inches and I haven't had any problems. You also need to know that your buying healthy strains of discus from either your pet store or breeder. I personally wouldn't trust a pet store I get mine from a breeder who has probably the best discus I've ever seen. I can give you his website if you want. Hope this helps

 

[tropical-fish]

...So I started getting adult discus that are 5-7 inches and I haven't had any problems. You also need to know that your buying healthy strains of discus from either your pet store or breeder. I personally wouldn't trust a pet store I get mine from a breeder who has probably the best discus I've ever seen.

I would go along with this. Buy larger fish from a breeder if possible. It's hard to grow out young discus in a planted tank. And sometimes they are already stunted by the time you buy them.

Back to the issue at hand. There is a chance that the pleco got him but he doesn't look that badly beaten up. Was this fish the runt of the pack? If so it could be stress of being last in the pecking order.

 

[AquaAussie]

Tinadno, I would love the website thanks. My mate tested my ammonia and nitrates and it was about 80ppm on the nitrate which I think is part of the problem. I'm going to add way more plants even though there are a lot and change half the bio balls in my filters. I'm also going back to 50% water changes.

 

[Tinadno]

Tinadno, I would love the website thanks. My mate tested my ammonia and nitrates and it was about 80ppm on the nitrate which I think is part of the problem. I'm going to add way more plants even though there are a lot and change half the bio balls in my filters. I'm also going back to 50% water changes.

I get my discus from discushans.com. He is a breeder located in Maryland and his discus range in all different sizes. They are the healthiest fish I've come across and they are packaged well when they are shipped to your house. He will even call you that day you get your fish to make sure your satisfied. Right now he has adult discus 25% off so check it out.

 

[LostInFish]

It has to either be an immune problem or else my galaxy pleco killed him at night.

I have a galaxy Pleco and its very aggressive to all other plecos like a pittbull on the mail man lol

 

[AquaAussie]

Haha well I guess I'm lucky. My tank is in perfect harmony now