How long does it take for a Discus to adjust to his new home?

[vcorp]

ey guys, i got a new Aquarium, always wanted one and well received one as a gift from someone who knows nothing about fish, anyway, i changed everything and currently have a 30 Gallon tank with 4 fish, only 1 Discus, the others are: 1 Clownfish and 2 Elephant nose fishes. Focusing on my primary concern, i have the Discus for 2 days now but hes very inactive and doesnt really eat anything, i feed my fish: Freeze Dried blood worms, Live bloodworms (Not yet, within 2 days i shall) flakes, brine shrimp, JBL Novobits and soon some pellets too. He simply doesnt eat anything, the elephant noses are doing great, they eat and dart around all day, but the Discus just doesnt. I just got the clown loach so hes hiding and playing dead, cant really say anything about him since they take shifting very personally as ive heard. NOW, how LONG does it take for the Discus to adjust, he hasnt darkened yet as much as ive seen some other Discus darken when stressed, theres no fungy growth or white stringy feces. Also, i have a barebottom tank, water temps around 88F. Lastly im more particular about water quality than the fish :D so its not that either. The store manager says i should give it 7 days before panicking. What else should i look for and is he right, i dont trust store owners in the least. Any help would be highly appreciated..thanks!

Forgot to add: I know Discus like pairs but i just dont have a big enough tank for it right now, in the next 3-4 months i will have one and then will make sure he has a mate but that cant possibly be a reason not to eat?

[Jennie]

I can't comment on those other species or if they are appropriate for discus fish as tankmates, but you never did post your water parameters, which would be relevant.

[cp21506]

Actually, discus is best kept in group larger than 4. I used to have 3 (about 5 inch size) in a 30g and they were just not happy and were hiding a lot. Added 2 more and they come to life within a day; more active and less afraid of people. They are now doing great in my new 65g.

[vcorp]

I can't comment on those other species or if they are appropriate for discus fish as tankmates, but you never did post your water parameters, which would be relevant.

Im waiting for my test kit but ive only had these guys 4 days, im doing a water change tomorrow, but in 4 days im sure the water cant be very dirty so as to lead to not eating or such. Water temperature as mentioned is 78F, i should have the master testing kit soon.

Also, he seems to be tilting to one side, hes swimming around today and the tilt isnt radical, its subtle but undeniable. What do you think? Is it swim bladder infection? Let me know, REALLY Appreciate it.

[vcorp]

Actually, discus is best kept in group larger than 4. I used to have 3 (about 5 inch size) in a 30g and they were just not happy and were hiding a lot. Added 2 more and they come to life within a day; more active and less afraid of people. They are now doing great in my new 65g.

Yes i know but almost every expert ive spoken to have said overstocking is a disaster and it would be for sure in my 30g tank, thats the only reason im not adding any more, im planning a 75G soon and when i have that ill have 5 for sure.

[Arjunpun]

30 g tank I wud buy a pair and donate the rest f the fish.

[Eddie]

4 days, 16 hours and 22 minutes.

[vcorp]

30 g tank I wud buy a pair and donate the rest f the fish.

Wish i could do that, thought about that but im in love with the elephant noses, perhaps i should give the Discus and the loach back, but then again Elephant noses need some other species else they get more aggressive towards their own when in smaller nos like 2. Just thinking right now..Discus might not be happy in a single no. but can he survive? We dont always have the "best" lives.

[Jennie]

your water is toooooo cold for discus. min. is 82!!!! I would give the discus back. That situation is not appropriate and you will end up with a dead fish
Im waiting for my test kit but ive only had these guys 4 days, im doing a water change tomorrow, but in 4 days im sure the water cant be very dirty so as to lead to not eating or such. Water temperature as mentioned is 78F, i should have the master testing kit soon.

Also, he seems to be tilting to one side, hes swimming around today and the tilt isnt radical, its subtle but undeniable. What do you think? Is it swim bladder infection? Let me know, REALLY Appreciate it.

[vcorp]

your water is toooooo cold for discus. min. is 82!!!! I would give the discus back. That situation is not appropriate and you will end up with a dead fish

Cant i increase temperature gradually? Ive read that 82 is workable for Discus, so i can yank it up to 82? Will that not help?

[Jennie]

yes, might help increase appetite as well...and in a tank that small with the fish you have, your water is dirtier than you think.. Get those test kits pDQ

[Jennie]

AND you need to step up the water changes to daily!

[Eddie]

Good catch on the temp, missed that one. Guess the clock starts from then. :)

[cp21506]

Up the temp to 82F right away. To induce it to eat, you can increase the temperature to 88F within the next day. If the fish is not sick, it should start eating soon with elevated temperature.

Also, one can actually keep more than one discus per 10g if you keep up with water change. Just more work. Obviously not ideal but doable.

[vcorp]

Thanks for all the responses, GREATLY appreciated.
1) Discuslover >>> My Test kits are in transit, im from India, its not as easy to get equipment for Aquariums especially quality stuff. Luckily im a large importer of goods from the US so that helps me get in weekly stuff. Water change will be done tomorrow for sure.
2) Eddie >>> Were now at 82F
3) CP21506 >>> Yes but i have 2 elephant noses which i love and i clown loach as well.

Now an important question for everyone here, will increasing temprature to 82-86F adversly affect my other fish? What do you think? Thanks in advance.

About Water change: How much water should i change? 75%? Less? More? And could you help me with the procedure? I basically need to add anti chlorine to tap water right and leave it for how long? Should i boil the water first and sterilize after which i allow it to cool to 82F?

I found info on Ehow in regards to water change, should i use that? Cant post link here.

[Jennie]

Gotta make some choices then, what do you want, discus or elephant noses???

[vcorp]

Gotta make some choices then, what do you want, discus or elephant noses???

My Question is, will the Discus do OK with being alone and with the others, im working towards a bigger tank in a few months so this is just temporary, can he hold until then and flourish slowly if not ideally. Can he hang in there until i get a bigger tank with optimal equipment?

[Jennie]

Hard to say??? you def. need to up the water changes and I have no idea if elephant noses can tolerate higher temps, so can they hang in there is another Q..Have no way of knowing if your discus will become ill due to stress??? all a bunch of "what Ifs"

[vcorp]

Hard to say??? you def. need to up the water changes and I have no idea if elephant noses can tolerate higher temps, so can they hang in there is another Q..Have no way of knowing if your discus will become ill due to stress??? all a bunch of "what Ifs"

Elephant noses will do ok at 82F, just found out....Will up the water changes to every alternate day starting Monday, should have my kit by then so that will help as well and Clown Loaches are recommended mates with Discus so wont be a problem with temp either. Hard path but not mission impossible, i will make sure the tank stays pristine though.

[Jennie]

why Monday??? do tomorrow. you never mentioned substrate in the tank either?? how are you cleaning tank

[vcorp]

Hard to say??? you def. need to up the water changes and I have no idea if elephant noses can tolerate higher temps, so can they hang in there is another Q..Have no way of knowing if your discus will become ill due to stress??? all a bunch of "what Ifs"

Also could you help me with a good link or procedure for water change? Thanks!

[vcorp]

why Monday??? do tomorrow

I am doing it tomorrow but might not be able to on Sat or Sun after tomorrow, so starting Monday will do every alternate day, Monday being the first one.

[vcorp]

Heres the link i got, is it ok? : http://www.ehow.com/how_2000666_change-water-aquarium.html

[vcorp]

why Monday??? do tomorrow. you never mentioned substrate in the tank either?? how are you cleaning tank

I have a barebottom tank as recommended for Discus. Cleaning tank with a sponge tomorrow, whats the ideal way? Dont ask me HOW, just tell me how :).

[Jennie]

oy vey... Get a syphon hose(you do have one right?) THOROUGHLY syphon the debris and food from the substrate, which should BTW be sand or nothing at all. Remove at least 50% of the old water and add fresh dechlorinated water that is the same temp as the water removed. These forums are FULL of information in how to care for your discus..I would start reading.

[Jennie]

we are cross posting but there is the info above...good that you have no substrate

[vcorp]

oy vey... Get a syphon hose(you do have one right?) THOROUGHLY syphon the debris and food from the substrate, which should BTW be sand or nothing at all. Remove at least 50% of the old water and add fresh dechlorinated water that is the same temp as the water removed. These forums are FULL of information in how to care for your discus..I would start reading.

Nope i dont have a syphon hose, will try and get one tomorrow, but i also dont haver any substrate, do i still need the siphonhose? Can i boil the water and then adjust water temp before adding again? Please let me know. And after adding dechlorination solution how long do i wait before considering it dechlorinated?

[vcorp]

Heading out for a while, please let me know if i can boil water to sterilize, after which i can dechlorinate and allow it to tune down to 82F before adding? Thanks a million.

[Jennie]

do you have a heater???? you need an aquarium heater!

[Jennie]

you are boiling water to heat tank??? constant fluctuations in temp is as bad if not worse than just leaving temp at 78

[ericatdallas]

Heading out for a while, please let me know if i can boil water to sterilize, after which i can dechlorinate and allow it to tune down to 82F before adding? Thanks a million.

You live in India you said? Tap water may be different there, I don't know, but typically in the US the water does not have to be sterilized. You might need to provide background info, do you have to sterilize for your own needs?

Also, you can siphon with any hose/tube. I used to do it with just the air hose... it's a pain to get it just right, but what you do is either suck on the hose to start the initial drip or you can put water in the hose and if you do it just right, you can create a suction. I can also get my garden hose to siphon. You can also take a PVC pipe and connect a hose to one end (you'll need a cap of some sort and a water tight connection with the hose/cap/Pipe).

[vcorp]

you are boiling water to heat tank??? constant fluctuations in temp is as bad if not worse than just leaving temp at 78

Hello, you misunderstood, i have a water heater and the current temps at 82F even. I meant when i add new water, should i boil it first to sterilize it, after which i would add it to the tank (cool to 82F before adding).

[vcorp]

Thanks for the reply, ive lived in the US a long time and yes the water there is WAYY cleaner and yes we do have to sterilize water here so i think that would be a good idea. Ill get a standard hose/tube to siphon water then. Really appreciate it, i got the idea, ive done that before for other things so will do with a hose. I really wanted to sterilize water, just wanted to know its safe, because i just dont know enough. Thanks for clarifying, also can you help with water change procedure like how much water to change ideally, not too much to stress the fish, and things like that? Appreciate it!

[ericatdallas]

Thanks for the reply, ive lived in the US a long time and yes the water there is WAYY cleaner and yes we do have to sterilize water here so i think that would be a good idea. Ill get a standard hose/tube to siphon water then. Really appreciate it, i got the idea, ive done that before for other things so will do with a hose. I really wanted to sterilize water, just wanted to know its safe, because i just dont know enough. Thanks for clarifying, also can you help with water change procedure like how much water to change ideally, not too much to stress the fish, and things like that? Appreciate it!

Yeah, there's no reason you can't sterilize the water so long as you cool it to your tank temperature. There's nothing biological that's vital in tap water. The only thing I can think of is you increase the hardness so just don't boil all the water away.

There's a lot of opinions on how much water you change. It also depends on the size of your discus. Most people here also breed for super-quality. Since you're not going for that, I don't think the requirements are as strict. A good idea is to ask the person you got it from what they did.

I've only been keeping discus for a few short months, but most of what people say here is spot on. Discus get really stressed by themselves. So you might consider getting rid of it.

I currently have 16 juvenile discus 2-2.5" in a 75G tank and I do a partial water change of 15-20% each. I target the fish poop. This actually isn't the ideal for what many people recommend here but it's all I can manage to do with my schedule/equipment.

Hope that helps.

[vcorp]

Ok ill do a 40% water change then. You mean dont boil too much? Could you elaborate on "The only thing I can think of is you increase the hardness so just don't boil all the water away. " Yes everything points to getting rid of him for now, which other fish would you recommend in lieu of this one? Let me know. Thanks!

[leeishom]

I would not boil the water. A bucket with water over night with airstone is acceptable.
Just ask your supplier how did they maintain he discuses before you bought them.

[ericatdallas]

I would not boil the water. A bucket with water over night with airstone is acceptable.
Just ask your supplier how did they maintain he discuses before you bought them.

You are accounting for the fact that the OP is in India right?


Ok ill do a 40% water change then. You mean dont boil too much? Could you elaborate on "The only thing I can think of is you increase the hardness so just don't boil all the water away. " Yes everything points to getting rid of him for now, which other fish would you recommend in lieu of this one? Let me know. Thanks!


Yeah, I mean don't boil too much away (evaporation of water). Although I'm thinking now maybe it depends -why- you boil water. Do you know why you are boiling the water over there? There's certain pathogens that might be harmless to discus but dangerous to humans.

Also, if you're doing a 40% water change (12G/day) and you have to boil the water, that's a lot of boiling...a lot of work just for a fish.

BTW, I'm not sure what the chlorine content over there is, but after sterilization and sitting, you should not need to add chlorine remover.

[goodoo]

Dont boil the water. Get the biggest bucket/container you can find 15 or 30 gal would be great and age water first. Buy a cheap heater for heating water in container. water changes get alot easier this way then you can do large changes. I never do less than 50% and I usually do two large changes per week because Im lazy. probably the best method is siphon out crap every day so like 10% and say two large changes per week. You will also need amonnia, Nitrite,Nitrate, test kits. Also you will need to no how hard or soft your water is, Discus like soft water. If you dont know the basics then get some books, any aquarium book will tell you the basics.
There is alot of conflicting information about discus so hang in there and if you can keep him alive your doing well. Discus hate short tanks ie front to back. So if your tank lacks depth front to back you might need a new tank 18inchs min. Hope this helps Its a steep learning curve. All the best and hello from Australia.

[vcorp]

You are accounting for the fact that the OP is in India right?




Yeah, I mean don't boil too much away (evaporation of water). Although I'm thinking now maybe it depends -why- you boil water. Do you know why you are boiling the water over there? There's certain pathogens that might be harmless to discus but dangerous to humans.

Also, if you're doing a 40% water change (12G/day) and you have to boil the water, that's a lot of boiling...a lot of work just for a fish.

BTW, I'm not sure what the chlorine content over there is, but after sterilization and sitting, you should not need to add chlorine remover.

Im boiling it because its not safe to drink, its just impure even for humans. So boiling it would probably be a good idea? What do you think?

Dont mind the work and i do have anti chloride solutions, the shopkeeper recommended that so i think we do have chlorine in water here unfortunately.

[vcorp]

The water here is impure, do you still think i shoudlnt boil? Yes im doing a 50% change. I do know the basics, my testing kit is on its way, should be here Monday. And boy i know about the conflicting info, made life difficult for me. Lastly, my tanks pretty clean in terms of crap and food debris mostly, the filter seems to keep it cleaner than ive heard online.

Ahhh my sis is in Aus for her honeymoon currently, beautiful beautiful place!

[vcorp]

Good point, the supplier here really doesnt know much, his tanks are jammed with dozens of fish together so wonder how much he really knows about Fish, they are in good shape though, most of them seem healthy thats the only reason im listening to him.

[goodoo]

Yeah im not shore whats in your water dude. You better find out. Find out if your water is hard or soft, they like soft water. Remember to feed your dIscus heaps, which means water changes. A varied diet is good. Go Aussie, What was the score in the football 4-0 sorry I had to say it.