My Discus has stopped eating

[Daniel Startin]

Help! My Discus has stopped eating. He is about 1 year old and he is just spitting out his food. I have been advised to treat him with Metronidazole . Can somebody please advise. My water conditions are perfect, 0 ammonia , neutral nitrate nitrite levels and frequent water changes. Recently put new plants in my tank ( Amazon sword). Can somebody please advise how to treat with Metronidazole or perhaps have another solution.:

 

[HUKIT]

Welcome to AA!

I would agree with the treatment and use of Metro and I would also add Praziquental. This act of spitting food is a common symptom of internal parasites which starts in the digestive track.

I would follow this schedule in treatment using either API'S General Cure(first choice) or Tetra's Parasite Guard, also make sure you remove any carbon source prior to any treatment. I also don't recommend feeding during treatment and leave the overhead lights off this allows for a reduction in stress.

Day 1. Perform water change then treat at full dosage.
Day 2. Perform a 30% change and re-dose at full strength.
Day 3. Perform a 30% change and re-dose at full strength.
Day 4. Don't do anything again.
Day 5. Perform water change in excess of 50% and re-dose at full strength.
Day 6. Don't do anything again.
Day 7. Massive water change in excess of 60-70%.
Day 8. Feed and see if everyone is eating.

The last thing I would add is Epsom salt dosed slowly at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons, then replace the only the salt you've removed from the water changes.
After successfully treating the cause must be determined, the most common causes stem from low quality or hard to digest(bloodworms) foods.

 

[Berylla]

Welcome to AA!

I would agree with the treatment and use of Metro and I would also add Praziquental. This act of spitting food is a common symptom of internal parasites which starts in the digestive track.

I would follow this schedule in treatment using either API'S General Cure(first choice) or Tetra's Parasite Guard, also make sure you remove any carbon source prior to any treatment. I also don't recommend feeding during treatment and leave the overhead lights off this allows for a reduction in stress.

Day 1. Perform water change then treat at full dosage.
Day 2. Perform a 30% change and re-dose at full strength.
Day 3. Perform a 30% change and re-dose at full strength.
Day 4. Don't do anything again.
Day 5. Perform water change in excess of 50% and re-dose at full strength.
Day 6. Don't do anything again.
Day 7. Massive water change in excess of 60-70%.
Day 8. Feed and see if everyone is eating.

The last thing I would add is Epsom salt dosed slowly at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons, then replace the only the salt you've removed from the water changes.
After successfully treating the cause must be determined, the most common causes stem from low quality or hard to digest(bloodworms) foods.

Metro has an active life of 8 hours. Raise temps to 85 to 90 degrees. I think 8 days is too short. Kenny, from whom I bought my discus from, suggested the following:

14 day treatment, with temps at 89 degrees. Change water out every day, redoes 100% 2x a day, once at night, once at AM. Metro will affect your bio filter so the frequent changes are good. After treatment, keep an eye out for ammonia spikes.

 

[HUKIT]

Metro has an active life of 8 hours. Raise temps to 85 to 90 degrees. I think 8 days is too short. Kenny, from whom I bought my discus from, suggested the following:

14 day treatment, with temps at 89 degrees. Change water out every day, redoes 100% 2x a day, once at night, once at AM. Metro will affect your bio filter so the frequent changes are good. After treatment, keep an eye out for ammonia spikes.

Metro will NOT effect a biofilter and can be overdosed so I would certainly advise against the dosage and time like your suggesting. I would advise you spend a little time researching that information before suggesting something like that.

 

[Berylla]

Metro will NOT effect a biofilter and can be overdosed so I would certainly advise against the dosage and time like your suggesting. I would advise you spend a little time researching that information before suggesting something like that.

Hi Hukit, I have researched this drug and used it as prescribed by Kenny and others with no ill affects except it did affect my bio filter. Similar suggestions were from the Simply Discus forum. I can provide some links if you would like.