Who Gives A Fish Forums

My heart's grown ten times over for this little Snow White Discus juvie I got in the mail yesterday. I just have to share this story. I received a shipment of 7 juvies, but it was a tough trip for them - their heat pad had stopped working, and they were hardly moving when I pulled them out. One of my Alenquer had turned really dark from all the stress. I was already feeling down, but things were about to get worse.

I counted the bags and only found six, so I thought they'd forgotten one of my Discus. But then I found the 7th bag - Snow White was stuck underneath the others, not moving, not flinching. I thought she was gone for a second, but then I saw her breathing, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I put her in the quarantine tank with the others and just hoped she'd recover, but she just sank to the bottom and laid there. I was worried, so I left them alone and turned out the lights. When I checked on them an hour later, Snow White had managed to prop herself up on a big rock.

But then disaster struck again - the filter stopped working! I had to move the rock to make room for a new filter, and when I did, Snow White tumbled onto the sand and couldn't move. I felt like I'd just sealed her fate.

Today was tough - she just laid there all day, breathing heavily, with the other Discus swimming around her like they were trying to say "hang in there!" A friend came over and tried to comfort me, but he didn't think she'd make it. He said she looked bad.

But tonight, when I went to put some aquarium salt in the tank, I was amazed - Snow White was swimming around, trying to find a place to prop herself up again. And then she managed to wedge herself upright between the filter and the tank glass. I'm so proud of her!

If she doesn't make it now, I'll be heartbroken. She's proven to me that Discus are intelligent, and I see fish in a whole new light. I don't know if I can ever eat fish again! Do Discus feel love?

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Snow White's recovery. I really hope she bounces back from that stressful journey. She's still quite small, about the size of my other juvies, around 2-3 inches, but she's got a big personality.

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

I'm really sorry to hear about the rough start your new Discus had. Hopefully, the temperature drop wasn't too drastic, and she'll be able to recover. I'd recommend adding some hydrogen peroxide and aquarium salt to the tank to help reduce stress and promote healing. A cap full of hydrogen peroxide and 2 tablespoons of salt per 10 gallons should do the trick. For now, it's best to keep the lights off and just give her some time to rest and recover. Fingers crossed she'll pull through.

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

I'm still shaken by the ordeal. It seems the heat pad's short lifespan was the culprit, not a lost shipment. Overnight shipping with 72-hour heat packs is the norm, isn't it?

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

Thanks so much for the kind words and helpful advice. She's about 3" long, still tiny. I did float the bags before adding them to the tank, so fingers crossed that helps. I added salt as soon as I could, but I had no idea about the hydrogen peroxide - thanks for sharing that tip!

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

Hi Liz, thanks for your concern. The trip took about 30 hours, but I'm pretty sure the heat pack wasn't working properly when it was packed. It was stone cold when I opened the box, and so was the water. I was really upset about that. The company is well-known, but I'm not surprised they're not on the sponsors list now. The fish are a nice size for the price, but one of my Alenquers is still really stressed out - it's been dark since I pulled it out of the box and only lightens up for a short time every now and then. I appreciate your help, I'm new to keeping Discus and I'm grateful for all the advice I can get.

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

Oh my goodness, I just had to share the update - Snow White Juvie is now swimming around like a pro. I mean, she's still a bit off, but I think she's finally turned the corner. As expected, she's not 100% yet, but I'm just thrilled to see her active and trying her best.

Now, my concerns have shifted to the poor Alenquer. He's still really stressed, and those tremors are just heartbreaking. I've read that it's a sign of extreme stress, so I'm trying to give him space and keep the lights low. I'm desperate to do a water change, but I'm terrified it might push him over the edge. Has anyone else dealt with this before? Any advice would be a lifesaver right now.

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

I hope you gave them a piece of your mind - 30 hours is way too long for a cold heat pack. Overnight delivery should be just that, not a marathon. I'm rooting for your little Snow White, fingers crossed she's doing better. Have you tried feeding them yet?

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

Hi Tom, I did let them know about the issue with the heat pack and the cold water. Honestly, I was fuming and wanted to give them a piece of my mind for carelessly packing the Snow White juvie under the others. I'm almost certain she didn't slip under, her bag was fully horizontal. I felt like reporting them for Discus Cruelty!

I sent them a photo of the discus in the tank, with the Snow White on her side at the bottom and the very dark Alenquer, and all they said in response was "Awesome photo". I was taken aback by their lack of concern.

I have fed them, and some are nibbling a bit. Thanks for checking in!

Re: Intelligent Wonderous Discus!

I've learned that salt can be a lifesaver in situations like this. Not only does it help with stress, but it can also clear up congested gills and support osmoregulation. A general rule of thumb is to add one to two tablespoons per 10 gallons of water.