Coming back to discus. Not going so well though

[darshan.more]

Hello All,
After 6 years and 2 failed attempts I am trying to keep discus again. I have 100 liter tank with 5 discus. 2 Blue Diamond 2 Snakeskin and 1 Scribble ( Why 1 scribble, coz I lost one already :( ). I have a top filter with carbon, ceramic rings and bio balls. This filter was running for over a month without discus. 2 driftwood pieces which are in my aquarium for 2 months now. One of them was having white stuff on it So I removed it yesterday. I read online that its not harmful so kept it inside for 4 days with discus. All 2.5 to 3 inches juveniles. They are all skittish. I bought them last Saturday. So its just 5 days now. They either spend most of their time in one dark corner or behind driftwood. When no one is around they swim all over the tank. I am feeding them 4 times a day with terabits. I am planing to start with goat heart mix once they feel comfortable in my tank.
Water Parameter:
PH: 6.8
Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite and Nitrate 0 ppm
I am doing daily 70% water change daily.
Any pointer on what I can improve on.
Thanks in advance

[tonytheboss1]

:bandana: :bandana: Two things right off the bat. 1) Ammonia should be -0- so your tank isn't fully cycled. 2) 100 liters is a bit small for 5 Discus to grow. You might wanna increase W/C's to 2 a day at 90% & search for maybe a 250 liter to house them. You didn't state temp. but it's important. "T"

[adrian31@outlook.com]

Hello All,
After 6 years and 2 failed attempts I am trying to keep discus again. I have 100 liter tank with 5 discus. 2 Blue Diamond 2 Snakeskin and 1 Scribble ( Why 1 scribble, coz I lost one already :( ). I have a top filter with carbon, ceramic rings and bio balls. This filter was running for over a month without discus. 2 driftwood pieces which are in my aquarium for 2 months now. One of them was having white stuff on it So I removed it yesterday. I read online that its not harmful so kept it inside for 4 days with discus. All 2.5 to 3 inches juveniles. They are all skittish. I bought them last Saturday. So its just 5 days now. They either spend most of their time in one dark corner or behind driftwood. When no one is around they swim all over the tank. I am feeding them 4 times a day with terabits. I am planing to start with goat heart mix once they feel comfortable in my tank.
Water Parameter:
PH: 6.8
Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite and Nitrate 0 ppm
I am doing daily 70% water change daily.
Any pointer on what I can improve on.
Thanks in advance

You should move them to a larger tank in the very near future. Since it's only been 5 days they should settle in time if water conditions are acceptable. Are you using aged water, if not what is the change in PH of your new water after 24 hours. A significant change in water PH in your tank will stress them.

[Kyla]

also, if you arent aging your water the microbubbles from large water changes could be irritatting ur little guys after the wc.

can we see some pics of the tank? is it barebottom? are the bottom and back covered or open? more details could allow us to give further advice.

[Kyla]

running the filter for a month without discus will not do anything beneficial unless u also add ammonia to the tank to grow good bacteria in the filter. ammonia is the "food" the beneficial bacteria need in order to grow and multiply and prepare the tank for the new fish. reading up on "cycling an aquarium with pure ammonia" will help to explain this process further.

what type of dechlorinator are you using during your wc?

[tonytheboss1]

( Why 1 scribble, coz I lost one already ).

I have a top filter with carbon, ceramic rings and bio balls. This filter was running for over a month without discus


:bandana: So I take it you started w/ 6 & you're down to 5 in an uncycled tank of a little over 25g. By 'top filter' do you mean HOB? What kind? Have you observed labored breathing in the rest? Need answers to these & questions above to help rectify a questionable start friend. "T"

[darshan.more]

This tank is running for almost 2 years now. I had 5 inch silver dollars just before discus. Yes I am aging water. Water temperature is around 31 celsius. With wc PH is7.4 but after 24 hours it's 6.8. It is a bare bottom tank with blue background with wall at the back. I will post some photos.

[darshan.more]

109397

[Kyla]

discus were added to tank after previous fish were removed from the same tank? any symptoms of illness from the one discus u lost already?

[darshan.more]

Regarding ammonia I am getting same readings with my tap water, aged water and water after 24 hours from tank. Color is between 0 and .25 ppm.
Is drop in PH OK?

[darshan.more]

Yes discus were added after removing previous fishes. No symptoms of illness was shown by any fishes.

[bluelagoon]

I see that the water is rather cloudy.This could be a bacterial bloom from the uncycled tank.You may need twice a day WC's in such a small tank by the looks of it.Also,you have a HOB filter and a power head in a 25 gal. tank.Must be a torrent in there.A bit much for discus.I would take the power head out or at least put a sponge on the intake and use it for the filter.

[darshan.more]

I have already added a sponge on the intake. Output is far less now. Also discus are far better now. No darting. Eating fine. And I can now approach the tank :-)

[tonytheboss1]

:bandana: The more you do W/C's & feedings the less skittish they'll be. Has the tank completed cycle? (Ammonia -0- Nitrite -0- Nitrate +/- 5-10) If so they should be fine in that 100 liter for a min. but you're gonna need a bigger 'boat' long term. "T"

[darshan.more]

Yes. I have also started feeding them goat heart mix from yesterday and they are eating every bit of it. They are still a bit afraid but I guess it improve over time. They are much better now though. I will get a bigger tank in couple of months.