Discus Hiding and being Shy!!

[farzadkavari]

Hello everyone. So I am on my third week into having my discus tank. It is frustrating because the fish like to hide a lot as soon as I step close to the tank. I have been trying to have slow movement so it does not scare them. Once I feed them they will eventually come out and feed freely. Once done feeding they shy back behind the plants and driftwood. I notice if I step back they seem to feel more comfortable. I went and bought some Neon Tetras and Corey fish to see if this helps them be less shy and more secure and so far no luck. Water condition is in good shape and is not the issue. I have also tried watching them closely when feeing and that has not worked either. Once done eating they will retreat and hide. Please advise.

Tank size: 90 gallon, 8 Discus fish (2.5 each), Temp 85-86 degree, lots of hiding places with plants and driftwood.

[Teshi]

I had kind of the same thing with my fish. It was recommended to me to take out the drift wood and put the sponge filter in the middle of the tank. It really did work. I will gradually start adding things back in after a few months.

[Lenin]

When they're that small and a tank that size they will hide, specially if they have somewhere to hide.

[farzadkavari]

When they're that small and a tank that size they will hide, specially if they have somewhere to hide.


I see... so does this mean as they older and bigger this problem will go away? (If so then I can leave with that for now.. :D)

[Lenin]

Depends on you water changes, how often how much, what are you feeding, how often, what are you feeding them.

People grow them out in smaller tanks because is easier to do all of this, then they take them to a bigger tank like that when they're 4" or more

[Skip]

^^^^^^^^^^^^yep.. what he said

[farzadkavari]

Depends on you water changes, how often how much, what are you feeding, how often, what are you feeding them.

People grow them out in smaller tanks because is easier to do all of this, then they take them to a bigger tank like that when they're 4" or more

I do 30% water change every 3-4 days. I feed them 3-5 a day with a diet of frozen blood worms, dry freeze black worms, frozen BH.

[Lenin]

Yeah, you have two choices, hopefully they're not stunned yet.

Leave as it is and have this behavior not change and then have them stunned and will not grow a lot, and will keep hiding, again I'm not criticizing you, I'm being realistic.
Or
get a smaller tank, change water daily about 80%, feed them also 3-5, take off blood worms.

I've been thru this before, I've stunned the first discus I had, killed a few, have parasites and worms. Discus are hard, they are, someone tells you otherwise they haven't done it before.
Or
You can get 3.5" or bigger discus from a dealer here, you still need to make more water changes.

[nabilbb]

take off blood worms

Can I ask why?

[Lenin]

It's like candy, not enough protein value.

[nabilbb]

Oh, really! didn't know that I feed it to my Discus almost every day.... Maybe I will take it off too
Thanks

[Skip]

Oh, really! didn't know that I feed it to my Discus almost every day.... Maybe I will take it off too
Thanks

look at the protein content in the nutritional information.. very low %

[farzadkavari]

Yeah, you have two choices, hopefully they're not stunned yet.

Leave as it is and have this behavior not change and then have them stunned and will not grow a lot, and will keep hiding, again I'm not criticizing you, I'm being realistic.
Or
get a smaller tank, change water daily about 80%, feed them also 3-5, take off blood worms.

I've been thru this before, I've stunned the first discus I had, killed a few, have parasites and worms. Discus are hard, they are, someone tells you otherwise they haven't done it before.
Or
You can get 3.5" or bigger discus from a dealer here, you still need to make more water changes.


80% water change daily???? I love these little guys but im not sure if I have time of the day to do so.. I will keep doing what ive been doing and hopefully they grow out of it after sometimes..

[Skip]

80% water change daily???? I love these little guys but im not sure if I have time of the day to do so.. I will keep doing what ive been doing and hopefully they grow out of it after sometimes..

well.. you have been ADVISED>.

[kensacco]

Don't forget that Discus seem to not like it when we wear blue or black shirts!

[Skip]

Don't forget that Discus seem to not like it when we wear blue or black shirts!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH6Acpzurb0

[brianyam]

Could also be the school size and types of fish around them. I had 8 wilds in a 200G tank with some africans cichilids and silver dollars. The discus looked really shy and stressed. I took our the africans and silver dollars, they looked a little bitter. Then I added another 5 wilds for a total of 13, and that seem to really change things. Now they are all over the tank, very confident, actually come straight up to eat everytime I walk by.

[kensacco]

LOL....there was a thread around here somewhere about the shirt color thing....