New and Need Advice

[blazergry]

Hello!

I'm pretty much a novice at keeping discus. This is my second attempt and I've lost one already and a second is showing some unusual signs. This one is mosty dark during lighted hours and stays mainly at the top of the tank in one corner. However, it will perk up and come swimming to the top of the tank and feed without a problem, then goes back to its corner. When the light is out it seems to get its color back. This has been going on for about a week. Turned the water temperature up to 85 - 86°F from 82°F. The discus I lost did not show these signs, it just stopped all activity and died.

I use 100% RO water with Discus Essentials added and 7.0 buffer. I have live plants and a piece of wood in the tank. Have a total now of five discus, all juveniles. I also add some plant "food" to the water, but the name of it escapes me right now. Do weekly 25% water changes. Have had the discus about one month now. All water tests come out OK - no nitrite, no nitrate, no ammonia, pH is about 6.8. I feed alternately Omega One flake food, frozen brine shrimp, frozen krill, frozen daphnia, and some frozen beef heart. Try to feed about 3 times a day. Tank is 120 gal and also contains a red tail shark, 2 clown loaches, 2 corys, 1 pleco. Have not seen any aggressive behavior in any of the fish.

Any ideas about my dark discus?

Looking forward to joining the group. Thanks in advance for the help!

Jeff

[RandalB]

Jeff,
My fish do that when one of them is being bullied by the others. They'll stay in an upper corner and only move at feeding time when the others are distracted. The other fish might be freaking him out too but I doubt it.

100% reconstituted RO water? Wow that's a lot of RO! I complain about using 10 GPD on waterchanges! (I have to carry buckets though....)


RandalB

[blazergry]

Thanks. I'll watch for a bully, but this fish is twice as big as the others. Appreciate the input!

[Debbie]

The size of the discus doesn't matter, sometimes the smallest is the terror of the tank. Is it the darkest corner that the discus hides in? Could the lighting be too intense? You may need more tall plants in the tank. You said that you had plants but I am unsure of how many or type. Also I like to add fertilizer to the substrate instead of the water column. That way I am sure it won't affect the fish.

Jeff,
Your water changes need to be about twice as big and they need to occur about six more times a week. I have a 120 gal tank and I do a MINIMUM of 50 gal water change a day, you'll find that many on this forum do even more then that. I know it sounds like a lot, but it really is one of the most important aspects of keeping discus. It isn't as much work as it sounds, I even look forward to coming home and doing my water changes-it's almost therapeutic for me.
My fish darken and become less active if I miss even one WC, a lot like what you described. You might also try adding some of the reject water from your RO into your regimen as I don't believe discus essentials is much more then a vitamin supplement. I don't think it adds calcium and other elements that babies need for good growth.
This is just advice that comes from what has worked for me. Feel free to take it or leave it, but regardless, best of luck to you.

Soon you'll be consumed by the passion that these fish inflict, then you'll be like the rest of us--hopelessly addicted ;) :) ;)

[engineguy129]

Jeff,
This link may be able to help you out. Wish you luck.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=21;action=display;threadid=6329

Rob ;D

BBI, IMO, the reason you have a problem when missing but 1 water change is the tank is too sterile and most likely light on good bacteria. The biological filter depends on some amount of ammonia for the bacteria to feed on. By doing a 50% water change on a daily basis, i feel this can become an issue when missed.

Blazrguy, You had not said how many and at what size the discus are. Turning it "up" to 85-86 from 82 is dependant on the size. Young discus should be at 86-88. Adults should be at 84. Do you have additional aeration in the tank other than the powerfilter?

The Red tailed Shark should be out of there! They are nocturnal and do most of their aggressive action in the evening. The fertilizer most likely has iron in it---not good for discus! I do no trecommend keeping small discus in a planted tank. They never seem to grow to their full potential.
I recommend using tap water or calcium chloride, calcium sulfate and magnesium sulfate to regenerate the R/O water. As Weezy said, 100% is not good! The best! Joe