Who Gives A Fish Forums

My discus has a bloated belly, and I'm not sure what's causing it. They're in a 75-gallon tank with sand substrate, driftwood, and a few live plants. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate around 10 ppm. Temp is steady at 84°F, and I do 30% water changes twice a week. They're fed a mix of frozen bloodworms, beef heart, and pellets twice a day. No other fish are showing symptoms. Any ideas?

Could be constipation or internal parasites. Have you noticed any white stringy poop? That's usually a sign of parasites. If not, maybe try fasting them for a day or two and see if the bloating goes down.

Yep, agree with Goldie. Also, what's the pH and hardness? Discus can be picky about water chemistry. If it's too hard, they might stress and bloat. My crew chills at 6.5 pH and super soft water, no issues.

Mine did that once after overfeeding. Cut back on the beef heart, it's rich stuff. Maybe skip a feeding or two and see if it helps.

Goldie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 5:16 pm Could be constipation or internal parasites. Have you noticed any white stringy poop? That's usually a sign of parasites. If not, maybe try fasting them for a day or two and see if the bloating goes down.

Good point. Also, check if the belly feels squishy or firm. Firm could mean eggs, squishy might be fluid buildup.

Yo, SunKnot, how old is your discus? Juveniles can bloat easier than adults. If it's a young one, might just be a phase. Keep an eye on it, but don't stress too much yet.

Mine had a weird vibe like that last month. Turned out the filter was clogged, and the water flow was off. Cleaned it up, and the bloating went down in a couple days. Maybe check your filter?

I'd try adding some epsom salt to the tank. Just a teaspoon per 10 gallons. It can help with bloating and isn't too harsh on the fish.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try fasting them for a day and check the filter. The belly feels firm, so maybe it's eggs. I'll update if anything changes.

SunKnot wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 10:25 pm Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try fasting them for a day and check the filter. The belly feels firm, so maybe it's eggs. I'll update if anything changes.

Firm belly could definitely be eggs. If it's a female, she might be ready to spawn. Keep us posted!