Just Been Given A Discus.... (Now With Pics)

[DiscusKeeper403]

Can you describe the shaking movements in a little more detail? Any labored breathing, or scraping/rubbing against objects?

 

[taffy92]

Have also kept Discus in moderately hard water with pH around7.4 and indeed they layed eggs frequently but eggs did not hatch.With ph of 8.0 as was mentioned by original poster, I would wait a considerable amount of time before I began adding fish and I would quarantine all fish for two to three weeks.
I would want to be sure that the fish was adapting to my water before I spent the money on more of these beautiful fish. If I were seeing the fish turn dark,stress bars visible, excess slime coating,labored breathing, and or laying in horizontal posistion on bottom of the tank after the first week,, I would be aprehensive with regards to how it is adapting.Would always keep in mind that these fish do not ALWAYS adapt to hard alkaline waters or many more folks would keep them. Some do, some don't.IMHO

 

[taffy92]

i, agree with roadmaster, you need to keep the discus in the right water,you keep fish in ph above what they need yes they will get acclimatised to that ph, but when you introduce new fish you could end up killing them off the ph change is a gradual one for other fish but for new fish it will shock them ask any lfs the good ones wont sell you fish unless your water is right. ps please if your not going to keep these beutiful fish properly then whats the piont???.

 

[mattlee]

Can you describe the shaking movements in a little more detail? Any labored breathing, or scraping/rubbing against objects?

Hi Connor, the fish now and then looks as if its shivering for a second almost like its vibrating!. its not rubbing on anything and seems ok otherwise and feeds well. it doesnt do it all the time just now and then, also the breathing seems fine not gasping or fast.

if it was flicking on objects wouldnt that be a parasite or internal bacteria probs etc...?

all the other discus seem fine and happy

 

[mattlee]

i, agree with roadmaster, you need to keep the discus in the right water,you keep fish in ph above what they need yes they will get acclimatised to that ph, but when you introduce new fish you could end up killing them off the ph change is a gradual one for other fish but for new fish it will shock them ask any lfs the good ones wont sell you fish unless your water is right. ps please if your not going to keep these beutiful fish properly then whats the piont???.

if you read the topic from the start the first question i asked was should i keep the discus i was given or will it be ok? people said it would be ok as long as i kept on top of the water qualities and added a couple more for company. does what the fish is doing sound like pH shock? wouldnt the pH shock be more sooner than this? ive no idea.... but this particular fish was purchased from wharf aquatics in pinxton which is a very well known shop and the owner said that their fish are kept at pH 7.5 and that the fish had been in their tank for about 5 weeks. the other fish seem to be fine, happy and none are really showing the stress bars except the little one i was given which i have been told is fairly normal for this type of discus. yes ive researched the discus but was always put off due to people saying that they are so difficult to look after, and i know my water isnt perfect but im sure people wouldnt say that it would be ok just for fun. my pH is 7.9-8 and according to the local water website gh about 13-14 medium/hard if the fish will just die off then i agree its cruel and expensive this is why i asked here first....

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

i, agree with roadmaster, you need to keep the discus in the right water,you keep fish in ph above what they need yes they will get acclimatised to that ph, but when you introduce new fish you could end up killing them off the ph change is a gradual one for other fish but for new fish it will shock them ask any lfs the good ones wont sell you fish unless your water is right. ps please if your not going to keep these beutiful fish properly then whats the piont???.

Honestly, I suggest you do your research before posting on something you know nothing about.

What does pH shock have to do with anything? pH shock is quick, when first introduced from one pH to another, and really the main concern is Hardness shock, not pH shock. A slow acclimation (Ie drip acclimation from bag water to tank water) can be used in this situation, but the OP would have known if this was a problem by now. It is always good to double check when you first purchase your fish, but pH shock isn't something that comes on gradually.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Can you describe the shaking movements in a little more detail? Any labored breathing, or scraping/rubbing against objects?

Hi Connor, the fish now and then looks as if its shivering for a second almost like its vibrating!. its not rubbing on anything and seems ok otherwise and feeds well. it doesnt do it all the time just now and then, also the breathing seems fine not gasping or fast.

if it was flicking on objects wouldnt that be a parasite or internal bacteria probs etc...?

all the other discus seem fine and happy

Sometimes it can be signs of parasitic infection (gill flukes) but Discus also shake at each other during dominance and courtship (which is what it seems to be in your case.)

 

[mattlee]

Can you describe the shaking movements in a little more detail? Any labored breathing, or scraping/rubbing against objects?

Hi Connor, the fish now and then looks as if its shivering for a second almost like its vibrating!. its not rubbing on anything and seems ok otherwise and feeds well. it doesnt do it all the time just now and then, also the breathing seems fine not gasping or fast.

if it was flicking on objects wouldnt that be a parasite or internal bacteria probs etc...?

all the other discus seem fine and happy

Sometimes it can be signs of parasitic infection (gill flukes) but Discus also shake at each other during dominance and courtship (which is what it seems to be in your case.)

ok thanks Connor ill keep an eye on him just in case