I now have had my 15 Stendker Juvie Discus for 3 weeks.
At the beginning went thru case of the jitters/skittishness & "starvation" strike for 5days. But they couldn't go w/o food that long & all of a sudden they became voracious eaters. From flakes to frozen brine & bloodworms to live blackworms (which I gave them only 2 feedings then read some of the negatives so threw them out).
Also went thru a case of Ich where one was sprinkled all over including it's caudal tail fins, 2 others had a spot or 2. As per Lupin's reply to my posting, out of list I made to buy, suggested Kordin Rid Ich. Also suggested salt 1st. I actually applied both salt & Rid Ich for 5days which Ich disappeared, & then continued Rid Ich for another 5days.
Now one is starving itself, not interested in eating for 3days now. Even with frozen food, even when all the others are on a feeding frenzy. Tho it looked like once it would eat when it shot into the frenzy for frozen brine but right in the midst it didn't do any eating. I noticed only once it had gray poop (not the normal brown & not the parasitic white strands, yet).
so here is my info:
Basic Questions
1. What is the size of your tank?
State the tank volume in liters or gallons. If you are unsure of your tank size, use this calculator to determine the tank size.
o 72gal bowfront
2. What are your water parameters? State the brand of test kit used.
o API Master Kit PH 6.5-6.6, AM/NI/NA = 0, the latter had been reading 5ppms for several readings. Have NYS local water tap.
3. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or brackish water?
o FW
4. How long the aquarium has been set up?
o cycled for 1month, 4 angels/1 med. pleco/8 baby albino corys in for 2weeks then introduced discus in 6th week. removed angels/pleco after 2days. about 6corys started to die off so removed 2 back with angels.
now tank is 9weeks running
5. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
o now 15 juvie discus (varying sizes 2.5-3") & 7 baby BN's + 1 baby royal, 3weeks in,
o last week 2 smaller juvies started a show of dominance with the other same sized juvies. just past 3days about 6 show signs of being alphas, especially during feeding. some do hold their own against them, some are shooed away, some are not bothered.
the one not eating doesn't really get bothered much tho.
there seems to be plenty of room - but they all like to school together whether eating or not.
6. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
No, per Hans just flop and plop as long as my parameters espec. PH was the same as his at 7.0.
7. What temperature is the tank water currently?
o 86-87 with plenty of O2
8. Are there live plants in the aquarium?
o No, but was thinking of placing a few bamboo plants
9. What filter are you using? State brand, maintenance routine and power capacity.
o AC110, sponge filter + airstone & Fluval 204, on W/C every 2-3days use aged water & prime
10. Any other equipment used (aside from heater and filter which are two very important components of the tank)?
o No
11. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? What is your lighting schedule (assuming you do not rely on sunlight for our viewing pleasure)?
o No, now have Current Dual Satellite 36", use white lights during daytime viewing (from 4-10 hrs on) & blue actinics at nighttime viewing (from 2-6hrs) then just the 1 lunar light during sleep. No evidence of algae.
12. When did you perform your last water change and how much water was changed? How often do you change your water? Do you vacuum the substrate?
o W/C today Sunday, 15gal via JBJ siphon/vac in bare bottom, last W/C 2days ago Friday
13. What foods do you provide your fish? What is the feeding schedule?
o once in morning flakes, once in afternoon flakes, once in evening flakes, but frozen brine or worms on 3rd day
14. What unusual signs have you observed in your fish?
o as described at the top, one is not eating, swimming sluggish at times & sometimes not schooling, fins clamp at times but not all the time, sometimes I see it flutter it's dorsal fin or it's pectoral fins. but I saw this flutter of pectoral fins once in couple of other discus also.
15. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? If so, what treatments did you use? State your reasons for planning ahead of proper diagnosis.
o No, just for the prior Ich treatment. I was going to start pimamix & melamix but held off till I get more advice.
Common Causes of Unusual Behaviors
This will cover common ailments only. Again, the more complicated health conditions can be found here.
1. Fish is scratching more than usual.
o no
2. Unusually tattered fins or fins with punch holes.
o no
3. Faded or unusually dark body color.
o actually colors look good
4. Unusual patches on the body.
o no
5. Graze marks.
o no
6. Cysts, craters or spots.
o no, didn't show it either when Ich hit 3 others.
7. Unusual bloating.
o no
8. Protruding eyes and scales.
o no
9. Gasping and listless movements.
o no gasping, maybe some listless movement but it swims around, albeit slower than the others
10. Red veins.
o no
11. Refusal to eat.
-Internal parasites. See #7.
o no bloating
-Deteriorating water conditions. See #2.
o water parameters seem ok
-Inappropriate treatments. Stop using treatments for a few days and repeat with a new brand (making sure diagnosis is correct).
o have since stopped using Rid Ich 5days after disappearance
-Improper acclimation procedure. See #3.
o no
-Stressful activities. See #3
o no
thank you all.
At the beginning went thru case of the jitters/skittishness & "starvation" strike for 5days. But they couldn't go w/o food that long & all of a sudden they became voracious eaters. From flakes to frozen brine & bloodworms to live blackworms (which I gave them only 2 feedings then read some of the negatives so threw them out).
Also went thru a case of Ich where one was sprinkled all over including it's caudal tail fins, 2 others had a spot or 2. As per Lupin's reply to my posting, out of list I made to buy, suggested Kordin Rid Ich. Also suggested salt 1st. I actually applied both salt & Rid Ich for 5days which Ich disappeared, & then continued Rid Ich for another 5days.
Now one is starving itself, not interested in eating for 3days now. Even with frozen food, even when all the others are on a feeding frenzy. Tho it looked like once it would eat when it shot into the frenzy for frozen brine but right in the midst it didn't do any eating. I noticed only once it had gray poop (not the normal brown & not the parasitic white strands, yet).
so here is my info:
Basic Questions
1. What is the size of your tank?
State the tank volume in liters or gallons. If you are unsure of your tank size, use this calculator to determine the tank size.
o 72gal bowfront
2. What are your water parameters? State the brand of test kit used.
o API Master Kit PH 6.5-6.6, AM/NI/NA = 0, the latter had been reading 5ppms for several readings. Have NYS local water tap.
3. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or brackish water?
o FW
4. How long the aquarium has been set up?
o cycled for 1month, 4 angels/1 med. pleco/8 baby albino corys in for 2weeks then introduced discus in 6th week. removed angels/pleco after 2days. about 6corys started to die off so removed 2 back with angels.
now tank is 9weeks running
5. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
o now 15 juvie discus (varying sizes 2.5-3") & 7 baby BN's + 1 baby royal, 3weeks in,
o last week 2 smaller juvies started a show of dominance with the other same sized juvies. just past 3days about 6 show signs of being alphas, especially during feeding. some do hold their own against them, some are shooed away, some are not bothered.
the one not eating doesn't really get bothered much tho.
there seems to be plenty of room - but they all like to school together whether eating or not.
6. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
No, per Hans just flop and plop as long as my parameters espec. PH was the same as his at 7.0.
7. What temperature is the tank water currently?
o 86-87 with plenty of O2
8. Are there live plants in the aquarium?
o No, but was thinking of placing a few bamboo plants
9. What filter are you using? State brand, maintenance routine and power capacity.
o AC110, sponge filter + airstone & Fluval 204, on W/C every 2-3days use aged water & prime
10. Any other equipment used (aside from heater and filter which are two very important components of the tank)?
o No
11. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? What is your lighting schedule (assuming you do not rely on sunlight for our viewing pleasure)?
o No, now have Current Dual Satellite 36", use white lights during daytime viewing (from 4-10 hrs on) & blue actinics at nighttime viewing (from 2-6hrs) then just the 1 lunar light during sleep. No evidence of algae.
12. When did you perform your last water change and how much water was changed? How often do you change your water? Do you vacuum the substrate?
o W/C today Sunday, 15gal via JBJ siphon/vac in bare bottom, last W/C 2days ago Friday
13. What foods do you provide your fish? What is the feeding schedule?
o once in morning flakes, once in afternoon flakes, once in evening flakes, but frozen brine or worms on 3rd day
14. What unusual signs have you observed in your fish?
o as described at the top, one is not eating, swimming sluggish at times & sometimes not schooling, fins clamp at times but not all the time, sometimes I see it flutter it's dorsal fin or it's pectoral fins. but I saw this flutter of pectoral fins once in couple of other discus also.
15. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? If so, what treatments did you use? State your reasons for planning ahead of proper diagnosis.
o No, just for the prior Ich treatment. I was going to start pimamix & melamix but held off till I get more advice.
Common Causes of Unusual Behaviors
This will cover common ailments only. Again, the more complicated health conditions can be found here.
1. Fish is scratching more than usual.
o no
2. Unusually tattered fins or fins with punch holes.
o no
3. Faded or unusually dark body color.
o actually colors look good
4. Unusual patches on the body.
o no
5. Graze marks.
o no
6. Cysts, craters or spots.
o no, didn't show it either when Ich hit 3 others.
7. Unusual bloating.
o no
8. Protruding eyes and scales.
o no
9. Gasping and listless movements.
o no gasping, maybe some listless movement but it swims around, albeit slower than the others
10. Red veins.
o no
11. Refusal to eat.
-Internal parasites. See #7.
o no bloating
-Deteriorating water conditions. See #2.
o water parameters seem ok
-Inappropriate treatments. Stop using treatments for a few days and repeat with a new brand (making sure diagnosis is correct).
o have since stopped using Rid Ich 5days after disappearance
-Improper acclimation procedure. See #3.
o no
-Stressful activities. See #3
o no
thank you all.
