How do salt water fish get swim bladder disease?

Question

I have a salt water tank and 3 clown fish and a few discus fish have already died in the past week from (suspected) swim bladder disease because they were swimming irregulary and vertically before they died. I have other fish (damsels) in the tank and they are fine. What caused the other fish to develop swim bladder disease? Did I buy them that way? Was it the water? Too little(or too much) oxygen/nitrates/ammonia? Pls help.

Answer 1

Salt water fish don't usually get swim bladder disease. Swimming irregulary can be a sign of many things. The main would be nitrite poisoning. Damsels although the same as clowns are much more tolorant of the nitrate/nitrite poisoning.
What is your water testing at? Ammonia, nitrates nitrites salinity ph? and how old is your tank?

When you say discus, are you talking about discus angles? regular discus, although can withstand high salt content are not full salt fish where as the discus angles are.

Also what are you feeding your fish? Sometimes feeding your fish improper foods can cause intestine problems not so much swim bladder.

Remember if your tank is not over 6-8 weeks old it could also be there is not enough bacteria buildup for the fish to survive.

If you need further help feel free to email me

Answer 2

I don't think it's swim bladder. Swim bladder disease is usually found in bulky fish like goldfish, oscars, blood parrots etc...not discus. Discus are NOT saltwater fish and are very sensitive to their water. Swim bladder disease is either caused by a bacteria or an impaction (constipation) and causes the fish to lose control of its buoyancy and to be upside down. Some are stuck upside down at the top..some upside down at the bottom.

Answer 3

Discus aren't a saltwater species.

Marine fish get a swim bladder disorder in much the same way that freshwater species can. It can be related to their diet, bacterial or parasitic infections, water quality, genetic defects, and breeding for abnormal body shapes (like fancy goldfish).

Answer 4

i hope the discus were not in the salt water tank........obviously they are not salt water fish.

swimming irregularly and/or verticle is a symptom of many things.. not just swim bladder disease.

there are different causes of swim bladder disease, and different remedies for each cause.

I think you need to look up on how to look after your fish a little better. discus in particular are fragile and need very specific water conditions.

there could have been many things wrong with them, including bacterial/fungal infections, parasites and bad water conditions (particularly PH).
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Answer 5

Maybe this article will help.