Discus Not Eating - Help Needed [Pic Included]

[mark4785]

Before I describe the fishes behaviour, here are my aquarium stats:
 
Aquarium volume: 120 litres
Total Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
PH: 6.0
Temperature: 29 degrees C.
Other fish in the aquarium: 2 German Blue Rams, Corydoras and several Black Neon Tetras.
 
 
I acquired a pigeon-blood discus from a local fish shop on Friday 20/3/15. The aquarium that the Discus was in was fairly dark and it contained about 8 other Discus fish so I wasn't able to get a brilliant view of how thick it was so as to work out how healthy it is and the likelihood that it was feeding.
 
Within 20 minutes I had returned home and drip-acclimatised it to the new body of tank water for a period of approximately 30 minutes.
 
Ever since placing it in it's new environment I have noticed the following which I don't consider to be normal:
 
- The discus makes repeated "coughing" motions with it's mouth.
- The discus makes a slow yawning motion with it's mouth.
- The discus will not eat anything, including live foods.
- The discus looks slightly emaciated.
 
What exactly am I dealing with here? Is this fish going to kill itself by refusing to eat?
 
 
Picture of the fish below:

 

[WILDER]

Can you check to see if there anything lodged in the fish mouth.
Coughing can mean something lodged in the fish mouth, gill flukes, internal parasites.

 

[mark4785]

Can you check to see if there anything lodged in the fish mouth.
Coughing can mean something lodged in the fish mouth, gill flukes, internal parasites.

 
Hi WILDER,
 
I will have a go at checking the mouth for something. The gills are ok at the moment in that there is no redness and they are moving at a normal rate.

 

[WILDER]

If there nothing lodged in the mouth I would go for a discus wormer with the fish being emaciated.

http/plymouthdiscus.com/ocretail/pd/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=139

 

[mark4785]

If there nothing lodged in the mouth I would go for a discus wormer with the fish being emaciated.

http/plymouthdiscus.com/ocretail/pd/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=139

 
Hi,
 
There is nothing in the mouth.
 
I will re-apply Kusuri Wormer which I had used 5 days ago as part of a disease prevention routine I have.
 
What is your experience with regards to cichlids and internal worms? My view is that 9/10 LFS have this problem but are happy to still sell you the diseased stock.

 

[WILDER]

I never kept cichlids but had the same problem with guppys with camallanous worms.
It's always best to worm fish anyway. 
Most LFS don't care they just want to make a profit. 
He might be to far gone to save to be honest. Just hope he has the strength to make it throw the medication.
Try soaking his food in garlic juice which is meant to boost the immune system and also help with appetite.
 
Bless Him.
You need to act fast if you want to save him.
 
Good Luck.

 

[mark4785]

I never kept cichlids but had the same problem with guppys with camallanous worms.
It's always best to worm fish anyway. 
Most LFS don't care they just want to make a profit. 
He might be to far gone to save to be honest. Just hope he has the strength to make it throw the medication.
Try soaking his food in garlic juice which is meant to boost the immune system and also help with appetite.
 
Bless Him.
You need to act fast if you want to save him.
 
Good Luck.

 
I have some Seachem Garlic Guard which I placed over blood worms and two other freeze dried foods and it did appear to stay in the spot where the garlic was placed in the aquarium but it would not eat anything.
 
I have applied the Kusuri Wormer Plus and I have sunk some Hikari Micro pellets to the bottom. It appears to be putting these in it's mouth but I can't see if it is spitting them out.
 
To be honest, I'm really angry that I've been billed £39.99 for something that is clearly suffering and dying and which has most probably seen a vet while it was in their hands. If it is to die I will be sending it's corpse back with a demand for a refund. 

 

[WILDER]

I would also print this post to take with you for prove also.
That's why I know longer keep fish as it heart breaking.  I hate to see the poor little things suffer.
 
Let us all know how you get on, I do hope he makes it.
 
Keep trying with the food and garlic added. 

 

[mark4785]

I would also print this post to take with you for prove also.
That's why I know longer keep fish as it heart breaking.  I hate to see the poor little things suffer.
 
Let us all know how you get on, I do hope he makes it.
 
Keep trying with the food and garlic added. 

 
I will do my absolute best and get back in-touch.
 
Before I go, would it be worth me reducing the amount of hours the light is on in the tank? When humans are ill they usually know to rest "when the lights are on" but fish don't. So perhaps more dark hours would encourage it to rest and expedite its recovery? Whats your view on this?

 

[WILDER]

Fish do tend to like the lights off. Let him settle down as the stress won't help him recover as probably
you already know it weakens the immune system. So yes keep the lighting for now reduced.
 
Good Luck. 

 

[mark4785]

It seems to be eating Hikari Micro Pellets which I sink to the bottom. While a fish is eating there is always hope 

 

[WILDER]

Bless him. Thanks for the update.
How is he today?

 

[Baccus]

Its probably entirely the wrong season for you over in England, but if you can get your hands on some live mosquito wrigglers your discus will probably go nuts for them. I havent found a fish yet that refuses these little treats. Another option would be live blackworms, feed via one of those little cones that suction onto the side of the tank.
 
Hopefully the worming treatment will do the trick and your discus will get its appetite back and thirve in your care.

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

 

The aquarium that the Discus was in was fairly dark and it contained about 8 other Discus fish so I wasn't able to get a brilliant view of how thick it was so as to work out how healthy it is

 

To be honest, I'm really angry that I've been billed £39.99 for something that is clearly suffering and dying and which has most probably seen a vet while it was in their hands. If it is to die I will be sending it's corpse back with a demand for a refund. 

 
With a fish as sensitive as discus, you have to be sure of what you are buying. If you are that concerned about the money, you should have asked to get a better look and see it eat. If they were not willing to do that, then don't buy the fish.
 
That being said, most places that I've seen have some sort of guarantee on their fish. Give them a chance to work with you before making demands, you might get some good sevice.
 
BTW, sick fish in the retail market are not seen by vets. They are attended to by the people running the store. I've been the person responsible for keeping stock alive and trust me, calling in a vet was not an option. Even if I could find one that knew about ichthyology. 

 

[mark4785]

 
 
With a fish as sensitive as discus, you have to be sure of what you are buying. If you are that concerned about the money, you should have asked to get a better look and see it eat. If they were not willing to do that, then don't buy the fish.
 
That being said, most places that I've seen have some sort of guarantee on their fish. Give them a chance to work with you before making demands, you might get some good sevice.
 
BTW, sick fish in the retail market are not seen by vets. They are attended to by the people running the store. I've been the person responsible for keeping stock alive and trust me, calling in a vet was not an option. Even if I could find one that knew about ichthyology. 
 

 
 
I was aware of the fishes requirements on the day of purchase which is much more than what can be said for the shop  which were starving this thing to death.
 
With regards to the possibility of getting good service I can tell you that that most likely will not happen as they have a reputation for keeping animals that they do not know how to care for and this goes way beyond just aquatic animals.
 
Update: fish is continuing to eat Hikari Micro Pellets and has started eating blood worm. It comes across as being very weak but thankfully it hadn't been starved enough for it to not have the capability to find food.