Who Gives A Fish Forums

Hi,

I've got a situation with my discus fry - they're about a month old, and I've noticed some of them lying flat at the bottom of the tank.

When I feed them live BBS, they do eat a bit, but then they just go back to lying flat on the tank floor.

My setup is a sponge filter, daily 20-30% water changes, and the temperature is at 82 F.

Are my discus fry sick? Please help.

Thanks,
Kenny

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank
Hi Kenny, moved your thread to the breeding section - should get some expert eyes on it now.

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank
Not a fry expert here. First off, I'd bump up the temp, see how they react to that. Also, I'd increase the water changes. 50% is a good start, but you might need to go as high as 80% to get things back on track.

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank

I had a similar experience with my discus fry - they'd be lying flat, then suddenly perk up like nothing was wrong.
Fast forward, and they developed into healthy, rounded fish.

Lunar's suggestion of 50%+ water changes is a good starting point for improving conditions.

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank

Considering the symptoms you've described, Kenny, I think it's worth exploring the possibility of a bladder issue or constipation in your discus fry. Adding a pinch of Epsom salt to the water when hatching your BBS might help alleviate this. I'd also recommend feeding them fresh BBS and increasing the frequency of your daily water changes.

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank
Thanks Pat

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll start doing heavy water changes daily, and I'll also add Epsom salt to the BBS as Cliff suggested. I'll update you on the status.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions, I really appreciate it.
Kenny

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank

Updates...

Tried Epsom salt treatment, but still they're down, and more fries are affected.

Separated them, gave them a PP bath before, they're still eating but again laying down.

Anything else I can try to get them healthy?

Thanks,
Kenny

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank

Month-old discus fry are way past the BBS stage, in my opinion. I've found BBS to be overhyped - I use it from Day 7 to 14, then wean them onto solid food. I've had fry eating minced beefheart as early as Day 11.

I recall visiting a friend's fish room years ago and seeing a tank of discus fry that looked unlike any I'd raised. They were still on BBS, but after switching to beefheart, they rounded up in about a week.

My advice would be to try the following:

1. Feed minced beefheart frequently - these fry will be hungry every hour.
2. Change at least 90% of the water daily.

Good luck.

P.S. Cliff's comment on Epsom salt was for hatching BBS, not for raising fry.

Re: Discus Fry laying at the bottom of tank
I'm not an experienced breeder myself, but I've had some success with a different approach. I don't use BBS at all. Instead, I keep them on the parents' food till the 2nd week. Then I start introducing a beef heart mix while they're still with the parents, around the 2nd-3rd week. After that, it's beef heart exclusively.