Who Gives A Fish Forums

My discus laid eggs last week but none hatched. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate under 20 ppm. Tank is 75 gallons, temp at 84F, sponge filter, driftwood, and some java fern. Parents are healthy and eating well. Any ideas what's up?

Had the same issue last year. Check your TDS, bro. Discus eggs need soft water, like under 100 ppm. Also, any other fish in there? Even tetras can stress them out. My pair didn't chill till I moved them to a species-only tank.

TankWarrior wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 1:11 am Had the same issue last year. Check your TDS, bro. Discus eggs need soft water, like under 100 ppm. Also, any other fish in there? Even tetras can stress them out. My pair didn't chill till I moved them to a species-only tank.

Yep, TDS is huge. Also, how old are the parents? Younger pairs often fail the first few tries. My 2-year-olds took 3 spawns before they got it right.

Lighting could be a factor too. Too much brightness freaks them out. I keep mine dim during spawning, just enough to see. And yeah, no tankmates. Even snails mess with their vibe. What's your water change routine? Daily 10% changes helped my pair settle.

Parents eating the eggs? Sometimes they do that if they're stressed or inexperienced. Try a divider or mesh to protect the eggs next time. Also, what's your pH? Stable 6.5 seems to work best for mine.

I'm new to discus but had the same problem. My LFS said it might be the substrate. Bare bottom tanks are better for breeding, right?

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna test my TDS and maybe move them to a smaller tank. Parents are about 18 months old, so maybe they're still learning. Appreciate the help!

Jumper wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 6:07 am Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna test my TDS and maybe move them to a smaller tank. Parents are about 18 months old, so maybe they're still learning. Appreciate the help!

No prob, man. Keep us posted. Oh, and if you move them, acclimate slow. Discus hate sudden changes, even if the water's better.

Bare bottom is easier to clean, but some breeders use thin sand. Key is keeping it spotless. Also, what's your feeding routine? Live foods like blackworms can boost their condition. Mine get a mix of frozen and pellets twice a day.

Misty wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 8:46 am Bare bottom is easier to clean, but some breeders use thin sand. Key is keeping it spotless. Also, what's your feeding routine? Live foods like blackworms can boost their condition. Mine get a mix of frozen and pellets twice a day.

Totally agree on live foods. Brine shrimp too. And yeah, bare bottom's sketchy at first but worth it. Less chance of funk building up.