1 Scared Dark Discus.

[Mulisha]

Hey guys i would like to maybe get some tips of something...

I have 7 discus in a 5ft tank and 6 of them will come out to eat and chase each other around etc but the smallest out all of them hasn't come out for food for 4 days now and getting little worried becuase soon as he moves from behine the drift wood he gets attacked so to speak. He has gone very dark due to stress and his got all his fins squashed down as his scared to move. I mean if he was eating i wouldn't be worrying but his not eating and thought you maybe have the same experence and have great tip in what to do.

There all the exact same age just some are growing faster then the others :shock:

Please help as he won't be around to much longer if left how he is :cry: :cry:

Cheers

[Merrilyn]

Seems your little guy is on the very bottom of the pecking order, which means that everyone picks on him.

At this stage I'd remove him and put him in a smaller tank, with some driftwood and perhaps some cardinals, where he can gain confidence and you can feed him up properly.

Once he gets to be the same size as the others, you can return himto the main tank.

[shayesmommy]

i would suggest divinding them just for feeding. maybe just a portion. or remove the aggreser

[Mulisha]

Well umm hmm the agressor is my favorite one lmao dam i don't really have another tank for him to go as i sold my 3ft one :?

What do you think about adding alot more plants to the tank and rocks etc make more hiding spots would that help out with this situation?

I'll see if i can get some food into him tonight even might keep the other kept up the other end lmao have stick a net in there even they might swim inside it..

And do discus have better eye sight then most humans or something they see me from a mile away and come to the top of the tank.. :lol:

Cheers and thanks for ya help..

[shayesmommy]

i dont have any discus yet. tomorrow i will.
but do they always beat him up? or is it just feeding time?
they like places to hide.
but for feeding time just get a divider and block the little one in to eat.
thats if it is only eating time.goodluck

[Mulisha]

It really when ever he comes out of the corner if you know what i mean.

He got a little bit to eat tonight so he has had something to little eat :)

Can i add anything to lower the stress on the little bugger will adding salt reuce stress? :?

Cheers

[sammigold]

Salt will help to reduce stress but your plants wont like it at all.....

Maybe try partitioning off the tank for a little while so that he is unable to be picked on by the others (maybe use some gutter stuff... looks like plastic green trellis) that way if you have any little fish like cardinals etc.. they can still fit through the gaps but the big ones cant get to him....(does that make sense?) and then move some of the stuff around in the tank so they think the territorys changed....
Just a couple of ideas HTH

[Hedphelym]

i have the same problem, mine is the middel-sized one, hes hiding all the time now, been doing that for two days.
but somethimes he's fine. it's just when they fight alot..

i just let them be, he is a little skinny, because he does not eat alot, but he get's some food everyday.

I dont have another tank either to put him in, so i just let them be where they are. and hope for the best.