# Discus flickering fins, darting, dark color



## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

I recently started this topic ( http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=187854 ) but the topic has changed and I wanted to get some more exposure.

My discus a few weeks ago got cut on a rock, and got some sort of body fungus (3 white spots growing under some scales). I quarantined and treated with salt, and the white fungus spots cleared up. The fish was VERY anti-social though, very frightened and barely ate. I put him back in the main tank and hoped he'd be ok. He was the alpha of the two discus in the tank.

For the past week, he's eaten but very little, and hides in a piece of driftwood. The other discus was messing with him a bit when he'd leave the driftwood so I took the other discus out yesterday and put him in the 10 gal quarantine so the healing fish could get his status back. He's stayed in the wood all day until now, and he is swimming around the tank, but he's very dark, and flicks his fins. His dorsal fin is slicked back, and the little holes between their eyes seem "swollen" or something. I tried my best to include that in my iphone picture.

I could treat the main tank, but as you can see it's heavily planted and I don't want to kill the plants. I could quarantine him again, but he just sits in a corner scared out of his mind and stressed out. Anyone have any suggestions?

Water parameters are spot on as usual, and I change water in the tank all the time. All other fish are healthy.

If it weren't that discus are so beautiful, I'd get rid of them in a heartbeat - they are SO finicky. I'm guessing he still has some external parasite since he's darting. I'm thinking about putting BOTH discus in the same 10gal, treat with salt, and see how they do.









My poor red turquoise that looks like ****. This fish used to be SO gorgeous.









Can't salt this tank or the plants go bye bye.


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## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

Turns out that white area on its' dorsal and anal fins are some sort of fungus that has returned. It's really baffling me, because I keep pristine water conditions. The fungus is much worse now than it is in the picture. I was really scared that I'd lose the fish yesterday as it was darting and swimming sideways.

Anyways, I have both my discus in a bare bottom 10g (the healthy blue diamond is in there to keep the red turq company as it was way too scared last time I had it alone), temp is 85 degrees, one capful of Melafix per day, and one cup of Kosher salt in the tank.

I will change 50% of the water each day until this junk is gone for good. Both fish are hanging out next to one another calmly. Only the blue diamond is eating as of now.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Really can't see much from the picture. Can you describe the fungus?

It may just be that the fish needs more time to heal.

Robin

Planted tank looks beautiful. . .


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Is the fish flashing or rubbing? Is there anything else on the fish's skin? Like an overall cloudiness?
I would put something in the tank--a rock or fake plant so they have something to hide behind.

Robin


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## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

Thanks for replying again, Robin. I have a big lava rock in the tank for it to hide behind, but it's not scared anymore. Basically it swims around and hangs with the other discus. He is almost completely black now, much darker than in that picture.

The white areas have increased some, it's like those white areas you can see on the anal and dorsal fins. It doesn't stick out past the body like cotton, it's like a white "webbing" that's on his fins. You can tell the fish hates it, as it flicks it's fins constantly like it's trying to get the stuff off.

I'm going to do another 50% WC soon and increase the salt to 1.5 cups of salt in the 10G and go to the store and see if there's anything that might be good for this. I might even go to 2 cups tomorrow. I read a thread online somewhere yesterday that a guy has treated his discus with 3 cups of salt per 10 gallons before and increased temp to low 90s. I have the temp at 85/86 right now.

I'll also try and find the charger to my good digital camera so I can take a better picture. And thanks for the compliment on the tank - I'm constantly trying to get the tank looking how I want it. I still have a LOT of work to do - right now hoping to get the top of my driftwood covered in glossostigma 

Justin


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## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

Came home from a party last night and found him dead. I had been battling whatever he had for about 2 weeks. I'm really, really unhappy about this


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

I'm so sorry. Can't say for sure but it may have been Columnaris. Some strains of this bacteria can kill a fish in less than 12 hours.

If there's any concern over the other fish you might read the article in the forums library on Columnaris. The author keeps Discus and gives detailed instructions on using salt dips to heal fish of the bacteria. If I understand it correctly the salt doesn't kill the bacteria but keeps it from adherring to the fish's skin.

I'm really sorry you lost him. It sounded like you had turned things around with the first treatment and that you just needed to treat longer.

Sorry Justin

Robin


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2009)

This happens a lot with discus. So, don't be discouraged. Also, go check out simplydiscus.com. It has tons of useful info. I have lost a lot of discus when I first started, but doing a lot better now.


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## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

Thanks guys, and I will definitely check out simply discus. I've kept Africans (all three lakes) for about 8 years now and I've learned how to treat them like second nature. I guess I still have a lot to learn with discus (only kept them a few months and this is the first sickness I've dealt with) 

I'll miss that fish, it was the showpiece of the tank. Oh, here's a picture I took earlier showing my lonely blue diamond:


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