discus breeding pair tank lighting

[RiverEdge]

I've got a breeding pair of Discus in a 55-gallon tank, and I'm not sure about the lighting. Right now, I'm using a basic LED strip, 6500K, 8 hours a day. They're spawning but the fry aren't surviving past day 3. Could the lighting be stressing them? Tank's got sand substrate, a few Amazon swords, and a sponge filter. Water's at 84°F, pH 6.5, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate.

[Olive]

Lighting can definitely mess with breeding pairs, especially if it's too bright or inconsistent. I'd cut it back to 6 hours and dim it if possible. My pair did way better under softer lighting, like a Fluval Plant 3.0 at 50% intensity. Also, check for shadows—fry need hiding spots. How often are you doing water changes? Daily 10% changes helped my fry survival rate.

[Playful]

Lighting can definitely mess with breeding pairs, especially if it's too bright or inconsistent. I'd cut it back to 6 hours and dim it if possible. My pair did way better under softer lighting, like a Fluval Plant 3.0 at 50% intensity. Also, check for shadows—fry need hiding spots. How often are you doing water changes? Daily 10% changes helped my fry survival rate.

Yep, second this. My Discus bred under a Nicrew Classic, but I had to dial it way down. Also, what's your feeding routine for the fry? They need infusoria or baby brine shrimp almost hourly the first few days.

[butteredBiscuit]

Kinda weird vibe with the LED strip, ngl. I'd switch to a planted tank light with adjustable spectrum. My pair chilled out big time after I swapped to a Chihiros A series. Also, sand substrate's good, but you gotta vacuum it weekly or it'll mess with your water quality. Fry are sketchy about dirty bottoms.

[Limey]

I've had success with T5HO lights but kept 'em on for only 5 hours during spawning. Fry survival jumped when I added floating plants like frogbit to diffuse the light. What's your tank's background color? Darker backgrounds reduce stress. Mine's black, and the pair seems way less skittish.

[RiverEdge]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try dimming the lights and adding some frogbit. I've been doing 20% water changes every other day, but I'll bump it to daily. Also, the background's blue—might switch to black if that helps.

[buzzit]

Blue backgrounds aren't terrible, but black's definitely better for reducing glare. How's your feeding schedule for the adults? A mix of frozen bloodworms and beef heart keeps mine in breeding condition. Also, consider a dimmer switch for your LED strip—cheap fix if you don't wanna buy a new light yet.

[foxcape]

Kinda weird vibe with the LED strip, ngl. I'd switch to a planted tank light with adjustable spectrum. My pair chilled out big time after I swapped to a Chihiros A series. Also, sand substrate's good, but you gotta vacuum it weekly or it'll mess with your water quality. Fry are sketchy about dirty bottoms.

LOL, 'weird vibe' is right. My Discus side-eyed me for weeks until I got a proper light. But seriously, adjustable spectrum's key. Also, fry need stupid-clean water—like, zero nitrates. You testing daily?

[Guardian]

Yo, ditch the strip light, fam. Get something with sunrise/sunset settings. My pair went from zero to hero after I switched to a Finnex 24/7. Fry survival's like 80% now. Also, you using RO water? Tap's gotta be sketchy for breeding.

[coralCartel]

I'd second the Finnex recommendation. My breeding tank's got one, and the pair's way more active. How's your tank placement, though? If it's near a window, ambient light could be stressing them even with the LEDs off. Mine's in a basement corner, zero natural light.