DennisP Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 I bought some baby discus a few months back. The largest is doing very well. Almost fully coloured etc... one is smaller, but healthy, but the third, very small, very thin now, and still wont eat. Anyone got any ideas? Please help, I think he's going to starve soon otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfishybuisness Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 how much do you feed them as the bigger ones alway get the most and sometime the little ones dont get any , also try feeding blood worms and live foods as this will real fatten them up and they will grow faster, also try feeding at least 3 times a day hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 I do feed three times a day, and lately I've been feeding the bigger ones on one side of the tank, then dropping some food right on top of the little one. He just sits and stares at it. Sometimes it looks as if he wants to swallow some, but then he doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 separate him. see if he eats then. If not - treat him with metro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Separate him to where? I've only got the one operational tank. 1 small one with no extra equipment heater etc, and the other one is full of crap and would need a very good clean, and recycle as the filter Is dirty as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 you just need a tank, heater and metro. and water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 I take it a heater many times too powerfull for a tank that size wont hurt? What is metro? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaway Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 I take it a heater many times too powerfull for a tank that size wont hurt? What is metro? Metro is a type of fish med. Heaters have built in thermostats so technically it'd be okay to run a 300W heater on a 30L tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Well, Just now, like 10 mins ago, I filled up the soon to be paludarium tank, put my 150w heater in it, and a few pieces of cabomba floating for confidence. No lights or anything. its a 60cm x 30 x30 tank, or there abouts. The smallest discus is in there now, I can tell its weak because it was pretty easy to catch it Now what? I will feed it later when it feels safer, and what happens if it doesn't eat the food? i cbf vacuuming it out everytime after i feed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Problem with sticking a 300W heater in a 30L tank is the water might be boiling by the time the thermostat actually registers the change in temperature because the heating element can heat alot faster than a smaller one. But usually it is ok.. 150W in a 2ft should be fine. I would probably treat the fish with metro, it is quite common for discus to get these symptoms and metro usually clears it up. Probably something to watch in the future is the number of discus you have 3 is usually a bad number as the bigger 2 will both pick on the smaller one the more you have the more the aggression is spread out, sometimes it can work but others not so well maybe this is what has happened in your case. Metro is treated one 400mg tablet per 40L of tank water temperature around 30C lots of aeration, dose daily for 4 days with a water change. If the fish is eating you can treat metro orally. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Thanks, It probably is a disease of some sort as there (apart from the larger 2 babies kissing ONCE) I have not seen any aggression at all in the tank since i got the young ones, about 3 months ago. How often should I water change the 2ft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Daily when you do your metro treatment, there is no point having a filter on it just an airstone as the meds kill the filter anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Alrighty, cheers. Edit: Just fed it, Not even the slightest interest in food. Will update later again if its eaten it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 A large clean chilly bin makes a good holding 'tank' as do large plastic storage bins and most good heaters will be fine and not overheat a smaller volume (take care to ensure the heater does not touch the plastic sides of the bin). No need for a filter, just carry out daily water changes if you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 If the worst comes to the worst you can even float a bucket in the tank and treat in that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Oh, well its in the 2ft for now, with air stone and a heater, some pieces of food still lying in there from earlier, will clean it up tomorrow after I buy some metro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 it wont eat pellet foods. try bloodworms. 50% wc everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 Tank water? or tap water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 14, 2010 Report Share Posted May 14, 2010 new, treated water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 Went around lfs, looking like an idiot till someone told me you gotta get metro from a vet... *evil eyes* But the lfs dude, knows his discus, told me to give it a salt bath, so I did that, 4.5 heaped teaspoons for 1l of water. Almost killed it, but he's recovering again in the 2ft. (I wonder if these lfs ppl are members here...) I'll try feeding it some bloodworms later on today, see if it eats it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 15, 2010 Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 i don't see what slime coat production has to do with appetite in the most direct method any way. PM ron - discusguru and ask him what he thinks. yes, metro from the vet. i think someone bought liquid metro from HFF? If you can borrow a UV filter that would work to a certain extent for some things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 15, 2010 Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 I don't think you can get metro in a liquid form I have heard of people buying liquid prazi (adtape) from HFF. The may well have metro as well, it would certainly make sense for a fish shop to stock it. Sorry that noone could help you source some I didn't realize noone had mentioned it was a prescription med. I am with Phoenix I cannot see how a salt bath would help, from my limited understanding discus usually go off their food when they get Hex so a UV or salt bath won't kill the bacteria in the gut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted May 15, 2010 Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 i've been using a 300W heater in a 50L tank and it was fine. An electrician told me that it's better for the unit to have a small area to heat as it reaches it cycle quickly, whatever that means. I guess it means it doesn't have to work as hard. Same heater couldn't cope in a tank it was designed to heat but did a good job in mine. No overheating or other issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted May 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 The guy said that the osmosis and the salt and the worms die. Or something along those lines. He said it has worked for him in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted May 15, 2010 Report Share Posted May 15, 2010 Metronidazole is a prescription-only medication so you can only legally get it at a pharmacy or veterinary clinic. It comes in a tablet as well as a liquid suspension but as I have said before, it is not very soluble in water so the medication quickly settles out - the suspension needs to be shaken very well before it is administered. Salt dips stimulate the mucous cells in the fish's skin and concentrated baths can help to dislodge external parasites (including mouth and gill parasites) but it will not treat intestinal worm burdens. Concentrated salt solutions (over 3%) should not be used long term in true freshwater fish as it can cause dehydration and predispose the fish to dropsy over time (usually as a result of kidney failure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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