discus hiding in plant roots
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Gone - Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2024 2:32 pm
discus hiding in plant roots
Noticed my Discus hiding in the roots of my Amazon swords all day. They're usually out swimming, but this week it's like they're glued to the plants. Tank's a 75-gallon, temp at 84°F, pH 6.8, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Weekly 50% water changes, feeding beef heart mix twice a day. Anyone else seen this?
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Banger - Posts: 14
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2022 3:08 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
Mine did that when I added new tankmates. How long have they been hiding? Any new fish or changes to the tank? Could be stress or just a weird phase.
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BoldOne - Posts: 18
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2022 2:26 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
Yo, my Discus pulled the same stunt last month. Turned out the lighting was too bright after I swapped bulbs. They chilled once I dimmed it. What's your setup like? LED or T5? Also, check if the roots are dense enough for them to feel safe.
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Suntech - Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2024 7:45 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
Discus are known to seek shelter when uncomfortable. Your water params seem fine, but have you checked for fluctuations during the day? Sometimes heaters or filters act up.
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buzzit - Posts: 14
- Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2024 4:49 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
That's a solid point. I've got a Finnex LED running 8 hours a day. Maybe I'll cut it back to 6 and see if they perk up. Appreciate the tip!
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Gone - Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2024 2:32 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
Thanks for the ideas, everyone. No new fish, but I did add CO2 a week ago. Maybe that's messing with them. Gonna dial it back and monitor.
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Banger - Posts: 14
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2022 3:08 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
CO2 could definitely be the culprit. Some Discus are super sensitive to changes in dissolved gases. Keep an eye on them and maybe bump up surface agitation if you're running a diffuser.
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BoldOne - Posts: 18
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2022 2:26 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
For real, CO2 is sketchy with Discus. I run mine super low, like 1 bubble per second, and even then I watch 'em like a hawk. What's your drop checker showing?
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buzzit - Posts: 14
- Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2024 4:49 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
Yep, same here. Mine's at 1 bps with a lime green drop checker. Anything darker and they start acting off. How's your surface agitation, Gone?
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Suntech - Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2024 7:45 pm
Re: discus hiding in plant roots
If the CO2 adjustment doesn't help, consider adding more cover. Floating plants like frogbit can give them shade without blocking light for the swords.