Darting Discus - 2 out of my 7 dart

[DiscusSteve]

So I'm just really confused about how two of my discus are acting. I have 7 discus and ONLY 2 of them dart like crazy maybe a couple times a day for like 5-10 seconds. My 3" checkerboard pigeon is darting, very jumpy (if it gets pecked at it swims REALLY fast for like half a second), and does not eat much (sometimes it comes close to the blackworms but gets scared away from the others and usually only eats the worms that float away; it's quite thin now). I also have a 3.5" tiger turq which darts for 5-10 seconds twice or so a day. It eats very well and gets along with all of the others and aside from this odd darting behaviour seems completely normal. After it darts though, it usually stays in a corner of the tank for an extended period of time (an hour?). My other 5 discus (3-4.5") are all totally fine, eat like pigs, and never dart unless spooked. I have treated for gill flukes, internal parasites, and bacterial diseases (all at different times).

Discus:
4.5" Red Melon --> Super healthy, never had any problems
4.5" Maze Leopard --> Had an ulcer which is being treated
3.5" Turq --> Darting, football shaped
3" Checkerboard Pigeon --> darting, not eating much
3" Blue Diamond --> A bit shy but comes out to eat
3" Leopard --> super healthy
3" Snakeskin Pigeon --> super healthy

Tank conditions:
55 gallon barebottom tank
Temperature: 91 (currently treating w/ metro cause of a skin ulcer that was on a fish that's 90% healed)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
Heaters: 1x250W, 1x300W
Filtration: AC 70 w/ prefilter sponge (sponge gets rinsed every other day)
WC: 75% every other day
pH: 7.0


The only thing I can think of is maybe they don't like all the salt I put in the tank? 5 tsp aquarium salt, 5 tbsp epsom salt, 1tbsp baking soda to stabalize pH every water change (considering removing the salt and WCing every day 50%). Otherwise I am completely baffled. Any help?

[mastermamo]

The darting behaviour as u call it is perfectly normal but y r u adding all sorts of salt. All u need is saline aquarium salt. Epsom salts? Why on earth r u using this? And BAKING SODA? oh dear me. This is a first for me.
If you do daily WC's on normal healthy fish there's no need for all this salt. I use salt once a week in my main tanks and every second day on my QT's and hospital tanks

[camuth8]

If you post in the disease section with the questionnaire, you'll get more info and more replies.

[ronald sherman]

your stressing the fish too begin with discus need a stable ph, plus with backing soda ur raising the ph conter productive as discus does better in low ph, not too say they can thrive in ph above 8.0 but there natural in the amazon is 6.0 stop the backing soda immediate, as anyone would tell you on this site the Epson salt shouldreally be added only in cases of constipation a there is no need too add reg salt I had this exact problem, and I would first try correcting it with water changing as your doing hopefully ur adding aextra air at 91 degree's as there oxygen level drop's as the temp raises, good kluck and keep as informed

[ronald sherman]

also you are a bit over stocked in that size tank and should not have more than 5 fish in it as the recomemded is I fist per 10 gallon 6 should be top's 75% every 2 day's you may want too up that too every day or 50% every day for a while as your problem sound's like a water condition water, changes, water changes, ohh did I forget too mention do as many water changes as possible

[Madaboutdiscus]

your stressing the fish too begin with discus need a stable ph, plus with backing soda ur raising the ph conter productive as discus does better in low ph, not too say they can thrive in ph above 8.0 but there natural in the amazon is 6.0 stop the backing soda immediate, as anyone would tell you on this site the Epson salt shouldreally be added only in cases of constipation a there is no need too add reg salt I had this exact problem, and I would first try correcting it with water changing as your doing hopefully ur adding aextra air at 91 degree's as there oxygen level drop's as the temp raises, good kluck and keep as informed

+1. Id drop the temp some personally. Mine are at 87-88 and do great. They get to 86 and become almost lethargic. They have 2 bubble curtains so plenty of air. Air is a must at higher temps.

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[John_Nicholson]

LOL....I see a lot of advise in this thread that I am sure is well intended but a little off. First more fish are killed though meds and water manipulation that anything else. 99% of the time the only thing that discus need is clean water at 82 degrees. You do not need all of this 86 to 90 degree water that so many new people seem to thing you need. Also they need a syable ph. I don't care if it is 6 or 8 as long as it is stable. My guess is as soon as you finish this treatment ( which you probably did not need ) and quit jacking with your water they will settle down fine.

-john

[PsyXe]

Yeah, stop all the extra salts and stuff and do what you were planning, 50% WC every day. Maybe more at first. Do they ever go in circles while darting? In my experience this is caused by ammonia or nitrites (and can happen even when the readings say it's fine!) Plain water, LOTS of changes. If it doesn't work, do more and bigger changes.

[mastermamo]

LOL....I see a lot of advise in this thread that I am sure is well intended but a little off. First more fish are killed though meds and water manipulation that anything else. 99% of the time the only thing that discus need is clean water at 82 degrees. You do not need all of this 86 to 90 degree water that so many new people seem to thing you need. Also they need a syable ph. I don't care if it is 6 or 8 as long as it is stable. My guess is as soon as you finish this treatment ( which you probably did not need ) and quit jacking with your water they will settle down fine.

-john

Agreed