Dashing Discus

[ExtremeDiscus]

Hi all,

OK, from time to time, I have notice (so did my daughter) that one of my discus will dash very fast across the tank for no reason. (not the same discus) I am not sure if it is normal for them to do that. What usually would cause the discus to do it?

[dirtyplants]

Surprised, startled, agitated. If in normal mode and all is healthy, including water.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Thanks dirtyplants, yes they are in normal mode healthy including water (temp about 82F) They probably may be startled then, because after the dash they went back to normal.

[bluelagoon]

Mine seem to do that when a bird/pigeon flies near the window.Mine ate the shadows of birds.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Mine seem to do that when a bird/pigeon flies near the window.Mine ate the shadows of birds.

LOL! (Sorry that sound funny, no pun intended thou) Not sure why mine does it. But at least now I know it's nothing too serious to worry about.

[bluelagoon]

LOL! (Sorry that sound funny, no pun intended thou) Not sure why mine does it. But at least now I know it's nothing too serious to worry about.

Just a fact.It does indeed startle them.

[DISCUS STU]

There are certain environmental, bacterial, health issues that can make them more skittish than they usually are.

Barring that, as stated above, under normal, best case scenarios Discus are a bit on the nervous side and can do this regardless. Smashing themselves against the glass, jumping laterally, vertically, out of the tank, etc isn't unusual.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Overall they are healthy, as far as I can tell. Here are some pictures that I just took. They seem to be calm and come up to me when I tried to take the picture.

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[mojosodope]

Can also be an electrical current in the water. I've had discus dash and cause serious harm to themselves due to a tiny hairline crack in the internal of an eheim heater already, inspect all equipment in the tank.

[ExtremeDiscus]

After the last WC the other day I have raised the temp to about 86. They seem to be more active and looking around. This morning, they all were chasing each other and fighting for food. It's almost like pecking order again for them. Exploring the tank not much of the dashing though.

BTW! I am not sure what strain I have for these 5 discus. Can any identify them? I know it is hard to see from the pictures. I think I might have only have 4 of them.

[DiscusJimmy]

I accidentally dropped a frozen food cube into the tank (instead of gently putting it into the water) and startled my breeding pair. The male freaked out and jumped out of the tank, fall of about 5 feet.

Gently picked him up off the floor and put him back into the tank. He then proceeded to shoot across the take and smacked himself into the glass, rolled onto his side and slump to the bottom.

I thought I had killed him at this point, but noticed one of his gills moving ever so slightly. So I cradled him in the water and moved him near the filter return, he revived really quickly. Took 2 days to heal up his fins and a small gash to his head though.

I was lucky! Lesson learned!

[ExtremeDiscus]

I accidentally dropped a frozen food cube into the tank (instead of gently putting it into the water) and startled my breeding pair. The male freaked out and jumped out of the tank, fall of about 5 feet.

Gently picked him up off the floor and put him back into the tank. He then proceeded to shoot across the take and smacked himself into the glass, rolled onto his side and slump to the bottom.

I thought I had killed him at this point, but noticed one of his gills moving ever so slightly. So I cradled him in the water and moved him near the filter return, he revived really quickly. Took 2 days to heal up his fins and a small gash to his head though.

I was lucky! Lesson learned!

WOW! Sorry to hear, glad everything is OK!

[ExtremeDiscus]

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Here are better pictures of them. Two of them looks the same. Taking pictures from my phone probably a bad idea for a clear pictures. LOL!

[rickztahone]

orange one is a pigeon based strain. The blue one seems to be a cobalt. I think I also see a turq and the last one (white one) I am not sure about.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Thanks Ric.

[RogueDiscus]

Just wondering, how long have you had these discus in this tank, and what your cleaning routine is.
Steve

[ExtremeDiscus]

Just wondering, how long have you had these discus in this tank, and what your cleaning routine is.
Steve

About almost two week since I have them. i did WC every two or three days in the beginning. I am pushing it to about once a week to see how they will do.

[Altum Nut]

About almost two week since I have them. i did WC every two or three days in the beginning. I am pushing it to about once a week to see how they will do.

I'm thinking you will run into problems because of the excess food/poop settling in the course gravel. Resorting to once per week w/c in my mind is not going to cut it.
If your set on substrate at all...I would recommend a thin layer of sand or thin layer of gravel with a very fine diameter.
Hate to see you in the disease section

...Ralph

[ExtremeDiscus]

I'm thinking you will run into problems because of the excess food/poop settling in the course gravel. Resorting to once per week w/c in my mind is not going to cut it.
If your set on substrate at all...I would recommend a thin layer of sand or thin layer of gravel with a very fine diameter.
Hate to see you in the disease section

...Ralph

Thanks Ralph. I know what you means, dealing with my wife on WC is almost like pulling her hair out. Every time I tried to do WC, she gets on my case and said that the LFS said that the tank only needs it once per week. She said I am way too crazy on the discus and said she should have got goldfish instead, etc... I didn't want to fight her, so I let it sit. She said she wants the discus to get tough and get used to WC once a week.

[bluelagoon]

Simple,just tell the better half that she has never raised discus and she don't know what she is talking about.Then call a good lawyer LOL.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Simple,just tell the better half that she has never raised discus and she don't know what she is talking about.Then call a good lawyer LOL.

The better half will always win in my case. ;) LOL! I'll just have to deal with it and do more % on my WC. I was doing 25% - 30% WC, I will do at least 50% or more for once per week WC. Hopefully I won't run into what Ralph said. That would be bad... :(

[FishFanMan]

Just curious, what's the nitrate level on day 5, 6,and 7?

[ExtremeDiscus]

Just curious, what's the nitrate level on day 5, 6,and 7?

It has been only 3 days since I last change. I also do not have the test kit. I take the water to the store and they tested it for me. So I cannot tell you at this point.

[FishFanMan]

Well, if can only do weekly WCs then you might want to clean your mechanical filter in say a gallon of dechlorinated water 3 to 4 times a week to keep your nitrates as low as possible.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Well, if can only do weekly WCs then you might want to clean your mechanical filter in say a gallon of dechlorinated water 3 to 4 times a week to keep your nitrates as low as possible.

Thanks Koji for the advice. Will try to keep that in mind.

[ExtremeDiscus]

Just curious, what's the nitrate level on day 5, 6,and 7?

Per your question on nitrite level. Since I was out of town for about a little over a week. After 60% WC, and after 9 days, the nitrite (0.0 - 0.5 mg/L) results is 3.0, and nitrite (0 - 40 mg/L) results is 10. BTW pH results at 7.8 if you needs to know. The discus all looks active/healthy and eating like normal. I probably do 50% or more WC either today or tomorrow, depending on my schedule this weekend.