Why does my discus change its color a lot?

[VictorTQT]

Hi every one.

I have just bought few discus. They are called Albino Leopard Snakeskin Intermediate (which father is ALSS and mother is Albino melon). When I saw it, the color is very nice of red. After I brought them home, in first 3 days their color is quite dark brown. Then they appear to recover the red color for 1 day, then now its color is a bit orange-brown. I am not sure why is it and how to keep its red color. And here is the pictures:

Here is the one that I bought and their color at the first sight (at retailer). You can see their color are very nice.



And when I brought them home, they looked really dark brown (not sure because of stressed or not):



After 3-4 days, the red color seem recovered a bit:



But now, it is some how like orange-brown color, so I don't know why. Is their any way to recover their red color?







And just want to share, here is the picture of the father of my discus, according to retailer, it is ALSS.



And one more pics (father is in the center):



Not sure it is because that I am keeping them in planted tank, and used daylight T5 lighting set, while the retailer used bare tank with pink LED light. Not sure those factors made so much effect or not? The discus are eating well with beef heart, blood worms... but they are still very shy (now is 1.5 weeks after they came)

Thank you in advanced for all of your suggestion/opinions.

Victor

[David]

Hello VictorTQT

Discus turn dark is usually due to stress. There can be a few factors at the beginning. Transport stress, change in water perimeter, new environment.

Discus do not settle in so fast and the fact that they are eating is a good sign. The plants provide some cover and comfort as they can be skittish and don't take too kindly to high movement areas.

Whatever you do, don't wear black T-Shirt and walk in front of the tank.

Yes, the color of the lights at the LFS do play a part.

I don't know how big is your tank but discus are more sensitive to water condition and from what I have read, you have another 150 tetras?

Check your water parameter for NH or NO3.

[VictorTQT]

Hi David,

Thank you very much. My tank is 3 feet, with 1 canister, 1 OHF, two internal filter and 1 air stone. The quality of water is fine.
I heard someone is saying that if I feed my discus with Astaxanthin beef heart (selling in some LHS) or spotted BH, then the color will be improved. Is that right?

And do I need to change the light to pink one, but I am not sure my plants are fine with it or not, since the power of pink LED light might not be as strong as the T5HO.

Waiting for your recommendation. Thanks a lot.

Victor.

[coolgear101]

As yours is a planted tank, the fishes tend to change its colour to blend to its environment. The lights do play a part in their colour changes.

In bare tank, usually their colour will not change unless they are stress.

[garylim]

Hi David, where did you bought your discus?

Does your discus chase your tetra or guppy?

[David]

Hi garylim....the last time I had discus was years ago. They were Taffy Greens. It was a species tank and there were no tetras around. They however left my Amano Shrimps alone...most of the time.

[David]

Hi Victor,

I can sense that there is a conflict within yourself, I am not too sure. On one hand, you like a planted tank and on the other, you like to have discus. The two can co-exist but the way I see it is that you may be mixing up the two.

I don't know what kind of plants you have or the amount of light intensity, you will need some kind of CO2 injection for plants to do well (if you have rooted plants then you will require some kind of base fertilizer). Your air stone is good for your fish but not for your plants. Your bio-load may be too high. the 150 tetras are going to get bigger and your NO3 is going to get high sooner or later. Unless you are around to do more frequent water change, reduce your bio-load.

Feeding beefheart and/or bloodworms does not change or improve the coloration of the fish (at least in my opinion). Basically if your fishes are juvenile, this is the fastest why to bulk them up in terms of size. Large water change is also important especially with juvenile discus, as it is said that they secrete hormones into the water to stunt the other discus.

If you change to the red kind of lights, I don't think your plants will do well.

At the end, you have to decide what you want. A bare tank with discus or a planted tank with discus. Once you have decided, it will be easier for you to plan moving forward

[David]

Hi Victor

here are two examples for you of a discus planted tank.



This is a tank done by Amano. there is no plants but what he did was a hardscape tank that is more or less a biotope tank.



Think about it and decide for yourself....once you have reached a direction, its easier to move from that point.

[VictorTQT]

Thank you David a lot.

Yes, you are right, I am a bit confusing in the middle of planted tank or discus tank. Actually in the beginning I want to start a planted tank only, but when I visit my friend's discus planted tank I was so admired and would like to combine those. His tank looks like this tank that I copied from youtube:



There is also another setup that I loved a lot, is this setting:



Therefore I am think of rearranging my tank to be more suitable for the discus, but the problem now is that my discus are too shy and always hiding under the tree/plants/rock. They are still eating well when I moved the food near them, but they don't want to swim out. Is there any problem with them and how to solve it?

Thank you very much.

[David]

Don't keep moving stuff in your tank while the discus are still in it. They are not used to you and family members who moves in front of the tank and with you sticking your hands in the tank to re-arrange plants in your tank. Be decisive and plan well to what kind of tank you want for your discus and do it once and for all and let them settle in.

I like the second one better....

[tikopek]

Nice to know there are discus lovers around! Discus popularity seems to die down~ Any bros here know what illness happening to one of my discus?
Its symtom:
1. Heavy breathing
2. Gills seems swollen and cant close completely
3. Swimming well, fins not clamped
4. But loss of appetite

[VictorTQT]

Don't keep moving stuff in your tank while the discus are still in it. They are not used to you and family members who moves in front of the tank and with you sticking your hands in the tank to re-arrange plants in your tank. Be decisive and plan well to what kind of tank you want for your discus and do it once and for all and let them settle in.

I like the second one better....

Thank you bro David a lot. Yes, I have decided to re-scape my tank to combine discus and plants. I have an idea of using sand substrate so it is easier to clean the excess food of the discus? But I heard from my friends that sand will make my tank cloudy. Could someone give me the recommendation? Thank you very much.

[VictorTQT]

Nice to know there are discus lovers around! Discus popularity seems to die down~ Any bros here know what illness happening to one of my discus?
Its symtom:
1. Heavy breathing
2. Gills seems swollen and cant close completely
3. Swimming well, fins not clamped
4. But loss of appetite

Hi bro,

I am sorry since I am also the beginner of discus, but seems you could do the google to find the answer, or upload your pictures of ill-discus for the senior to check?
Good luck.

[David]

Vic...sand? I think you get gravel that is meant for planted tank is better.

[David]

Tikopek...I am assuming the discus is with you for at least 6 months and this just happened?

If this is so, what did you do to your tank or add any new fishes prior to?

[tikopek]

Yes~ I have kept them for a year plus until i notice one of them start breathing very heavy. I'll try to take a picture of it to show, it is only obvious when it is back facing me where i see its gills can't close fully.

[David]

did you do anything new to your tank? maintence? added new fauna?

[tikopek]

Nope! Normal water change of 25% every Tuesday and Saturday.

[David]

Do you use any form of de-chorinator? If nothing new has been done or added into the tank, My take is most likely an environmental issue. Check your tank for NH and NO3. How many discus do you have and what is the tank sizing? Is this a bare tank or a planted tank.


What are you feeding your discus? Live feed, frozen or artificial fish feed?

[tikopek]

I'm using Seachem Prime for anti chlorine, 25% water change 2 times a week, 3Ft ios tank (bare tank) with 1Ft sump tank. 7 Discus are feeding on Tetra Bits and Frozen blood worm. I have already seperate the sick fish in a big pail with MelaFix medication. hope it will survive.