Diseases

Discus fish are prone to stress, diseases, and illnesses more than any other freshwater aquarium species. Viral infections, bacterial infections, parasitic diseases, and fungal infections are very common in Discus.

Viral Diseases

The Discus Plague, is the worst disease/condition that discus fish can suffer from. There is no known cure for it, and mortality rate is very high. It does not kill fish directly, but through weakening the immune system and getting the fish system ready for other (secondary) diseases.

Parasitic Infections

Parasites, including Helminths and protozoa kill discus fish more than other micro-organisms! Parasitic infections especially internal Hexamita and intestinal worms are some of the hardest discus fish diseases to treat. Infestation of single-celled protozoa also is not easy to cure. The cross contamination is actually the infestation of single-celled parasites such as Costia, Chilodonella, Trichodina, Ich, etc.

Bacterial Infections

Discus suffer from different types of Bacterial diseases and conditions such as Columnaris, Pop-eye, Dropsy, etc. Small wounds and scratches on skin that produced by parasites also get infected by secondary bacterial infections very quickly.

Fungal Illnesses

Fungal illnesses are not so common in discus fish unless the quality of the water is very poor and fish are suffering from weakened immune system, but when occurs is really hard and also time-consuming to treat.

Lumpy and white stringy feces in tropical discus fish
03May

Intestinal Parasites

Parasites are a natural components of all healthy ecosystems and all fish, including tropical Discus, can have internal and intestinal parasites. Even though these internal parasites are a natural occurrence, not a contamination, in certain conditions and circumstances, they can be problematic to fish.  An intestinal parasite infection...
Spironucleus is a parasitic flagellate in Aquarium Tropical Fish
03May

Spironucleus

Spironucleus is a flagellate parasite that affects a large group of fish, including ornamental tropical species. Even though the Spironucleus is responsible for Hole in the head disease in fish ( Head and Lateral Line Erosion), not intestinal disorders like that of Hexamita in fish, It...
Hexamita in Tropical Fish and Aquarium environments
03May

Hexamita

Hexamita is a flagellate protozoa that affects the gastrointestinal tract of ornamental fish. Protozoa are microscopic, single-celled organisms that may or may not be parasitic to fish. 

Can Fish Die from Hexamita?

Even though Hexamita is progressed slowly, it is often associated with high mortality if left untreated. Hexamita causes severe...
Popeye disease in tropical fish
01May

Popeye

Popeye in fish also called exophthalmus, proptosis, exorbitism, exophthalmia, or exophthalmos is not a specific discus disease itself but describes a condition and can be a symptom of an illness or infection in fish. Pope-eye disease/condition is bulging and swelling of one or both eyes of the aquarium...
Protruding Eyeball in Discus Fish Eye
01May

Hole in the Head

Hole in the Head (HITH) in fish, also known as Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE), is a very common aquarium and tropical fish disease that affects most Cichlids such as Symphysodon Discus, Oscars, and etc. Saltwater fish are also susceptible to head and lateral line erosion disease. The hole in...
The #1 Cause of Death among Imported Discus Fish is Viral Discus Plague, aka Discus Black Death
01May

Discus Plague

The main cause of death in most imported discus fish from east Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia is a fatal viral disease which is colloquially known as Discus Plague or Black Disease. Sometimes, It is also called discus flu! Due to the lack of research studies associated...
White Feces; Clear & Long Stringy Poop in Tropical Fish
01May

White Feces

White feces in fish, also called white stringy poop, is a fairly common symptom in both freshwater and marine aquarium fish which not always accompanies a certain disease. However, most of the time, the lumpy and/or white stringy feces (or sometimes even yellow poop) in discus fish...