New Tank Additions

[mark4785]

two days ago I added 3x 5cm Discus to my aquarium. 2 of the 3 are squabbling with each other and generally hanging around with the other 3x Discus I have. However, one is separating itself and deliberately making an effort to hide behind filtration components (internal pipe) and bog wood. It is currently hiding 6-7cm from the water’s surface behind the internal filtration pipe. I have checked to see if it is gasping and it is not. It is very colourful; it hasn‘t turned darker which usually happens with stress. One thing I noticed is a small white protruding circle (perhaps the size of 5 pieces of amalgamated pieces of salt) at the top of the dorsal fin.

What should I look to do to ensure the fish does not continue to be antisocial?

Tank stats are: pH 6.5, 28.5 degrees C, Ammonia/Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 20ppm.

 

[mark4785]

The white spot I described was actually a piece of food which has since dropped off.

 

[mark4785]

Any thoughts?

 

[mrsjoannh13]

I don't have any experience specifically with discus, but in my 20g tetra tank I have one skirt tetra that does the same thing. He is the newest addition to the tank - we got him several weeks ago. He hides behind one of the plants at the back of the tank and stays to himself. I've seen no signs of disease, no rapid breathing, his swimming is normal (not erratic), his color is excellent, not losing weight, and is interested at feeding time. After eating, he goes right back to his hiding spot.

He seems healthy, just not wanting to pal around with the others. It might just be that it's a pecking order thing or the fish's individual personality. I haven't seen any signs of bullying or harassing the new fish but he still prefers to stay put where he is. At first I was worried but over time I stopped stressing as he seems otherwise healthy. I have occasionally noticed him coming out and swimming around the middle of the tank a bit but definitely not as social as the others.

Can you tell us a little more about your tank? Tank size and other inhabitants?

 

[mark4785]

The aquarium is 300 litres with 6 Discus and 1 Bolivian Ram. 2 Discus are 15cm long, 1 is 10cm and the latest 3x additions are all 5cm long. The Bolivian Ram is 7cm long so quite a large fish.

The one 5cm Discus that is separating will often go to the other 5cm Discus and they seem to try and bite it. The other larger Discus are quite placid around the smaller one’s.

So far only 2 of the new 5cm are eating the food offered. The 3rd is hiding quite a lot and I’m concerned that it will never eat. I’m concerned that it feels it needs to hide when it is approx 70cm away from the rest of the fish.

 

[mrsjoannh13]

My shy one didn't eat for a few days and I felt the same - that he would never eat. He'd come out a bit when food was in the tank but seemed too afraid to eat with the group. He got over that, LOL. Eats fine now although he does still kind of hang back from the others at the start of feeding time.

Could you maybe get the group on one side of the tank away from the shy one and drop a good chunk of food in for them to occupy them? Then drop some in on the other side right in front of the shy one?

 

[mark4785]

My shy one didn't eat for a few days and I felt the same - that he would never eat. He'd come out a bit when food was in the tank but seemed too afraid to eat with the group. He got over that, LOL. Eats fine now although he does still kind of hang back from the others at the start of feeding time.

Could you maybe get the group on one side of the tank away from the shy one and drop a good chunk of food in for them to occupy them? Then drop some in on the other side right in front of the shy one?

Yes I have been offering food to the 2x small ones on one side and dropping food in for the lone one separately. The lone one seems to be very still and doesn’t approach the food. As I am typing this it is swimming with its head pointed down which is a sign its about to bolt but it never does.

Find here a video of the lone Discus (seen at the beginning):

.

I will keep trying what you have suggested. Hopefully it is just getting used to the new environment.

 

[Back in the fold]

First off, very cool that you have Discus. I have admired them for years but they are expensive and I do not consider myself expert enough to keep them. I would be mortified to get some, bring them home and watch them die. I think that what you are seeing is the initial skittishness of new fish in new surroundings. Give it time. If they are healthy and strong they should make it.

 

[mark4785]

First off, very cool that you have Discus. I have admired them for years but they are expensive and I do not consider myself expert enough to keep them. I would be mortified to get some, bring them home and watch them die. I think that what you are seeing is the initial skittishness of new fish in new surroundings. Give it time. If they are healthy and strong they should make it.

Thank you. They can be generally easy to care for. There are some Discus-keepers that will portray them as difficult to keep due to the fact that they take it upon themselves to do 80% water changes daily with conditioned RO water. This is not a necessity at all. The only thing that sets them apart is they require clean water so any uneaten food needs to be removed and there should be no substrate unless you have Corydoras to constantly clean it with their foraging.

 

[mark4785]

Its now 6 days in and the Discus described above still hasn't eat anything and it is almost froze to the same spot during the 7-8 hours that the aquarium light is on. There are no symptoms of disease though it perhaps looks slightly thinner than the others.

What course of action should I take?