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How long can a discus go without eating?
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Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
How long can a discus go without eating?
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02 Jan 2012 00:10 #1
by Gonefishy (Brian oneill)
Have 3 pairs of discus but I have never seen one of the six eat really at all. This particular fish did have white stringy faeces about 7 weeks back but treated the tank with metro and praziquantel (as was flicking a lot also) and this cleared it up. Its also a little darker in colour than its breeding mate (cobalt stendkers). I can't believe that a fish could survive for almost 4 months without eating? Could it? Fish is behaving normally, still acting quite dominant, not cowering in any corners or anything like that. Maybe it is eating when lights are out but could it still be alive after this length of time and look fine without food? All other discus are eating as normal. All about 13-15cm. Thanks!!
Water parameters are all fine btw.
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02 Jan 2012 10:07 #2
by igmillichip (ian millichip)
A small discus won't last long without eating, but a full grown one can go a surprisingly time without food.
Whether or not 4 months is pushing it remains to be seen with the future health of the discus.....a bout of not eating could cause long-lasting gut problems.
But, discus are grazing omnivorous fish anyway and so it may have been finding morsels to eat.
By the sounds of it, you have a typical problem with discus (and with some other heroine cichlids).....a fish that is often so intent on stopping others from feeding that it spends its time doing that rather than eating.
It is often noted that a dominant discus in a tank can suddenly be the first to go down-hill quickly.
The fish may also have an irritant on the body (eg costia).....have that checked out.
A faeces and body swab put under the microscope is advised to confirm if you need to target the skin or gut with any medication.
ian
Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
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02 Jan 2012 13:59 #3
by Gonefishy (Brian oneill)
Ian, you're a wealth of knowledge and much appreciate you coming back on this as simply at a loss! This particular guy isnt even interfering with my other discus eating but if they nudge him, he will certainly have a dart at em and send them running. I have to think he must be eating something as he would surely be sick and weak looking which he's not. Just looks on as all others devour there beef heart and pellets. Might try some frozen bloodworms as an appetizer
As an aside, you should see some of the fatties I have in the tank - two of my angels and particularly my two German rams and sunshine pleco have taken a liking to the beef heart mix and pig out on it also and they are certainly showing the effects of same!!! My pleco was playing turf war with a pair of discus last night for a cube of beef heart!!!
Back to my discus, maybe he's the cause of my plants being shredded every now and again!!
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04 Jan 2012 22:34 #4
by derek (Derek Doyle)
By the sounds of it, you have a typical problem with discus (and with some other heroine cichlids).....a fish that is often so intent on stopping others from feeding that it spends its time doing that rather than eating.
It is often noted that a dominant discus in a tank can suddenly be the first to go down-hill quickly.
.
ian
this type of behavior can be a problem with tropheus also. the other sympton that I dread to see on discus is razor back, where the shoulder and dorsal region becomes very thin and looks like skin on bone. they really are a fish that brings a lot of baggage re health issues and they need constant monitoring but are very beautiful and have many fans.
ps. have to say we are lucky to have ian on this forum as he really does have a wealth of knowledge on all aspects of fishkeeping and water quality. and combines science and hobbiest know how to great effect. and most importantly, he is always prepared to spend time giving good advice.
30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish
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How long can a discus go without eating?
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