discus breeding pair not spawning

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julian
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:02 am

discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by julian »

My discus pair have been hanging out in their corner for weeks but no spawning action. Tank's a 55 gal, temp at 84F, pH 6.5, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. They're about 2 years old, fed beef heart mix twice daily. Any ideas why they're not getting busy?
Vista
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 2:09 pm

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by Vista »

Sounds like your water params are solid. Have you checked the male's behavior? Sometimes they need a bit more time to get comfortable. Also, try upping the water changes to 30% daily, it can trigger spawning. What's your lighting schedule like?
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UTESO
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2024 1:09 am

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by UTESO »

I agree with Vista. Frequent water changes mimic the rainy season, which often encourages spawning. Are there any tankmates stressing them out? Discus can be picky about privacy.
purered
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:22 pm

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by purered »

Yo, my pair did the same thing till I swapped their diet to live blackworms. Maybe yours are just bored with the beef heart? Also, try dimming the lights a bit, they might wanna get cozy.
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julian
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:02 am

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by julian »

Vista wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 5:06 pm Sounds like your water params are solid. Have you checked the male's behavior? Sometimes they need a bit more time to get comfortable. Also, try upping the water changes to 30% daily, it can trigger spawning. What's your lighting schedule like?
Thanks, I'll try the water changes. Lights are on 10 hours a day, but I'll dim them like purered suggested.
Bijack
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 3:45 pm

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by Bijack »

How's the male acting? If he's not cleaning a surface or showing off to the female, he might not be ready. Also, what's your substrate? Bare bottom tanks can sometimes make them feel exposed.
polar
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:13 pm

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by polar »

I feel your frustration! My pair took forever to spawn too. Try adding some almond leaves to soften the water a bit more. It worked like a charm for me. How often are you testing the water?
Hawk
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2023 11:42 pm

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by Hawk »

Ain't no rush, man. Sometimes they just gotta vibe. Mine took like 3 months to finally do the deed. Just keep the water clean and let 'em chill.
dawny
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2024 10:40 am

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by dawny »

Have you tried moving them to a smaller tank? A 20 gal breeder might make them feel more secure. Also, what's the flow like in your current tank? Too much current can stress them out.
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rayon
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:59 pm

Re: discus breeding pair not spawning

Post by rayon »

Yo, my discus didn't spawn till I added a flat slate rock. They need a solid surface to lay eggs on. Maybe yours just ain't got the right furniture, lol.
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