Who Gives A Fish Forums

Noticed my Discus swimming upside down today. Tank's a 75 gallon, temp at 84F, pH 6.8, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate around 10ppm. They're about 6 months old, fed beef heart mix twice daily. Filter's a Fluval FX4, substrate is sand, with some driftwood and Amazon swords. No recent changes except a water change 2 days ago. Anyone seen this before?

Swimming upside down could be a swim bladder issue. Check if they're bloated or struggling to stay balanced. What's their feeding schedule like? Overfeeding can cause bloating. Also, any signs of rapid gill movement or lethargy? Might wanna try fasting them for a day or two, see if it helps.

Chili wrote: ↑Sun Jul 13, 2025 12:15 pm Swimming upside down could be a swim bladder issue. Check if they're bloated or struggling to stay balanced. What's their feeding schedule like? Overfeeding can cause bloating. Also, any signs of rapid gill movement or lethargy? Might wanna try fasting them for a day or two, see if it helps.

Yep, agree with Chili. Swim bladder problems are common with Discus, especially if they're fed too much or the food's not balanced. Try adding some peas to their diet, it can help with digestion. Also, what's your water change routine? Frequent changes are key for these guys.

Mine did this once after a big water change. Turns out the temp dropped too fast. You using a heater guard? Sometimes they get spooked and bump into stuff, messing up their swim bladder. Also, how's the flow in your tank? Too strong can stress them out.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna fast them for a day and try the peas. Water changes are 30% twice a week, heater's a Eheim Jager, set at 84F. Flow's moderate, but I'll check if it's too strong. Appreciate the help!

Good call on the fasting. Keep an eye on them, and if it doesn't improve, you might need to look into meds. Metroplex has worked for me in the past for swim bladder issues. Also, make sure your water change temp matches the tank temp closely. Discus are super sensitive to sudden changes.

If the fasting and peas don't cut it, you might wanna check for internal parasites. Sometimes they cause bloating and swim bladder problems. Have you noticed any white stringy poop? That's usually a sign. A round of PraziPro could help if that's the case.

Chili wrote: ↑Sun Jul 13, 2025 5:34 pm If the fasting and peas don't cut it, you might wanna check for internal parasites. Sometimes they cause bloating and swim bladder problems. Have you noticed any white stringy poop? That's usually a sign. A round of PraziPro could help if that's the case.

Yeah, parasites can be sneaky. Had a similar issue last year, and PraziPro cleared it right up. Also, make sure your beef heart mix isn't too fatty. Too much fat can mess with their digestion.