Who Gives A Fish Forums

Noticed my Discus hanging out by the filter all day. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate around 10 ppm. Tank's a 75-gallon with sand substrate and some driftwood. They're about 4 inches, fed twice daily with frozen bloodworms and pellets. Anyone else see this behavior?

Could be the flow. Discus prefer calm water, but if the filter's too strong, they might be struggling. What filter you running? I've got a canister on my 90-gallon, adjusted the outflow to reduce turbulence. Also, check the temp—82-86°F is ideal.

Mine do this too! It's kinda weird, right? Like, they've got the whole tank but choose the noisiest spot. Maybe they're just weirdos. My tank's planted with Java fern, and they still hang by the HOB filter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

TankWarrior wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:06 am Could be the flow. Discus prefer calm water, but if the filter's too strong, they might be struggling. What filter you running? I've got a canister on my 90-gallon, adjusted the outflow to reduce turbulence. Also, check the temp—82-86°F is ideal.

Yep, flow's a big factor. I use a sponge filter in my 55-gallon, and they're way more chill. Less current, more lounging.

Might also be a comfort thing. Discus are shy, and the filter area could feel safer. How's your tank setup? Lots of hiding spots? Mine love the corners with tall plants like Amazon swords. Also, how many tankmates? Crowding can stress them.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try tweaking the filter flow and adding more plants. Appreciate it!

Another angle: oxygen levels. High flow means more surface agitation, which they might like. Test your O2 if you can. I run an air stone alongside my canister, and they split time between both. Tank's at 84°F, pH 6.8.

My Discus did this when I first got them. Turned out they were just exploring. After a week, they spread out. Maybe give it time? Tank's a 60-gallon with a Fluval FX4, lots of driftwood, and floating plants like frogbit.

Blossom wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:33 am Mine do this too! It's kinda weird, right? Like, they've got the whole tank but choose the noisiest spot. Maybe they're just weirdos. My tank's planted with Java fern, and they still hang by the HOB filter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Haha, true. Fish are weird. Mine ignore the fancy CO2-injected plants and hang by the heater. Go figure.

Mine are the same. 75-gallon, Eheim filter, sand bottom. They're always near the outflow. Maybe it's a vibe. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯