Who Gives A Fish Forums

You're on the right track with the water changes and feeding. What's your water hardness? Discus fry thrive in soft water, around 50-100 ppm. Also, try adding some Indian almond leaves to mimic their natural habitat. It's a game changer for stress levels.


Thanks, I'll test the hardness today ...

My discus fry survival rate is pretty low, maybe 30%. I've got a 40 gallon tank, sponge filter, temp at 84F, doing 50% water changes daily. Feeding them baby brine shrimp 4 times a day. Any tips to bump those numbers up?

Garlic guard's a good shout. Also, how's the tank decor? If it's too bare, they might feel exposed. Adding some tall plants or driftwood could make them feel safer.

How old's the beef heart mix? Frozen food can go bad if it's been thawed and refrozen too much. Also, check for white stringy poop—could be internal parasites. If you see that, Metroplex in the food might help. What's your lighting schedule? Too much light can stress them out.

I have a 75-gallon tank with seven different types of live plants, been in there for about a month. A few of them aren't doing great. I've got fluorite as the main substrate, topped with a layer of sand. I've been using Flourish tabs in the sub, following the instructions to the letter. My lighting ...

Re: Ideal temp

You'll likely hear a range of temps from 81 to 86F. For my non-breeding adult discus, I aim for 84-86F. Not that I'm super strict about it - a degree up or down doesn't keep me up at night. Honestly, most of the time I don't even bother checking the temp, just stick my hand in the ...

Re: Discus goals.... what are yours?
I think it'd be awesome to see some pics of everyone's goals in progress right now. I know we've got a lot of pics floating around, but honestly, I still love checking out people's fish and tanks.

Re: Discus goals.... what are yours?

Apologies for the brief interruption, folks. It seems a gremlin got the better of me and accidentally closed the thread. Thankfully, it's back open now.

We've all been around the block a few times in this hobby, and our goals have likely shifted over the years. I'm no exception.

When I first started out, my aim was probably the same as many of yours: to keep a tank of discus alive and prove it wasn't as tough as everyone made it out to be. Maybe ...

Re: Discus Not Eating - Newbie Tank Manager

Greg, I'll walk you through this. I'm sending you an email with the details.