Help! Heckel discus breathing through one side of the gills

[raymond]

Hi all, problem with the Heckel again, their not eating and one of them is breathing through one side of the gills only. Need urgent help. Been changing water every 2 days, thinking of doing a complete water change, and adding water stabiliser to condition the new water. Any other ideas??

[illumnae]

how much are you changing every 2 days? Did you do a complete anti-parasite regime when you first got them? Not eating may be internal parasites (did you observe their poo when they were eating?) and breathing through only one side of the gills may be external parasites.

At this point, try doing a large water change and adding aquarium salt. This usually helps reduce the stress on the fish as it reduces osmotic pressure. Next, try to induce them to eat with live brine shrimp or frozen blood worms. live brine shrimp is probably more seductive to them.

Try and get a good anti parasite medication. I like Waterlife Parazin or Jungle Labs Anti-Parasite Guard. The only LFS open at this hour is probably Polyart. You can try your luck there. I'm not sure if it's too late by now, but no harm trying.

Internal parasites take time to cure. I personally recommend Jungle Labs Internal Parasite Guard as the only one to consider for wild fish, as it contains praziquantel. Most/all other commercial anti-internal parasite contain mainly metronidazole and acriflavin and don't kill the full range of parasites. Alternatively, if you have access to metronidazole and praziquantel in its raw form, you can use them too.

That's as far as I can help. I may be wrong in my diagnosis, so it'd help if others can chip in too. All the best!

[raglan]

I have heard that the one sided breathing is a sign of parasitization, and gill flukes were blamed.
Since they are not eating, then maybe something like Prazipro ( or similar product you can find there) in the water, would work - to start off with, in order to get them to eat meds.

Dave

[illumnae]

The only commercial med we can get here in Singapore with praziquantel in it is Jungle Labs Internal Parasite Guard. Some discus hobbyists have access to raw praziquantel, but they don't advertise selling it.

We had this discussion on meds before on finarama dave

[bosebani]

Try formalin also can helps on gill flukes

[raglan]

If they aren't eating, then maybe water dosing of a different med is the tactic to use. Especially if diagnosis in unconfirmed, or the fish is showing confusing or mixed symptoms, then a more general approach, to hit several potential pathogens, is warranted.
After the fish it is eating and breathing OK, then it might be good to go specific with more targetted medication.

Dave

[kiddo]

Try formalin also can helps on gill flukes

formalin is not obtainable over the counter in SG, it is considered restricted chemical.

try the commercial med brand "interpret no.7" for velvet. The contain is formalin.