I have 9 discus in my 90 gallon tank. Filtered by a fx4 and a fx5. Temp 87. Ph7.6, no ammonia, no nitrites, nitrates 10ppm. I have 1/4 inch of gravel in the tank. I change 50% water 2 times a week. I Do not age water. Have had these discus for over 7 months. Size range from 5 to 51/2 inches. Would really like some to pair up. But it not happening. Is there something I can do to stimulate them breeding. A friend suggested play some Barry White music. Lol.
Discus not cooperating
- Thread starter mr limpet
- Start date
I don't currently keep discus but I used to.
Peat-tainted water produced desire to go through breeding and mock-breeding motions for me. I used peat moss (bought by the bale), in socks suspended inside the connected 3x55gal plastic drums I used for short-term (~1 day) water aging. While change in water pH due to the peat was very slight to none, the water did become brownish and the fish were happier than without using peat and went through the motions routinely. My discus were wild, 'brown', 'green' and heckel.
Peat-tainted water produced desire to go through breeding and mock-breeding motions for me. I used peat moss (bought by the bale), in socks suspended inside the connected 3x55gal plastic drums I used for short-term (~1 day) water aging. While change in water pH due to the peat was very slight to none, the water did become brownish and the fish were happier than without using peat and went through the motions routinely. My discus were wild, 'brown', 'green' and heckel.
I did not do the peat with the intent of lowering pH.
I would avoid the bottle of pH down - expensive, ineffective (for the purpose), and potentially dangerous.
I would avoid the bottle of pH down - expensive, ineffective (for the purpose), and potentially dangerous.
lots of organic peat is safe for the aquarium, but the easiest one to use for the aquarium are peat pellets. How much you will need will depend on the amount of water changed.
If you want to make sure that peat won't lower your ph, find out your buffering capacity (KH).
If you want to make sure that peat won't lower your ph, find out your buffering capacity (KH).
New York (you are in the City?) has generally been known for fairly conducive to successful discus keeping, without any need for pH changing efforts. And if you are working with non-wild specimens, they probably with take a range of conditions just fine. 7.6pH should be OK.
Often, a water change with slightly cooler water will elicit breeding behavior, provided water quality and space/hierarchies (everything else) is fine. You may also want to introduce one or two slate or cones, although I know they are in a 90gal, so perhaps only one for training. Once you recognize a pair (or potential pair), they should be separated into another tank. There are risks, but it works often. Actual breeding will not happen within a group tank.
Often, a water change with slightly cooler water will elicit breeding behavior, provided water quality and space/hierarchies (everything else) is fine. You may also want to introduce one or two slate or cones, although I know they are in a 90gal, so perhaps only one for training. Once you recognize a pair (or potential pair), they should be separated into another tank. There are risks, but it works often. Actual breeding will not happen within a group tank.
Thank for all the advice. I actually live on Long Island. About 50 miles east of the city. I never mess with my ph. I can’t even remember the last time I checked it. Alway seems to be around 7.6 the few times a year I do check it. Was just thinking about putting ph drops to stimulate breeding. But I won’t mess with that. I’ll try the water change issuing cooler water on my next water change.
