DISCUS BLOATING, CAUSE AND TREATMENT
Posted by Son Nguyen on
Discus like any other living being can become sick and unwell. After many years in this hobby, we went through many issues so here we share with you how to identify, cause, how to make them better, and what medication we can use just in the advent that anything does goes wrong. Very often I get asked by many new discus keepers what medicines I would recommend keeping in hand, just in case their discus becomes ill and sick. First, we must identify what is bloating and what cause the issue.
1. Bloating caused by water quality- Symptoms
Your discus will look bloated - like he swallowed a marble. There may be an indentation behind the bloated area as if he had been pinched by your thumb and forefinger. Your discus may shimmy and shake. He may not be able to maintain his balance and will generally look uncomfortable and be dark in color.
- How to cure
+ Clean water is very important to cure the bloating that caused by poor water quality. Please consistent water changes 50% every day during treatment. Treat with Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate - sold in grocery stores or drug stores as a foot soak for human). One to two teaspoons of Epsom Salt per every 10 gallons of water. Discus should be better in 4 hours or you can add another dose. Epsom salt will not hurt the filter or the other fish. You may dose in higher amounts of even one or two tablespoons per 10 gallons. If fish is not better in 24 hours suspect a bacterial infection.
2. Intestinal Flagellates
- Symptoms
Your discus may quit eating or spit out its food. White, stringy, mucus-like feces will hang like a thread from the anus. He may be dark in color and stay in the back of the tank away from the other discus.
- How to treat
Move the sick fish to a hospital tank if only one fish has symptom or remove carbon filter, turn off all your filtration system if you need to treat all fish. Treat with Metronidazole (sold in pet stores as Hexa or Metrozol). This medication can be purchased online from several sources including Txaquatic.com. Use 500 mg per 10 gallons of water. Keep tank temperature at 92 degrees above. Dose each day after a 50% water change for 3 to 5 days. Remember using 92-degree F water for water changes. Feed sparingly of favorite foods. Keep water temperature elevated for a week after treatment ends. It may take a week or so for the discus to regain its appetite. In severe cases of long standing, you may need to dose every 8 hours for three days.
3. Gill Flukes or Bacterial Disease
- Symptoms
Your discus may breathe rapidly. Gills may be flared. He may be dark in color and stay apart from the other discus. Head may be pointed down at a 45degree angle.
- How to treat
Move the sick fish to a hospital tank if only one fish has symptom or remove carbon filter, turn off all your filtration system if you need to treat all fish, recommend treat all fish in tank. Treat with Formalin (formaldehyde) sold in pet stores as Formalin and in a combination with dyes as Quick Cure and Rid Ick or can be purchased online. One cc or ml per 10 gallons of water along with 50% water change after 8 hours. Remember do not raise the temperature. Add extra air stone as it will depletes oxygen. If you see an improvement after first dose you can treat every other day for two weeks.
4. Copepods
- Symptom
Little skittery bugs you can barely see skitter and hop on the bottom of the tank and inside the filter. They are a symptom of overfeeding.
- How to treat
Treat with Fluke Tabs sold in pet stores or online. Make sure inside of tank and filters are clean. Day one does a 50% water change and dose one tab per 10 gallons. Day two and three do regular water changes. Day four dose one tab per 10 gallons.
5. Planaria
- Symptoms
White dots on the glass walls of the tank and inside the filter. Planaria love smooth surfaces.
- How to treat
Treat by cleaning your tank, rinsing the filter, wiping down the inside of your tank and increasing water changes. Decrease amount fed and use a pre-filter if food and feces are being sucked into the filter. You can also dose with formalin at 1 cc per 10 gallons, but would need to watch for ammonia spike if heavy die off.
All the information above is based on our experience. This statement is not replaced for any doctor advise. This is just an option for treatment and you make your own decision on how you treat your fish. We have been successfully treating our fish farm by the technique above for many years so we would like to share it with you. Don't hesitate to contact us for any question. info@txaquatic.com