Sick fish, please help !

[KEITH JENNINGS]

I have a beautiful 7 inch diameter discus which has been acting strangely
lately. Most of the time it either lays on the bottom on its side or sits in
a corner. About once an hour it dashes around the tank, usually in tight
circles.
Sometimes it dashes to the surface making a splash.
I suspect this is some kind of infection of the swim bladder or the inner
ear.

Is this the dreaded "whirling disease" ?

Is there any hope of a cure ?

I really want to save this beautiful discus. Please help ?

Keith J.

[Geezer From The Freezer]

could be swim bladder, or poor water quality what do your tests show?

[KEITH JENNINGS]

Thanks for the replies, but it's too late. The discus jumped out of the tank
and the cat got him.

I still have angels from another tank to give away though.
Keith J.

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
> could be swim bladder, or poor water quality what do your tests show?

[Geezer From The Freezer]

KEITH JENNINGS wrote:
>
> Thanks for the replies, but it's too late. The discus jumped out of the tank
> and the cat got him.
>
> I still have angels from another tank to give away though.

sounds like water quality problems if they are jumping out of the tank!

[KEITH JENNINGS]

Water quality : pH 6.8 temp 78F ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 20 ppm. Other 2
tanks similar stats. 30 percent water changes every 3 days. Light cycle 14
hours on, 10 off. Feedings twice daily, only what the fish will eat within 2
minutes. Tanks have some rocks and a large amount of plants. All other fish
seem fine.

Keith J.

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> KEITH JENNINGS wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the replies, but it's too late. The discus jumped out of the
tank
> > and the cat got him.
> >
> > I still have angels from another tank to give away though.
>
> sounds like water quality problems if they are jumping out of the tank!

[Geezer From The Freezer]

KEITH JENNINGS wrote:
>
> Water quality : pH 6.8 temp 78F ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 20 ppm. Other 2
> tanks similar stats. 30 percent water changes every 3 days. Light cycle 14
> hours on, 10 off. Feedings twice daily, only what the fish will eat within 2
> minutes. Tanks have some rocks and a large amount of plants. All other fish
> seem fine.
>

Keith - seems fine. has your PH shifted up or down that you know of?
has it always been 6.8?

[KEITH JENNINGS]

pH is 7.1 from the tap, and slowly declines to 6.8 between water changes. I
think tank conditions are fine.

I bought some harlequin rasboras at a fish auction, and the discus started
to act funny about a week after I added them to the tank. Could the rasboras
carry a disease without showing symptoms themselves ?

Keith J.

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
<snip>
> Keith - seems fine. has your PH shifted up or down that you know of?
> has it always been 6.8?

[RedForeman ©®]

yep.... totally possible...

--

RedForeman ©®
"KEITH JENNINGS" > wrote in message
...
> pH is 7.1 from the tap, and slowly declines to 6.8 between water changes.
I
> think tank conditions are fine.
>
> I bought some harlequin rasboras at a fish auction, and the discus started
> to act funny about a week after I added them to the tank. Could the
rasboras
> carry a disease without showing symptoms themselves ?
>
> Keith J.

[Geezer From The Freezer]

get some medicated foods if poss ?

[RedForeman ©®]

I've never had any luck with a sick fish eating medicated foods from tetra,
and then I tried to dissolve a med tablet into some bloodworms, (red
misquito larvae) and that was eaten, not entirely happy about it, but some
was eaten.... btw, didn't work....

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> get some medicated foods if poss ?

[NetMax]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> I've never had any luck with a sick fish eating medicated foods from
tetra,
> and then I tried to dissolve a med tablet into some bloodworms, (red
> misquito larvae) and that was eaten, not entirely happy about it, but
some
> was eaten.... btw, didn't work....
>
> "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > get some medicated foods if poss ?

Try mashing Discomed into beefheart which has had a little bit of warm
water added. When the water cools, the beefheart mostly congeals back.
Another way is to mix the meds into a bit of water and add freeze-dried
foods (ie: tubifex worms). They will absorb all the liquids (and meds).
Garlic in food can be helpful against parasites. There are foods which
already have the garlic in it (a Dr. Watleys frozen food).

If one of the Harlequins died, and had an internal parasite and was
consumed by a Discus, the contagion would spread. Otherwise a water
borne contagion might be knocked out by a treatment of Clout. Sorry, I'm
not a better authority on fish diseases.

NetMax