Who Gives A Fish Forums

Noticed my discus get aggressive after lights out. They're in a 75-gallon tank with sand substrate, driftwood, and a few Amazon swords. Water's at 84°F, pH 6.8, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Anyone else see this? They're chill during the day but start squabbling at night.


Mine did this ...

This happened to me last month! I freaked out, but it's usually harmless. Just increase surface movement like Vista said. Also, how old's your filter? A good rinse might help.

Sand is the way to go. It mimics their natural habitat better, and they love sifting through it. Just make sure you get fine sand, not the coarse stuff. I use pool filter sand in my 120-gallon, and it's been great. Easy to vacuum too if you do it right.


Totally agree! My fish are so much ...

I'd stress-test any decor before adding it. Leave it in a bucket of water for a week, test params. Better safe than sorry with these sensitive fish.

Happy to help! One more thing—lighting. If they're darting after changes, dim the lights for an hour. Mine act less spooked when it's moody in there. Like a fishy spa day.


Second this. I run blue LEDs during changes, mimics dusk. Also, feed them after—distracts from the chaos. They'll associate ...

Another thing, what's your lighting like? Too much light can stress them out during spawning. I keep mine dim for a few days when they're laying. Also, make sure the surface they're laying on is clean. A dirty cone or leaf can ruin the whole batch.


Totally agree! I use a sponge filter during ...

I had the same issue last year! My pair finally got it right after like five tries. Maybe just give them time? They're kinda slow learners, lol. Do you see them fanning the eggs at all? If not, they might not be ready to parent.

Re: Need Help with RO/DI Setup

Jason, you've got options - you can work with both your well water softener water and an RO system. Here's the thing, water softener water can be good up to a point. I've seen people get some decent spawning results with it, but you've got to be careful not to overdo ...