Re: New Juvenile Discus
Hey all, quick update. My discus are doing well, eating like champs - 5 times a day on a mix of flakes, granules, and beef heart. Daily water changes are around 20 percent and I'm making sure to siphon the tank thoroughly. Got one concern though - aggression. First few days they were pretty chill, but lately a couple of them have been picking on the others. They'll bite and chase them off, not constantly, but it's got me a bit worried. No visible damage to the fish and they're all eating, so maybe it's not a huge deal, but I'm wondering if I should've gotten six instead of five to spread out the aggression. Noticed some still have prominent stress bars, while two of them don't seem to have any bars - and those two are the most aggressive. What do you think? Should I add more plants and structure or is this normal and not a major concern?
New Juvenile Discus
Re: New Juvenile Discus
Re: New Juvenile Discus
They're cichlids, what can I say. I've had my share of experience with siblings fighting. Got 3 in my 180 and they're always at it. But it's amongst themselves, that's just how it is. Seen this many times with siblings. I don't buy siblings, those 3 are my only ones. All the rest get along just fine, in both tanks. I do have another pair, just got them last week.
They're cichlids, what can I say. I've had my share of experience with siblings fighting. Got 3 in my 180 and they're always at it. But it's amongst themselves, that's just how it is. Seen this many times with siblings. I don't buy siblings, those 3 are my only ones. All the rest get along just fine, in both tanks. I do have another pair, just got them last week.
Re: New Juvenile Discus
Re: New Juvenile Discus
I think you should bump up those water changes to at least 50% daily, especially with all the food you're feeding them. The key to keeping discus is your water staging setup and change routine - those are crucial. You need a staging container that can replace at least half your tank water and a pump and hose setup that makes water changes quick and easy. Remember, you're keeping water, not fish.
As for the bullying, just keep an eye on it. If it's affecting the health of the others, you might need to rehome the worst offenders. But like you said, they're cichlids, so if the majority is healthy, just let them work it out. They're like dogs in that way. And yeah, those stress bars are a sign of stress, so if they're always dark and visible, that's a problem.
I'd say hold off on plants for now. Learn how to keep a bare bottom tank first - it's easier to clean and less variables to worry about. You've got enough to deal with without plants and decorations. Keep it simple and you'll be fine. Good luck with your discus.
I think you should bump up those water changes to at least 50% daily, especially with all the food you're feeding them. The key to keeping discus is your water staging setup and change routine - those are crucial. You need a staging container that can replace at least half your tank water and a pump and hose setup that makes water changes quick and easy. Remember, you're keeping water, not fish.
As for the bullying, just keep an eye on it. If it's affecting the health of the others, you might need to rehome the worst offenders. But like you said, they're cichlids, so if the majority is healthy, just let them work it out. They're like dogs in that way. And yeah, those stress bars are a sign of stress, so if they're always dark and visible, that's a problem.
I'd say hold off on plants for now. Learn how to keep a bare bottom tank first - it's easier to clean and less variables to worry about. You've got enough to deal with without plants and decorations. Keep it simple and you'll be fine. Good luck with your discus.
Re: New Juvenile Discus
Re: New Juvenile Discus
Hey all, quick update - been super busy with college and work. My mom's been taking care of the discus and they're all doing great. I know daily water changes are ideal for juveniles, but with our schedules, we've been doing 2 50% water changes a week. We're gonna try to bump that up to 3 times a week, but daily might not be possible. Fingers crossed they'll still turn out awesome as adults and the growth won't be too stunted.
They've almost doubled in size - it's been about 1-2 months, so that's a great sign! Aggression is still a thing, but no torn fins and everyone's eating. One of them is definitely the slowest eater, but since everyone's growing, I'm not too worried.
Currently, I've got them on hikari libra bites 3 times a day and beef heart 1-2 times a week. Attached a new pic - let me know what you all think. I know the care isn't perfect, but it's the best we can do for now. Will keep posting updates and pics, so stay tuned. Thanks again for all the help on this forum - I've learned a ton!
Hey all, quick update - been super busy with college and work. My mom's been taking care of the discus and they're all doing great. I know daily water changes are ideal for juveniles, but with our schedules, we've been doing 2 50% water changes a week. We're gonna try to bump that up to 3 times a week, but daily might not be possible. Fingers crossed they'll still turn out awesome as adults and the growth won't be too stunted.
They've almost doubled in size - it's been about 1-2 months, so that's a great sign! Aggression is still a thing, but no torn fins and everyone's eating. One of them is definitely the slowest eater, but since everyone's growing, I'm not too worried.
Currently, I've got them on hikari libra bites 3 times a day and beef heart 1-2 times a week. Attached a new pic - let me know what you all think. I know the care isn't perfect, but it's the best we can do for now. Will keep posting updates and pics, so stay tuned. Thanks again for all the help on this forum - I've learned a ton!
Re: New Juvenile Discus
Re: New Juvenile Discus
Your mom's on it.
Your mom's on it.