# Discus acting strangely



## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

I bought a breeding pair of alenquers off of April about 3 weeks ago. Recently, they've taken to turning rather dark, folding their fins in and both hanging behind the breeding cone. They haven't spawned so far (that I've noticed), but they seem to have been acting like a pair should (swimming with each other, no fighting). Additionally, they've been eating quite well, on a diet of bloodworms and colour bits. Currently, I've moved them into a 20 gallon tank with an airstone and an eheim 200 filter (no carbon or mechanical cartridge, i haven't been able to find a place that carries replacements). I do daily water changes 40%, using dechlorinated water (IPU conditioner) and "waters of the world" south america conditioner, which actually serves to raise my pH from 5.5 to above 6. 
Should I be concerned? Or is it natural for a breeding pair to go dark and hide behind the cone occasionally? Normally, they tend to beg for food and such. Any advice is appreciated .Thanks!


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## Fish Whisper (Apr 22, 2010)

CloudySky said:


> I bought a breeding pair of alenquers off of April about 3 weeks ago. Recently, they've taken to turning rather dark, folding their fins in and both hanging behind the breeding cone. They haven't spawned so far (that I've noticed), but they seem to have been acting like a pair should (swimming with each other, no fighting). Additionally, they've been eating quite well, on a diet of bloodworms and colour bits. Currently, I've moved them into a 20 gallon tank with an airstone and an eheim 200 filter (no carbon or mechanical cartridge, i haven't been able to find a place that carries replacements). I do daily water changes 40%, using dechlorinated water (IPU conditioner) and "waters of the world" south america conditioner, which actually serves to raise my pH from 5.5 to above 6.
> Should I be concerned? Or is it natural for a breeding pair to go dark and hide behind the cone occasionally? Normally, they tend to beg for food and such. Any advice is appreciated .Thanks!


Maybe the bubble noise from the Airstone is irritating them, Also daily water changes might give them too much stress.

Also bi-weekly water change of ~20% ease there burned of adapting to the new water conditions. (Even though it's cleaner, fish from chronic dirty tanks can die if placed in too clean tank without a proper transition)

Also why not just by some Fluval filter pads or something thats bigger so you can trim to the eheim 200.


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## Fish Whisper (Apr 22, 2010)

Opps i reposted twice


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## Peterchow (Apr 21, 2010)

Harry, discus breeding is a very very long process. Now the pair has been moved twice in 3 weeks. They need to find their comfort zone again before they have the moods to spawn. Both male +female' bodies will turn darker when they are spawning. As long as the water parameter + temperature are consistent, they should be OK unless they are not eating. Just make sure the location of your tank is not close to the window or in a high traffic area.

Discus breeding needs LOTS OF PATIENCE !!!!!!!


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## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

Patience. Got it  I don't think there sick, 'cos as peter mentioned, they're eating quite well. Does anyone know if using the south america water conditioner is a good idea, or should I use tap/peat moss/ any other ideas?


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

hi there..why not ask the seller..lol. 
for one thing..id never try breed in a 20 gallon tank. our water being so soft it wont stay good for long..youd get bacteria and fungused eggs.
forget any addditives..and keep the ph around 6.8 at the least. 7 is even better. i still use aragonite to buffer or it could slide fast and then they could go dark and very skittish. 
one way to induce spawning is to do a very large wc..and drop the temperature two degrees. dont drop the ph though..
peter is right..another move..they maybe were jsut getting comfortable now a new tank again. so now maybe another two weeks. a big rainstorm could also trigger them. fall is the best time for spawning. 
they could be dark and hiding behind as they are getting ready to spawn. sounds like it...are they shaking..or pecking..or staring? 
dont worry about giving htem personal time..jsut go about your thing and being in front of them etc. no biggy. 
see if you can see them doing a bow. swim up..facing each other..then bow and back down. see if he nudges her side.


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## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

OK. So I'll stop using the conditioner, and get some aragonite instead. Do you have some for sale? If you do, I'll swing by soon and grab some. I'll see if i can get a larger tank. what do you reccomend as minimum size? i'm not sure about the shaking or pecking. they seem to be looking at the cone constantly. i haven't seen any pecking, though it may be 'cos some algae started growing on the cone and i gave it a really good scrub. is the shaking very obvious, similar to when they hit each other with their tails? i've seen him nudging her, but no bowing that i've noticed. they definitely stay together all the time, usually with their tails facing each other. Thanks for your advice


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

Just sharing......discus behavior about to breed.


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## catgoldfish (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey Francis:

How long did it take you to draw those pictures. LOL.


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## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

Thank you francis - that was very helpful. Unfortunately, they haven't been doing any bowing at this point. Thanks anyway though


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## Chappy (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi Harry: 
If it helps, I can assure you that your pair was exhibiting all those behaviours in Francis' post the night before you picked them up. In fact, the male was being extremely aggressive towards anything that was trying to come close to his female. I figure they were maybe one or two days at the most away from laying. At Peter said, you have to be patient. Any change of any kind will be a stressor for them and they will need time to re-adjust and get settled again. I had a heckel spawn a couple of weeks ago and I've been trying everything to replicate the exact conditions, but who knows? Maybe the planets just happened to be in perfect alignment that day 
Hang in there; they've got their own schedule and when they're ready, they'll know what to do - trust me; I've seen them 
Shelley


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

lol im sure francis didnt draw them..im sure he found them. or are you an artist we didnt know about?
just going dark and staring..is good..id say they are thinking about it. do a big wc..and drop the temp two degrees. might get them going. 
people who have trouble getting fish to breed..they keep everything too even.


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## Chappy (Apr 21, 2010)

Harry - forgot to ask: how is your pH 5.5? With 40% w/c a day, your pH should be pretty much staying at what comes out of the tap and that should be close to neutral.


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## dean9922 (Apr 21, 2010)

great drawings seanyuki.....lol


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## josephl (Apr 21, 2010)

Embersmom said:


> Hi Harry:
> If it helps, I can assure you that your pair was exhibiting all those behaviours in Francis' post the night before you picked them up. In fact, the male was being extremely aggressive towards anything that was trying to come close to his female. I figure they were maybe one or two days at the most away from laying. At Peter said, you have to be patient. Any change of any kind will be a stressor for them and they will need time to re-adjust and get settled again. I had a heckel spawn a couple of weeks ago and I've been trying everything to replicate the exact conditions, but who knows? Maybe the planets just happened to be in perfect alignment that day
> Hang in there; they've got their own schedule and when they're ready, they'll know what to do - trust me; I've seen them
> Shelley


I second that that pair was in awesome breeding condition at April's the afternoon before. We were in that tank netting another fish for me and that pair was not leaving their breeding cone for anything. Those two were a truly beautiful pair of fish that deserved to go to a good home


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## MELLO (Apr 21, 2010)

I agree with Peter. My bluediamonds were spawning every week till I move them to a smaller tank. They haven't spawned in 2 weeks ever since. Sometimes the change takes them a while to get there mojo back.


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

i think king eds pets had filter media for the eheims
phone them to make sure they still do
i was havin the same issues cuz island pets hasnt ordered any in for months. i ended up finding a big sheet of the blue sponge somewhere and cutting it to fit.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

you cant very well use an eheim for breeding..it would suck up the babies. if your ph is dropping to 5.5 then its your additive..or..the water isnt staying good enough in tghat 20 gallon tank. hence dark and quiet. they will get a film on them next. greyish hue. come and get some aragonite to buffer up to 7 again. they will be happier.


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## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

> Harry - forgot to ask: how is your pH 5.5? With 40% w/c a day, your pH should be pretty much staying at what comes out of the tap and that should be close to neutral.


I've been wondering about that myself. The oddest thing is, that is how the pH is coming out of the tap. Isn't our water supposed to be close to neutral? I'm using the nutrafin test kit for pH - maybe I'll bring a sample of my tap water and my tank water to April's and get a second opinion? If you don't mind that is. I'll definitely come and get some aragonite soon. Also, would putting a sponge over the filter work?


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## CloudySky (Apr 22, 2010)

And I have no doubt that the pair were doing great at April's. The problem is getting them to do great at my place  I'll keep up the schedule, and try that dropping 2 degrees w/ big wc when the pair look better. They seem to have improved now - their colour is no longer quite as dark. Thanks to everyone for their advice and input!


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