discus hiding from tank light
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elixir - Posts: 24
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:37 pm
discus hiding from tank light
Noticed my discus darting behind plants whenever the tank light turns on. They're in a 75-gallon with sand substrate, driftwood, and Amazon swords. Water's at 84°F, pH 6.8, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Using a Fluval 3.0 light on a 10-hour cycle. Anyone else deal with this?
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vital - Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2023 5:40 pm
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Yo, same issue here. Mine chill in the shadows till lights dim. Got a 55-gallon with blackwater setup, tannins dark as coffee. Try cutting the light intensity or duration, bro. My Fluval's at 50% for 8 hours now, and they're way less sketchy.
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sillyboy - Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:21 pm
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Mine do that too! 60-gallon with sponge filter, temp at 86°F. They hide under the driftwood like it's a game. Maybe they're just drama queens?
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butteredBiscuit - Posts: 8
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2022 11:44 am
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Solid advice. I dropped my Nicrew to 6 hours and added floating plants. Now they're out more, munching on beef heart like it's a buffet.
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guyah - Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2024 4:40 pm
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Discus are low-light river fish in the wild. Your setup's too bright. Reduce intensity to 30-40%, add tall plants like vals for shade. My 90-gallon has dim LEDs on a sunrise/sunset timer, zero hiding issues.
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Hartan - Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2024 9:01 am
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Mine used to bolt when lights hit. Switched to a Finnex planted+ 24/7 mode, which mimics natural light cycles. Now they're out all day in my 120-gallon, even with the rays shining. Maybe try gradual changes?
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Dkade - Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2022 1:59 am
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Exactly this! Wild discus avoid direct light. My tank's got duckweed covering 70% of the surface, and they're way more active now. 82°F, weekly 50% water changes.
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Swiftsea - Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:16 pm
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Check your light spectrum too. Blue-heavy LEDs freak them out. I use a warmer 6500K bulb in my 75-gallon, and they don't even flinch at lights-on anymore. Also, feed them right after lighting up—distracts them from the change.
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elixir - Posts: 24
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2022 6:37 pm
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Thanks, all! Gonna tweak the Fluval settings and grab some floaters this weekend. Appreciate the tips.
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fixin - Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2022 2:16 am
Re: discus hiding from tank light
Light stress triggers cortisol spikes. Documented in studies. Your Fluval 3.0's PAR values are excessive for discus. Set it to 30% max, 6-hour photoperiod. Add Indian almond leaves for shade. 75-gallon should have at least 50% cover.