All Discus Hiding in Tank

[annj]

I have 6 Discus in my tank. No other fish. Sand substrate, planted. Driftwood. I have had them for a couple of years. They have always
swam around the tank. For the last 3 weeks they stay in the back in the bottom and will not come out except to eat. Once food is gone they are back in the back in the bottom until the next day or whenever I feed them. If I skip a day they spend 2 days hiding. What has
changed that they are acting this way so suddenly. Thx and any help is appreciated.Ann

[ExReefer]

My first guess is water quality. Do a few large daily WC's in a row and report back.

[Darrell Ward]

If they are eating, they are probably not sick. Perhaps there is crud under the driftwood, in the sand, or under plants degrading water quality. Any type substrate thick enough to support plants is notorious for trapping crud. Over time, it ends up on the floor of the tank, under the substrate, and can seriously affect water quality by dissolving, and leeching upward.

[annj]

I do weekly water changes. I check ph and nitrates & Nitrites daily. I use vitamins for Discus in my water. During this odd behavior the water parameters have been as close to normal for Discus as I can get them. It's the under the driftwood in the back of the tank that all 6 squeeze in and stay there until food is added to the tank. Then they come out to eat and return to the back of the tank under the driftwood against the glass.

[YSS]

So, nothing has changed in the tank, around the tank, and you tank maintenance regime and the fish are behaving differently within the last three weeks? Nothing is different?

[Darrell Ward]

Perhaps they are trying to escape your lighting, since planted tank lighting is usually fairly bright. You could try reducing, or turning off the lighting for a day or two, and see if behavior changes.

[annj]

I do have bright lighting due to plants. It is on a timer with a two hour dark time in the middle of the day and 8 hours at night. I will try leaving the light off for two days.But I have not moved the tank or anything that surrounds it.

[ExReefer]

I do weekly water changes. I check ph and nitrates & Nitrites daily. I use vitamins for Discus in my water. During this odd behavior the water parameters have been as close to normal for Discus as I can get them. It's the under the driftwood in the back of the tank that all 6 squeeze in and stay there until food is added to the tank. Then they come out to eat and return to the back of the tank under the driftwood against the glass.

Do daily 70% WC's for a week and report back. At least with the daily WC's, you'll eliminate water quality right off the bat. Water quality is the #1 reason discus change their behavior.

It can't be the light, the light always been there unless you recently upgraded your lighting.

Just for reference, I have BB tank with one 48" 54W T5HO bulb directly sitting on the rim of the tank. It's very bright in my tank with no substrate and my discus don't hide. I even have some wild discus mixed in and we both know they we're not raised in bright lighting.

Here are two photos of my tank with bright lighting:
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i75/Monoman1/DSC_0430.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i75/Monoman1/DSC_0422.jpg

[YSS]

Here are two photos of my tank with bright lighting:
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i75/Monoman1/DSC_0430.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i75/Monoman1/DSC_0422.jpg

Very nice setup!

[annj]

Your right, they lighting has not changed. The plants have not changed. The water quality has not changed. I cannot figure out what is wrong. The parameters in my water are ideal. Even with water changes. I have been doing 50% the last 3 days. This evening they have all moved out from under the
driftwood and are packed under the water filter. All 6 in a place big enough for 2. Some are actually sideways to be able to stay up in a tight wad
together. They really are acting strange.
Since they seem to be traumatized already....should I take them out, clean out the substrate and put back only the driftwood and the discus???????? I can re-establish my water eco system too.

[Darrell Ward]

My guess would be they are sick of the bright lighting. It happens.

[annj]

Went to the extreme. Removed (carefully) my discus and set them in a set up tank without anything in it at the moment. Removed everything from their tank. Cleaned it out. Removed the substrate of sand. Washed off driftwood, plants, etc. and put all back. Filled with new water but left old cartridges in the filter so cycling wouldn't take so long. But fish back(carefully and by hand not net) and they are happy now. Light is still bright but they are moving
and swimming around everywhere. I guess whatever the problem it was in the substrate. Water conditions are in normal parameters. Their happy, I'm
happy and I'll chalk this up to some odd substrate problem.

[Brokenrack]

Have you checked you water TEMP?

[Plumkin]

lets us know if they stay out an about of if they go back to hiding

[ExReefer]

Removed the substrate of sand.

Good move. For growing out discus, BB makes things much easier.

[Darrell Ward]

Good to hear. Substrate can sometimes trap a lot of unseen nasties.

[annj]

84 degrees

[Brokenrack]

Maybe stray voltage?

[strawberryblonde]

I do think it can be unseen nasties in the water, substrate or on plants and driftwood that does this, so good idea to clean it all up.

At the beginning of this week my healthiest, most "aggressive" discus suddenly went off their feed and started hiding in one corner behind the driftwood. I put up with it on Sunday and just figured it was a passing thing. On Monday I started to wonder just what was going on. On Tuesday morning I pulled everything out of the tank, scrubbed it well and did a 90% WC (100% on the sump...ugh).

Sure enough, by Tuesday night they were all back to normal...pushing and shoving and swimming all over. I have no idea just what the problem was, but something was upsetting them and cleaning it all seemed like the quickest way to start figuring it out.

[annj]

As a follow up. All is good. Discus swimming all over the tank. BB is the way to go.