Behavior of newly aquired discus.

[abelsalazar]

Hello,

I have just got 3 (2 inch) discus for a new 80 galon tank. This is the first time i get discus, already have everything in place but the fish are at the back of the tank very close together and dont swim much.


Tank settings:
- Tap water aged and treated with prime (checked on other post on this forum that i could use hard tap water as long as you aged it and treat it with prime)
- 28 celcious temperature
- Powerhead that create a rather high flow on the top of the tank.
- Only had 4 corys before the discus where added.
- Currently running an on top filter and a canister filter (thought cannister was a little bit small for 80g so i used both)
- Applied stressguard to introduce the new fish.
- The scape is made out of sand, substrate (for future plants), dragon rocks and some driftwood.
- Black background.
- High lights compared to the ones in the aquarium.
- Harder water that the one in the aquarium (took me more than an hour to aclimate them, so i didnt just drop them in)
- Tried feeding them when they just arrived but they didnt seem to go after the food (they where recently fed, though)

I might be just overworried about this, hope you guys can guide me.

[LizStreithorst]

Welcome to Simply.

Your tank is way too large for 3 3 1/2" Discus, and 3 is not a good number of fish. You should have at least 5. 6 would be better.

I always drop and plop. They appreciate the good clean water way more than they care about the different water parameters. Most all of of us here drop and plop. I would raise the temp to 29. Let us know how they are in the morning.

[abelsalazar]

They are swimming more in the front of the tank now but they are a lot of the time near the heater (is cold on the cuty atm, slowly getting temp up).

Cardinal tetras didnt make it but i think they were compromised befote buying them.

Im planning on getting three more discus but the seller only had 3. They are small, qould tuere be a problem if i add another 3, but bigger? 3inch~

Also, they are eqting bot not really going after all the food like angelfish do. Is that normal on discus?

[peewee1]

Welcome to Simply.

Your tank is way too large for 3 3 1/2" Discus, and 3 is not a good number of fish. You should have at least 5. 6 would be better.

I always drop and plop. They appreciate the good clean water way more than they care about the different water parameters. Most all of of us here drop and plop. I would raise the temp to 29. Let us know how they are in the morning.

I have been contemplating the term "drop an plop" for a day now. All I can come up with is something to do with bathroom action...commode. That or air bombing the fish into the tank. What is "drop and plop"?

[RogueDiscus]

Set or hold a net over a bucket. Open the bag and pour (drop) the fish into the net. Then plop it in the tank. You're trying to avoid getting bag water in the tank. No need to get too concerned about differences in tank vs bag water.

[ericatdallas]

The same thing happened to me the first time I bought discus. They tried to hide behind decorations, heaters, whatever else. I had them in a 55G tank. If you have the room, it's probably not too late to put them in a smaller bare bottom tank. Grow them out and let them get used to you.

Once the discus get to know you and the "commotion" they are pretty "friendly". I used to have kids (toddlers that wouldn't listen) banging on the glass and it didn't bother them. They would eat out of my hand and I could scoop them out of the tank. The trust went away though after I moved them two times in a week :/ and they never trusted me like that again.

-Eric

[Willie]

Poop your fish in, turn off the light, leaves e them alone for at least 24 hours. Do not feed!

Simple enough, but newbies never do this.

[peewee1]

Set or hold a net over a bucket. Open the bag and pour (drop) the fish into the net. Then plop it in the tank. You're trying to avoid getting bag water in the tank. No need to get too concerned about differences in tank vs bag water.

Thanks. Turns out that is how I got my fish into their home. Kenny told me to not introduce his water into the tank. I had a tray with holes. With a bucket below to catch the water poured the fish into the tray and then lowered them into the tank.

[snxtif]

Poop your fish in, turn off the light, leaves e them alone for at least 24 hours. Do not feed!

Simple enough, but newbies never do this.


Gotta google how to "Poop your fish in"... ;)

[abelsalazar]

Welcome to Simply.

Your tank is way too large for 3 3 1/2" Discus, and 3 is not a good number of fish. You should have at least 5. 6 would be better.

I always drop and plop. They appreciate the good clean water way more than they care about the different water parameters. Most all of of us here drop and plop. I would raise the temp to 29. Let us know how they are in the morning.

Update.

Added 3 more discus, this time way bigger (about 3-4 inch), and they seem to be doing just fine, swim more and they are all eating.

Still, they tend to stay on one half of the tank (the one with driftwood, less flow).

So far 0 ammonia, less than .1 nitrites and 5 nitrates. Is it safe to add a school of tetras serpae or should i wait a bit longer?

[eros111]

I would change the balck backround for something much lighter.

[peewee1]

Update.

Added 3 more discus, this time way bigger (about 3-4 inch), and they seem to be doing just fine, swim more and they are all eating.

Still, they tend to stay on one half of the tank (the one with driftwood, less flow).

So far 0 ammonia, less than .1 nitrites and 5 nitrates. Is it safe to add a school of tetras serpae or should i wait a bit longer?

Try moving the driftwood to the middle of the tank and see if they drift with it. Or have two driftwood. One on the left and one on the right. I have 5 in one tank. Driftwood on the right and a cone on the left. Two hang around the wood and three hang around the cone.