caffers0
08-08-2013, 07:43 AM
Hi
Ive just been given 5 discus by a friend who is moving abroad. Three red tiger turqs, a blue turq and a blue diamond, The fish range in size from 5" to 2.5". They have settled in and are very active. When I enter the room they approach the front glass and all 5 will take beefheart from my hand. Im feeding them on beefheart, chopped mussel and bloodworm, they will even take generic flake. Im feeding 3 to4 times daily and they all eat like pigs. My parameters as they sit are nitrate 0, nitrite and ammonia 0 and a PH of 7.4. The guy who give them to me didnt know what his PH was. I have started to do 20% daily water changes and Im using a mix of RO and tap water dechlorinated with Prime. My temperature is a consistent 30C. Filtration is by a DIY trickle tower filled with floss and sponge and ceramic rings, there is also an external canister filled with ceramic media and over 6 litres of hel x fluidised in the sump. The tank is approximately 650 litres after displacement and is heavily planted, primarily with cryptocorynes and aponogetons, as well as containing a lot of bogwood. However as well as about 40 small tetra and 6 siamese algae eaters, the tank contains 3 large angels and the discus came with 3 pink gouramis, approximately 4-5". I have watched the tank closely and the gouramis seem to leave the discus alone, in fact they have been with them since they were babies. The angels will challenge them for food but are generally non aggressive. Of course I cant watch the tank 24hrs a day!
The problem Im having is that while the largest 2 discus have coloured up and look really well, of the 3 smaller ones, a red turq is heavily barred and the blue turq and diamond though well coloured around their heads and fin are grey bodied. Can anyone suggest what might be wrong, they have only been in the tank for 5 days now so am I expecting too much too soon or do some of their companions need to go? Are is there something essential Im missing out on? Any help would be welcomed.
Ive just been given 5 discus by a friend who is moving abroad. Three red tiger turqs, a blue turq and a blue diamond, The fish range in size from 5" to 2.5". They have settled in and are very active. When I enter the room they approach the front glass and all 5 will take beefheart from my hand. Im feeding them on beefheart, chopped mussel and bloodworm, they will even take generic flake. Im feeding 3 to4 times daily and they all eat like pigs. My parameters as they sit are nitrate 0, nitrite and ammonia 0 and a PH of 7.4. The guy who give them to me didnt know what his PH was. I have started to do 20% daily water changes and Im using a mix of RO and tap water dechlorinated with Prime. My temperature is a consistent 30C. Filtration is by a DIY trickle tower filled with floss and sponge and ceramic rings, there is also an external canister filled with ceramic media and over 6 litres of hel x fluidised in the sump. The tank is approximately 650 litres after displacement and is heavily planted, primarily with cryptocorynes and aponogetons, as well as containing a lot of bogwood. However as well as about 40 small tetra and 6 siamese algae eaters, the tank contains 3 large angels and the discus came with 3 pink gouramis, approximately 4-5". I have watched the tank closely and the gouramis seem to leave the discus alone, in fact they have been with them since they were babies. The angels will challenge them for food but are generally non aggressive. Of course I cant watch the tank 24hrs a day!
The problem Im having is that while the largest 2 discus have coloured up and look really well, of the 3 smaller ones, a red turq is heavily barred and the blue turq and diamond though well coloured around their heads and fin are grey bodied. Can anyone suggest what might be wrong, they have only been in the tank for 5 days now so am I expecting too much too soon or do some of their companions need to go? Are is there something essential Im missing out on? Any help would be welcomed.