Jack Wattley’s Natural Approach to Discus Health

Jack Wattley uses natural methods to keep his discus healthy. His skill was displayed when he created the Wattley Turquoise (also known as Coerulea) strain. In this article, we’ll describe Wattley’s superior methods and how you can apply them to your aquarium. Following Wattley’s suggestions, you can also maintain healthy discus.

Coerulea Discus

HOW CAN I APPLY JACK WATTLEY’S METHODS FOR KEEPING DISCUS HEALTHY?

When you get new discus, prevent them infecting your other fish.
At one of his numerous speaking engagements, Jack Wattley revealed how he prevented an obliteration of his fish by the plague when he brought some discus back from Bangkok to his hatchery in Florida. Silent carriers of infection may look perfect, but newly exposed fish will get sick. When Wattley received the new fish, he quarantined them and then used one of his discus as a “tester.” His fish showed symptoms of illness. In this way, Wattley prevented the rest of his fish from becoming sick. You can apply this method to your own aquarium, too. When you buy new fish, first quarantine them. Then, keeping them in their quarantine tank, put in one of your own fish as a tester. If the newly bought fish is infected, yours will show symptoms in 72 hours. If so, drop the pH to 4.0 and change the water at this low pH. Continue feeding and removing loose slime and fecal matter. The spawning cycle might be altered for 4-5 weeks, but no medication is required.

Quarantine Tank with Gold Panda Discus

If your fish are sick, use garlic to help them recover.
Wattley favors natural approaches to treating discus ailments. When his fish get sick, he often uses garlic. Garlic is known to kill capillaria, which may be 99% of discus parasites. You can apply this method, too. If your fish look sick, just buy some garlic cloves and squeeze out the oil onto the food. Don’t use bottled or powdered garlic.

If your fish have bacteria problems, lower your tank’s pH.
You can also try Wattley’s method for bacteria problems. If your fish have bacteria problems, drop the pH, starting at 6.5 down to 6.0. Monitor your fish and drop the pH 10 to 12 hours later to 5.5. Wait another 10 to 12 hours, and then bring the pH down to 5. Again, monitor your fish for 10 to 12 hours for stress and then bring the pH down to 4.5. After 24 hours, as long as your fish are not stressed, go to 4.0 but not lower. Continue your tank at that pH level for 10 days, and then return back up to 6.5.

Keep your tank clean.
Wattley always makes sure his tanks are clean. Pristine conditions help eliminate toxins and bacteria that stunt development and help your discus grow to their fullest potential. Moss balls or Marimo balls (Cladophora aegagrophila plant), most famously from Lake Akan, Japan, can help control algae.

QUESTIONS
What experiences do you think helped Wattley to learn these methods of discus care?
If your discus has internal parasites, what natural remedies can you apply?
Why is a clean tank so important?