Discus ID

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Tapenoon

Exodon
MFK Member
Sep 15, 2012
90
0
21
northwest indiana
So took a trip to a LFS today, they had 1 solitary discus for 36.00. Being that i just got 3 of them the day prior i picked up him, funny enough, the clerk made a mistake and only charged me 6.00! anyhow he was sold as a red turq, however he looks different than my other red turqs. His fins have kindof a spiny look, anybody have a clue?
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Dude, I'm sorry to say but he's severely stunted. I wouldn't expect him to grow any large than what he is now. But he looks like a red or blue turquoise.............
 
Tapenoon said:
stunted or not ill make sure he's well taken care of now
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Good, nicely said. Glad he found a good home. The colors are beautiful but what is with the spiny look?
 
The fins look jagged like that because the fish is in bad shape. When discus are stressed they often fall victim to intestinal parasites which causes them to starve and waste away. You can see in the first picture that its body is very thin around the forehead and spine/lateral line area, often referred to as "razorback." If you look at the fish head-on, its body will often look "pinched" in right above the eyes. Their fins usually get ragged and their eyes go dull, too.

I would get him eating. If he's not eating, quarantine it, jack the heat up to 90F, and run a metro treatment on him. I've had to do it with tons of discus over the years.

Luckily you only paid $6! I really wish LFS wouldn't sell discus if they don't know how to properly house them.

BTW, it appears to be a turquoise or red turquoise.
 
ryansmith83 said:
The fins look jagged like that because the fish is in bad shape. When discus are stressed they often fall victim to intestinal parasites which causes them to starve and waste away. You can see in the first picture that its body is very thin around the forehead and spine/lateral line area, often referred to as "razorback." If you look at the fish head-on, its body will often look "pinched" in right above the eyes. Their fins usually get ragged and their eyes go dull, too.

I would get him eating. If he's not eating, quarantine it, jack the heat up to 90F, and run a metro treatment on him. I've had to do it with tons of discus over the years.

Luckily you only paid $6! I really wish LFS wouldn't sell discus if they don't know how to properly house them.

BTW, it appears to be a turquoise or red turquoise.
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He actually seems very healthy...i have seen discus with the pinched look you refer too, however this guy is the alpha of the 5. first to eat first to greet for food. He seems very healthy and happy.
 
You asked, I answered. It's just my opinion. Sometimes just moving them into more optimal conditions and feeding them well will reverse the tattered fins, sometimes you will have to step in with meds. Whatever the case, the fish has not been cared for properly up to this point. The fins could be jagged from general ill health, ammonia burn, or nipping from aggressive tankmates that it may have been housed with in the past.
 
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