Who Gives A Fish Forums

Noticed my Discus hanging out at the bottom of the tank a lot lately. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate around 10 ppm. Temp is steady at 84°F, pH 6.8. They're in a 75-gallon with sand substrate and some driftwood. Been feeding them beef heart mix and frozen bloodworms twice a day. Any ideas why they're acting like this?

Could be a few things. First, check if they're showing any signs of stress like clamped fins or rapid breathing. How old are they? Juveniles might just be chilling, but adults doing this could signal trouble. Also, what's your water change routine? Discus are super sensitive to water quality, even if params look fine.

Yo, my discus did this once when the filter was too strong. They got tired of fighting the current and just camped out at the bottom. Maybe check your flow? Also, how's the lighting? Too bright can freak 'em out.

Mine did this after I added new tankmates. Could be a dominance thing if you've got other fish bothering them. What's the stocking like in there? Also, any recent changes to the tank decor or equipment?

joshito wrote: ↑Sat May 03, 2025 1:40 am Yo, my discus did this once when the filter was too strong. They got tired of fighting the current and just camped out at the bottom. Maybe check your flow? Also, how's the lighting? Too bright can freak 'em out.

Good point about the flow. I had to baffle my canister filter output when my discus started acting weird. They perked up after I slowed the current.

How long has this been going on? If it's just a day or two, they might be adjusting to something. But if it's been weeks, I'd start looking deeper. Have you tried fasting them for a day? Sometimes overfeeding can make them sluggish.

My money's on water quality, even if tests look okay. Discus are drama queens about tiny changes. When's the last time you deep cleaned the substrate? Gunk builds up fast in sand.

Or they're just being weirdos. Fish do that sometimes. But yeah, probably check the flow like others said. Also, what's the tank height? Mine hated a tall tank until I lowered the water level a bit.

I'm new to discus, but mine did this when the temp dropped accidentally. Heater working right? Maybe double-check with a separate thermometer.

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. Gonna check the filter flow and test the heater first. Appreciate the help!