# discus getting really skinny to bones..



## BaoBeiZhu

I m sure this question has been asked many times.. but I cant seem to deal with it after many attempts of water changes and prazipro.

it seems like a chain reaction, at first it was 3 and then 6 and now 12.
I have a total of 24 loonie size discus to start with and now I m down 4 with atleast 6 more looking really skinny.

now, some of them still eats BUT I m Not sure if these were the healthy ones becoming skinny or were they skinny ones becoming healthy. 

any solution to this?

they are all housed in a 20 gallon tank with sponge filter and bare bottom.

when I do water changes I let the water sit in another 20 gallon tank with sponge filter, and heater to match the current tank temp. 

any help would be appreciated.. this is making me want to quit discus


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## Scherb

what temp are they at ? and how often and how much water are you changing ?


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## sunshine_1965

I am no discus expert but it seems to me that your tank is too small for 20 discus to grow properly. I would divide them into 2 tanks if you have a spare. Just my thoughts on it. Good luck & hope they survive.


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## BaoBeiZhu

Scherb said:


> what temp are they at ? and how often and how much water are you changing ?


30 degrees c. and I m changing 75% every other day.


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## BaoBeiZhu

sunshine_1965 said:


> I am no discus expert but it seems to me that your tank is too small for 20 discus to grow properly. I would divide them into 2 tanks if you have a spare. Just my thoughts on it. Good luck & hope they survive.


thats no problem, as I have 9 20s set up. but I was also being told they feel less secure if they were seperated into small groups?


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## Lamplighter

BaoBeiZhu said:


> I m sure this question has been asked many times.. but I cant seem to deal with it after many attempts of water changes and prazipro.
> 
> it seems like a chain reaction, at first it was 3 and then 6 and now 12.
> I have a total of 24 loonie size discus to start with and now I m down 4 with atleast 6 more looking really skinny.
> 
> now, some of them still eats BUT I m Not sure if these were the healthy ones becoming skinny or were they skinny ones becoming healthy.
> 
> any solution to this?
> 
> they are all housed in a 20 gallon tank with sponge filter and bare bottom.
> 
> when I do water changes I let the water sit in another 20 gallon tank with sponge filter, and heater to match the current tank temp.
> 
> any help would be appreciated.. this is making me want to quit discus


 This seems like they are taking the same route as mine did. Do they turn black? Where did you buy the fish?


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## BaoBeiZhu

Lamplighter said:


> This seems like they are taking the same route as mine did. Do they turn black? Where did you buy the fish?


yes the skinny ones are turning black =(
and I got them from fishdragon


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## tony1928

Yeah, keep up what you are doing and if they turn around, they will turn around. Based on my own experience, I'm not sure what more you can do. I've had big discus go on a hunger strike for 3 weeks and one day they just decide to start eating again, no explanation. But skinny and turning black is usually not a good sign.


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## Lamplighter

BaoBeiZhu said:


> yes the skinny ones are turning black =(
> and I got them from fishdragon


I figured as much! So did others!!

Fish Rookie lost all of his. Same symptoms. I had the same problem.

But hey listen all is not lost he had a cure for mine but I turned it down. I'm surprised that he's still selling the fish.


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## BaoBeiZhu

Lamplighter said:


> I figured as much! So did others!!
> 
> Fish Rookie lost all of his. Same symptoms. I had the same problem.
> 
> But hey listen all is not lost he had a cure for mine but I turned it down. I'm surprised that he's still selling the fish.


its just weird because at his place everything is breeding and growing like crazy..


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## Lamplighter

BaoBeiZhu said:


> its just weird because at his place everything is breeding and growing like crazy..


You said it it's weird!!! Didn't he tell you to not do daily water changes? I think it was once a week but you better ask!


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## BaoBeiZhu

Lamplighter said:


> You said it it's weird!!! Didn't he tell you to not do daily water changes? I think it was once a week but you better ask!


yeah.. he said once every 3 days


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## fishdragon

one or twice per week, not exceed 1/3 each time, and make sure you new water is aged/safe enough, not simply chemical treated. and live bbs is the best food for fry and do some routing quarantine as they are too small to get survive from infected.

Sent from my LT15a using Tapatalk 2


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## Scherb

I am no expert but that many at that size should be fine for a bit. but i would defiantly do daily 90% water changes. i know rick does 2x water changes everyday on some of his more populated tanks. for my guys i got them at about an inch and a half and i did daily 90 to 95% water changes every day until the biggest one was about 5 inches. when i first got them i did about 90% Wc for the first month and after that i did what i call 100% Wc cause there is only about a quarter inch of water left. oh and i only use tap water with conditioner that i regulate to there temp and always let the water fall above the water in the tank to aerate the gasses out. if it were me i would ask rick at Canadian aqua farm. hope that helps


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## Lamplighter

Rocky Mountain Discus breeders recommend changing the water a minimum of once a week. Mind you if the fish become more playful and active after a water change then the water should be changed more frequently. In any events there appears to be two schools of thoughts regarding the water change.

They say that you cant argue against success. I've seen Ricks discus and they appear to be doing well. Rocky Mountain also seems to have success. I don't know!!!


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## Canadian_Aqua_Farm

When I am raising discus fry I change a minimum of 95% once a day. If they fry don't look good, as in they are not racing to the top of the tank begging for food every time I go near the tank then I increase the water changes to two or even three times a day until I get the feeding response I am looking for. 

Fishdragon has a very different approach with much less water changes. Since the discus you have came from him you are best to follow his advice and give the fish the care that they are accustomed to.


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## April

Rocky mountain has different water than ours...for one thing...and that's bad advice. Go to simply and see breeders and sellers there. See if they succeeded by doing once a week. shape and size goes with quality of water. When they are 5 inches you can cut back to once ot twice a week if not overstocked. But to grow..the more wcs, the better success. 

Also I'd separate into two groups and up the wcs for sure. Do two half 
wcs daily instead of one huge one. Prazzipro isn't going to do anything. 
If anything get metronidazole. Crank the heat to 90 and use 400 mg per 10 gallons daily. Change 50 percent and redoes the full dosage daily until eating or at least 5 days. 
Low priced deal fish are not always deals.unless the fry are all up begging at the top of the tank...don't buy. It'd not a deal if you lose all the fidh. Its money down the drain. 
Better to buy 4 or 5. 3 inch discus and have success and a good experience.


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## Lamplighter

I've given up on discus. I'm simply not interested in the specie at the moment. I like looking at them but they are too difficult. But it's like you and Rick say "the fry have to be at the top of the tank begging for food." Makes perfect sense to me!

I enjoy a challenge but at some point it becomes too stressful. It's not the monetary loss 'cause to me it's no big deal. The fact that the fish die one by one is sad.


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## BaoBeiZhu

Canadian_Aqua_Farm said:


> When I am raising discus fry I change a minimum of 95% once a day. If they fry don't look good, as in they are not racing to the top of the tank begging for food every time I go near the tank then I increase the water changes to two or even three times a day until I get the feeding response I am looking for.
> 
> Fishdragon has a very different approach with much less water changes. Since the discus you have came from him you are best to follow his advice and give the fish the care that they are accustomed to.


Thanks Rick, I just did a 90% change and I ll continue to do it every 8 hours.



April said:


> Rocky mountain has different water than ours...for one thing...and that's bad advice. Go to simply and see breeders and sellers there. See if they succeeded by doing once a week. shape and size goes with quality of water. When they are 5 inches you can cut back to once ot twice a week if not overstocked. But to grow..the more wcs, the better success.
> 
> Also I'd separate into two groups and up the wcs for sure. Do two half
> wcs daily instead of one huge one. Prazzipro isn't going to do anything.
> If anything get metronidazole. Crank the heat to 90 and use 400 mg per 10 gallons daily. Change 50 percent and redoes the full dosage daily until eating or at least 5 days.
> Low priced deal fish are not always deals.unless the fry are all up begging at the top of the tank...don't buy. It'd not a deal if you lose all the fidh. Its money down the drain.
> Better to buy 4 or 5. 3 inch discus and have success and a good experience.


they werent really a deal it was the same Rick was going to give, but Rick was away so I just HAD to get some to try asap.

as for the metronidazole, I was told by J&L if the fishes arent eating then dont bother? as it needs to be consumed?
I will go get mine tomorrow. 
and where could I get then? I know J&L has them but they come in 5 gram tubes. anywhere sell bigger amounts? as they do get expensive.. 5 gram for 6 bucks. and I need to to WC everyday. thats 2 tubes everyday. 
I ll try w.e. I can to save them but if nothing works then atleast I can say I tried my best.


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## Lamplighter

BaoBeiZhu said:


> Thanks Rick, I just did a 90% change and I ll continue to do it every 8 hours.


Why would you do that when Rick tells you to follow Fishdragons advice?


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## April

They don't consume it. They absorb it as a bath. J&l didn't give good advice. 
I have it in larger amounts.


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## April

Because fish dragons advice obviously did t work?


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## BaoBeiZhu

April said:


> Because fish dragons advice obviously did t work?


thanks.. saved me the time to reply lol

and how much are you selling it for? pm me?


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## April

I'm not open till Tuesday. 
Actually this whole thread should be in health section. Not ricks section as he is not the seller or caretaker. When you buy from one "breeder" you need to get advice from them or take it to the disease section if you get no acceptable results. Not another breeders sponsor section.


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## BaoBeiZhu

April said:


> I'm not open till Tuesday.
> Actually this whole thread should be in health section. Not ricks section as he is not the seller or caretaker. When you buy from one "breeder" you need to get advice from them or take it to the disease section if you get no acceptable results. Not another breeders sponsor section.


I understand thats why i was going to state it in my last response.

but lets be honest.. every discus nut is on Ricks sponsor section :lol:

sorry Rick !


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## fishdragon

Can i clarify that Baobeizhu's discus fry came from my fishroom not Rick's and i suggest move this thread out of his section. Mods do something...Thanks

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## Canadian_Aqua_Farm

BaoBeiZhu said:


> I understand thats why i was going to state it in my last response.
> 
> but lets be honest.. every discus nut is on Ricks sponsor section :lol:
> 
> sorry Rick !


No need to apologize. I welcome all discussion in my section.


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## Diztrbd1

Moved thread to a more fitting section


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## Fish rookie

Rick is back now so you can buy some discus from him if you like to. He has many years if experience with raising discus and he is super helpful and extremely knowledgable. His discus are also super healthy. 
Seeing your fish die or turning really dark is very depressing. Sorry to see that is happening to you. Good luck.


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