Poor Little Guys

[alxjss]

I have had my little guys in their new home not even 24hrs. They are soooo scared. I no i have to give them time but i can't help but worry. They are in very good health so i am ok there, i am just afraid they will stress out and get sick. I no, i am not the only one who has been thru this, but i feel like it. I didn't feed them last night but this morning i gave them cbw's. They ate a little, but still tooooo scared. I sat there but nope, had to leave so they can eat. I am off the rest of the week so hopefully they will get to no me better! Actually, they don't have a choice.
It is cool tho the way they stay still right where they are w/ as little movement they can get away w. Also, how they lay down and swim. They definately r interesting. My adventure is beginning. Soon, i will no alot of wt u r talking about. Tune in, i will resolve this camara thing soon. I want u all to see my new babies!!!:angel:

[Don Trinko]

I know a lot of people use Bare bottom tanks but it's nice to give them some place to hide. Perhaps some fake plants with weight to hold them down.
Don T.

[alxjss]

I know a lot of people use Bare bottom tanks but it's nice to give them some place to hide. Perhaps some fake plants with weight to hold them down.
Don T.

really? I thought I wasn't supposed to do that. I thought they had to get to no me. I was thinking about going to Home D and getting some clay pots for them to hide. That should work huh?

[AmberC]

I wouldn't give them someplace to hide at the moment. They are just acclimating to their new tank right now and its normal. Just keep a close eye on them to make sure non stressed too badly during the trip home. If anything seems off .. call Cary!

If you give them someplace to hide right now.. they will be even more skittish. They will be ok and will come around much quicker IME without anything in there.

They will be ok Eileen http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_2_104.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZSYYYYYYIYUS)

Amber

[alxjss]

thanks amber. I thought that is what i read. do u have time to go on chat? I want to ask a few ?'s

[Polar_Bear]

The first thing I would do is check your water quality, being that frightened is never a good sign. The other thing I would do is leave their lights off for a couple of days to let them settle in with much less stress. As far as putting things in their tank, I believe it is fine. Many already know that all of my tanks have plants in them, even the BB tanks, they are just in pots. IMO plants give them a better sense of security, and what I always see is the opposite of what many ohers have stated. My fish tend to stay in view, IMO because they have a place to go if they get frightened.

[AmberC]

thanks amber. I thought that is what i read. do u have time to go on chat? I want to ask a few ?'s

I'm there :)

[alxjss]

Okay, hiding spots or not. Yes, If so i am gonna get some clay pots from HD!

[tdr1919]

Amber, Polar is correct, assuming your tank is cycled, water good, temp 84-86 keep the lights off and even if it is a flower pot, give them a place to go and hide. It is also good to add some aquarium salt, even 1 tbls per 10 gals is good to help relieve the stress, but lights off really helps.
I do not have any lights on over my baby melons and they are getting acclimated, and coming up for food. IMO, stay with frozen brine shrimp & frozen blood worms.

Tom

[AmberC]

Okay, hiding spots or not. Yes, If so i am gonna get some clay pots from HD!


Eileen.. I think it all just depends on who you ask. Larry (Polar Bear)is a smart guy and I trust his advice but it has always been my experience that if you give them a place to hide when they are acclimating it makes them all the more skittish. If you would like to give them hiding places by all means do it! :) Its not like you cant take it out later. Just remember to soak any clay pots in dechlored water for a few hours before they go in!

I used to have potted plants in my 125 with mine, but I found that I STILL couldn't keep it clean enough for my liking and there were a few that just would not come out and when my kids bounce past the tank they would just hide. Now there is nothing and they dont care about anything.. always out and about swimming since I took out the potted plants.

Amber

[White Worm]

It can go either way. Did Cary have things in the tank for them to hide behind? I have seen them hide more if you give them the chance. Some do better than others. Some will hide most of the time and some will be brave and come out most of the time. I would give it some time and see how they react before allowing them hiding places. I dont have any hiding places and every one of mine have been just fine. When I did put decor in with them, they would hide most of the time and my water parameters were fine. No decor, they come with tails wagging. No one is wrong or right. It will be one of those things that you will figure out with experience and the particular discus you have.

[mmorris]

It can go either way. Did Cary have things in the tank for them to hide behind? I have seen them hide more if you give them the chance. Some do better than others. Some will hide most of the time and some will be brave and come out most of the time. I would give it some time and see how they react before allowing them hiding places. I dont have any hiding places and every one of mine have been just fine. When I did put decor in with them, they would hide most of the time and my water parameters were fine. No decor, they come with tails wagging. No one is wrong or right. It will be one of those things that you will figure out with experience and the particular discus you have.

Sound advice and worth repeating. Standard advice with other types of fish (generally) is that if we provide hiding places, they will be more secure. My experience with discus suggests the opposite is more often the case. Give them a place to hide and they will hide. They will become secure as they get to know you. If they are hiding, I would think that that process will take longer. But then, discus are individuals. Keep it simple. :) Martha

[dragonlover]

I don't know if this will help, but here goes! :) I bought my discus in February, so still a newbie to discus. I have 7 in a 75g planted tank.

My fish hid for the first 3 weeks at every vibration and every movement. if you give them a place to hide, they will hide...there were times when you could swear no discus were in there except the MR (so vivid you can see nomatter where it hides). They wouldn't eat unless I left, and my 3 year old scared the daylights out of them. In fact, he's still not their favorite person....to say the least....;) After 3 weeks they started to come out to be fed, then worked up to where you could be in the same room, then etc....they are the shyest fish I have ever kept. It certainly is a lesson in patience, but well worth it!

Now, at 2.5 months, they are all out most of the time, and seem comfortable, although when you get within a foot of the tank four of them beg for food and two still hide (until I step back from the glass, unless I decide to hand feed :D then they have to come and get it....lol) the other is the scapegoat.:( Poor cobalt...he(?) really gets it from every side....see I'm going to need another tank....lol....

Those two that hide will not "take off" with vibration (unless exceptionally hard "sound" like hard door slam), but will hide when you approach the tank less than a foot, unless you sit on the floor underneath. It's kind of funny because they will not take off right away...the maze will eye you and shimmy, then still, then shimmy....then gone. Apparently the one of the LSS notices he is gone, and decides to visit him...then one of the other fish will chase my poor cobalt away. The others will pose and preen....especially the MR....in every picture!! The other LSS is the next skittish...maybe it is just personality!:)

[Ryan]

I wanted to point out that if they're "laying down and swimming," which is sometimes referred to as "skating," it's probably because you don't have anything covering the glass on the bottom of the tank. The fish can see their reflections and will often skate along the bottom. I've prevented this in my tanks by painting the outside bottom of the glass.

It's not uncommon for young fish to be frightened of you when you approach the tank, especially in a new environment, and especially if they went from feeling safety in numbers (were they lots of other tankmates in with them?) to feeling singled out (because they're in such a small group now).

If they are seeing shadows and reflections they will also be skittish.

Ryan

[White Worm]

one of the best things to do is go about your business as usual. Dont tip-toe around them. They will adapt in time. My daughter practices her cheerleading in front of the tank. Vibrations galour because it is a raised floor in the living room and lots of movements. They mostly just sit and watch with no worries. They will always have their moments when they get startled but they recover within seconds.

[alxjss]

Well, ur opinions are great and well worth the advice. Thats how decisions r made. U listen to all, then go w/what u think is right,,, which my decision is never the right one..lol... anyway, i did get another thing to put in the tank. When i am not there, they swim everywhere. They don't run and hide right away, it takes a little while. Maybe doesn't see me right away, anyway, they are eating and yes Ryan, there are alot of shadows. I didn't paint the bottom of the tank i put a lite green and white cloth underneath, since my bro doesn't want me to paint. What else do u do with shadows and other things that r pretty much nothing i can do without adding more stuff.
Like i said, we shall see. The water is perfect. everything @ 0 and nitrAtes @ 10. Just did a w/c so they might be lower now. Thanks Mike, u seem pretty down to earth here. I think u all r right.

[White Worm]

Thanks, you're pretty cool yourself. Nice new youngins. You are right. There is always more than one way to do things but you want to do it right. When you find the way that works best for you, is when you can sit back and enjoy. Everything I know came from listening to numerous opinions here and sound advice. Of course, I have some experience behind me now which helps when I give any advice to new people to the hobby. There will come a time in the near future when you get to "know" your discus. Its hard to explain but when you do, you will know it. You will know if something isnt quite right by their behavior or if one is just off a little. Best thing about the hobby is when I walk into the room, they all climb over each other to be the closest one to where I am. I like to think they like me but I know its just that I am the food god! LOL!

[alxjss]

Update! My little guys aren't poor anymore. Sat w/them last nite and this morning. Last nite they were swimming around all over, in and out of that pvc pipe thingy, around the cords of my heaters, behind the filter tube, just playing, seemed to me. This morning they were doing real good also, fed the fbw's, but a little toooooo many. Still have to figure that one out! They didn't go nutso like yesterday, but i think it was because i fed them too soon after i turned on the light. My light is hanging from the ceiling away from the tank. Its just a reg. floresent. It is not directly over the tank. They r still a little shy but they keep looking @ me. I am talking to them, letting them get to no my voice. I talk to all my fish! Can't help it. I did notice on one of my fish, there r white dots on the tail, closest to the body. I didn't notice it before, well, this is the first time they really swam. This guy has a birth mark on one side of his eye. Cary showed him to me. Said he isn't an award winner, but will color up nice. So, i took him. He is cute nomatter. I think his birthmark makes him unique. The others, if i can EVER get good pics r real nice, IMO!