Adult wilds not exactly hiding, but inactive...would dither fish help.

[Mapet]

No but I could probably arrange to borrow one... what did you have in mind?

Because they may have nematodes and trematodes on the gills and skin like mine.
If you can place your 20-second video, manure and mud from the filter, and write the magnification.
This can help. Mine are now healthy and eat like pigs.

John at Freshwater TRopicals...

We have the same fish from the same guy, just I bought a medium large sized.

[adapted]

I don't think is microbial, but I guess anything is possible. The fish look great, they eat and have the proper posture and breathing rate. They just got shy all of a sudden, and occaisonally skittish.


I think, as Rick mentioned, it is a non-disease issue. I put a piece of driftwood (a big one) back in the tank and am waiting to see if they may have over reacted to that in a delayed manner... it didn't seem to bother them at all when I removed it two or three weeks ago.

[OC Discus]

What about the change in ph/water chemistry from the driftwood. Could that have a sedating effect?

I don't think is microbial, but I guess anythinug is possible. The fish look great, they eat and have the proper posture and brething rate. They just got shy all of a sudden, and occaisonally skittish.


I think, as Rick mentioned, it is a non-disease issue. I put a piece of driftwood (a big one) back in the tank and am waiting to see if they may have over reacted to that in a delayed manner... it ididn't seem to bother them at all when I removed it two or three weeks ago.

[adapted]

The pH has been fairly stable for last several weeks 5.6 to 6.3.

[Mapet]

I don't think is microbial, but I guess anything is possible. The fish look great, they eat and have the proper posture and breathing rate. They just got shy all of a sudden, and occaisonally skittish.

With my was almost the same, two weeks after they came to me.
Follow whether their skin does not get matt.

[adapted]

It looks like replacing the driftwood may be the difference. Strange to think that removing one piece of wood from the tank would alter their behavior that much after two weeks.

[adapted]

Mystery resolved: I put a large piece of vertically oriented (suspended) driftwood back in the tank last night, just as it had been ywo weeks ago and these silly fish decided all is right with the world. Theyr'e back to nonstop squabbling, nudging, power-kissing and eating everything that falls in the water.

Lesson: Discus have long memories and little things can cuase pretty dramatic behavior changes. The odd thing is that they didn't react right away... they got skittish first, then shy over the next week.


Anway, Rick wins the Internet Diagnosis award for his hunch that it was something in their surroundings other than a WQ or disease issue. Thanks to everyone kind enough to offer a suggestion.