Tropical Fish Discus Forum Questions Answered!

Archive for July, 2006

Discus Illness

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

I’ve got two discus for 4 months now. they were doing fine until a couple days ago, one of the fish got sick (not sure what kind of sickness). its skin color darkens, it hides a lot, and has what seems to be peeling skin on its body, possible fungus. I removed it into a hospital tank. it’s getting better but the color is still dark and now I noticed the eyes seems to be swollen. but it’s definitely NOT a popeye. what should I do?

Reply:
It is definitely bacteria infections.
When the discus fish turns dark, it indicates that the fish not feeling well. If no action taken, then the fish will get sick.
Then the epidemic spreads, all the fish will die.

Apply anything that can kill parasite and bacteria.
Anything that is handy to you, like Acriflavine, Methylene blue, Malachite green, Formalin, potassium permanganate, salt and antibiotic.

Yes. Treat them in a hospital tank.

Posted in Health, Diease and Treatments | Comments Off

Skiddish and swim fast

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

I had 6 discus about 2inches. After several months one of them got very skiddish would swim very fast bouncing of the glass. A day
or to later it was dead behind the heater. A month later the same thing again. In less than a year all had died the same way. What do you think happened? I don’t want to buy more fish just to loose them again.

Reply:
The fish is attacked by bacteria and parasites.
The fish feels irritated and itchy.
She will try to rub on any hard objects.
If no medication is applied, until they attack the gills, the fish will die instantly because of suffocating. Or the fish will get stressed and fall sick.

Posted in Health, Diease and Treatments | Comments Off

Were my discus inexperienced to take care of their fry?

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

I have a pair of cobalt blue discus, the female started to lay eggs few months ago but only these last 2 times have been fertilized and only 6 of them hatched. First ones they didn’t let them feed from them and died. After 3 days from the first hatching another egg laying was made, few eggs and few hatched. She was again preparing to lay eggs, I’ve caught the fry and tried to feed them myself in liquifry but unsuccessful. Now good number of eggs seems to be fertilized and nearly 60 seems to hatch. Was it that normal she was laying eggs every 6 days? If she will start cleaning again what shall I do with the fry?

Reply:
It is true that your fish is still new to take care of the fry.
They have to try a few attempts to be expert.
In fact, breeding discus is not that hard.
First you have to protect the eggs with the wire mesh.
Apply Methylene Blue solution.
Do not disturb them. They will fan and hatch the eggs.
From larvae to free swimming, let the parents take care of their babies.
About one week free swimming you can start feeding them with newly hatched brine shrimps. Then you can feed them daphnia and chopped worm.

It is normal that they will lay eggs within one week. If you have other pair of fish having small numbers of babies of about same size, you can transfer the babies to make them foster-parents to look after them.

To feed them liquilfry you must be very careful. It will pollute the water.
Keep it up.

Posted in Breeding | Comments Off