new discus scared stiff

[giorid]

Hi guys,
Just got 5 young discus about 4 to 5cm and placed them in a 4ft bare bottom tank with 2 sponge filters and a pot for decoration, they seem to be really scared and dash from one side of the tank to the other whenever I approach to feed them, the water values are all normal for discus. I leave a dimmed light on top of the tank at night 'cause they seem to panic in the dark. Is this normal behaviour for new discus and is there anything I can do to calm them down? Thanks again, max. :?

[mumafish]

It takes a while for fish to get used to their refelctions in the bare bottom tank. They tend to slide over the bottom rather than swim.
I found mine were better with a room light on instead of the light above the tank.
Only took a couple of days before they stopped dashing around.
Mine still dash a bit when the light comes on but settle down quickly.
They also eat better with the light is off.

Give them plenty of hiding places and take your time with them.
Keep up the water quality, feed them well and enjoy watching them grow.

[giorid]

Thanks mumafin,
I did put some slate tiles leaned at an angle against the tank sides but all they do is dash for cover and stay behind the tiles until I move away and I don't really get to take a good look at them to see if they're doing well. Thanks again.

[Merrilyn]

Lay the slate tiles flat on the bottom of the tank and I'm afraid they'll just have to tough it out for a few days till they settle down. It's just different, but it really is the best way to raise them. They will eventually settle. Just think of all the fish in shops that have to get used to lots and lots of customers walking past their tank.

They'll soon learn that you are the bringer of yummy food, and they'll be waiting to greet you at the front of the tank :P

[giorid]

Thanks Merrilyn.
I'll do that, but do you think that maybe they feel a little lonely and I should get another 5, since they were in a large group in the seller's tank and also discus are a schooling fish by nature, especially when young, maybe I could put some small angelfish instead with them which are more social, to draw the discus out, thanks again, max.

[swifto]

Don't mix angels and discus ,they will b come use to you and the movements around the tank just give them time.

[giorid]

Ok thanks swifto, I'll wait and see.

[swampy1972]

You just need to be patient with them. Soon enough they'll be out and looking for you to come into the room. Remember that to them, you = food! :lol:

[giorid]

Thanks swampy1972,
Yeah I know what you mean, it's just that I find it difficult to understand why they need to dash around the tank, and they move so fast that they even smash against the glass or the objects inside the tank which could endup hurting themselves and sometimes they even try to jump out, quite frightning, I don't want to lose any.

[Nev]

Put some cardinals or rummy nose in with them. They can help to show em there's nothing to be scared of.

[giorid]

Thanks Nev, I'll try that and see what happens, I'll let everyone know if it works in a couple of weeks, that should be enough time I think, keeping my fingers crossed.

[Xerxes]

This happened to me too. I started with a cursed lot of brown and pigeon blood discus, cursed because they were my first. It breaks my heart that I killed all but two of the original 16 in total. I started with 3 month old juveniles, and I think that the remaining steady group of 6 lasted long. They were from a local breeder/hobbyist who owned a pet shop, and I bought them from him because they were cheap at 10 bucks a pop.

Then they started to bang around. Only the breeding pair of pigeon blood were in glass bottom tanks, and they were fine. Once the number got below about six, they got more jittery.

I then bought seven juveniles again, but from a much more respected and established breeder/importer. I knew to pick ones this time with rounded (discus shaped) bodies and not runty ones. I picked ones that were the friendliest and stood out to greet me out of the lot. These guys calmed down the two remaining brown discus. However, even my original runty brown one bullies like he was one of the biggest of the lot. The brown ones of the original are at the top of the pecking order compared to the 7 golden discus I got. So, I actually don’t know what it was that calmed them down: just the numbers, or the more calm new group. These new guys were really friendly from the beginning and never really shied away from me even from the first day. I think picking the best lot is really really important.

[giorid]

Thanks xerxes, but the discus are really good quality and they all eat like pigs,
it's just that they only come out from behind the slate when I'm not there, to eat, and as soon as they ear a noise they take cover, they also seem to be frightened by the light on top of the tank so I had to dim it, I have put some other fish with them to see if that calms them down but I don't think it's going to work since they still dash for cover when there is movement around the tank. I have also wrapped the tank sides with aquarium backing to see if they settle down. I know that discus are a schooling fish and that they like to be in large groups when small, and are also naturally shy. Maybe, as they grow they will become more bold.

[Wendy]

Hmmmm, I don't know why but my 4 juvies that I got 2 weeks ago are perfectly calm and even come to the front of the tank to say hello when I go near their tank. These are my first Discus so I am far from expert, but I'm wondering if its because I have a thin layer of sand on the bottom of the tank, even my Angels seem happier with this setup compared to a bare bottom tank, maybe its something to do with the reflections....perhaps they need time to adjust to it.

[Xerxes]

My new stock sometimes bangs against the glass too but only when a somewhat loud sound had startled them, but interestingly the jumpier original ones are still, I just realized thinking about my own lot. I had added some substrate and good quality plastic plants (so that I can pull out the drift wood and plastic plants and do a complete substrate vacuum whenever needed and regularly). The long broad leafed plastic plants seem to be the key to their calming down.

I tried wrapping the sides with construction paper and added a flap to the front at one point too at the height of the original lot banging around. This was only somewhat helpful, since they'd still bang around as soon as so much as a fly crossed in front of the tank front. Giving them cover is key.

Strangely, they actually come out from behind the cover but remain motionless looking at my daughter watching TV or me even watching them for a while, then they resume to eat or explore after they are ok with the current situation.

[Xerxes]

Update, I separated the team since my large tank is overcrowded (5 in large 200 liter tank and the 4 runts in the other 100 liter one), and then the two groups got a lot more agitated and started banging around.

I have since brought the two groups together. They like the larger group, even though the tank is too small for 9 growing out discus. I will have to get a 400 liter tank, from the looks of things.

[Nkemjika]

It really is time. Not to worry...

[BigDaddyAdo]

Lave them be and let them settle in. There is nothing wrong with giving them a place to hide. If they know they have a safe haven they are much more likely to explore and be settled and social. t

I would also add a thin layer of sand.