discus hiding in tank shadows

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swiftDart
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Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2024 8:08 pm

discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by swiftDart »

My Discus have been hiding in the shadows of my 75-gallon tank lately. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Temp is steady at 84°F with a Fluval heater. They're eating fine, but they're acting sketchy. Anyone else deal with this?
pacer
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2024 8:07 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by pacer »

Yep, mine did that when I first got them. How long have you had yours? Sometimes it's just a weird vibe they pick up. What's your lighting setup like? Bright lights can freak them out.
Dream
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Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2024 9:37 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by Dream »

Discus are sensitive to changes in their environment. Have you made any recent adjustments to the tank, like new decor or tankmates? Also, what's your water change routine? Inconsistent water changes can stress them.
garden
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Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2022 3:09 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by garden »

pacer wrote: Wed Jul 02, 2025 12:28 pm Yep, mine did that when I first got them. How long have you had yours? Sometimes it's just a weird vibe they pick up. What's your lighting setup like? Bright lights can freak them out.
I agree with pacer. My guys chilled out after I dimmed the lights. Also, try adding some floating plants to cut the glare.
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silverbob
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Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2023 12:55 am

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by silverbob »

Check your tank's background. If it's too reflective or bright, they might feel exposed. I switched to a dark background and mine stopped hiding. Also, how many do you have? They're less skittish in groups of 6 or more.
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Lish
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Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2022 8:33 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by Lish »

Mine did this too! I added more driftwood and they started coming out more. Maybe they just need more hiding spots that aren't in the shadows?
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wilde
Posts: 98
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2022 2:47 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by wilde »

It could be a dominance thing. Are any of them bullying the others? I've seen that cause hiding behavior. Also, what's your feeding schedule? Hungry fish can get territorial.
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Lexat
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Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 9:27 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by Lexat »

silverbob wrote: Wed Jul 02, 2025 5:45 pm Check your tank's background. If it's too reflective or bright, they might feel exposed. I switched to a dark background and mine stopped hiding. Also, how many do you have? They're less skittish in groups of 6 or more.
Totally agree. Mine were hiding until I added more buddies. Now they're out all the time. How many do you have, swiftDart?
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micsim
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Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2022 3:50 pm

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by micsim »

Mine hide when the room's too busy. Kids running around, loud noises, etc. Could it be something like that?
Halse
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Joined: Wed May 04, 2022 2:58 am

Re: discus hiding in tank shadows

Post by Halse »

Discus are just drama queens sometimes. If everything else checks out, they might just be in a mood. Give it a few days and see if they snap out of it. Mine do this every now and then.
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