# Breeding pair of Discus female not eating



## wiifish (Feb 10, 2010)

Hi all I am new to the site. Been learning a lot as I have been reading a lot of useful info here. I have not had Discus in over 20 years and now I am back! I recently bought 2 4.5 inch Discus which the LFS owner believed to be a pair. He was dead on! As soon as I got these two home in my 120 Gallon Planted tank, they started breeding 2 days in. The female has her stress bars showing and has never really eaten anything since she arrived. The Male after a few days, started to eat like a pig! He has no stress bars showing and will eat from my hand. The female eats the frozen blood worms/brine shrimp and then spits it out. She occasionally will pop out behind her breeding spot to see the food falling in front of her, but again eats, spits it out and repeats this and then ends up not eating it at all. My PH is at 6.5 -6.8 and I am running Peat moss thru my eheim 2217 and just the media without the carbon on my 2215. My questions are as follows.

1) Is my female sick with worms or is she still trying to get used to the tank? Also I noticed that the female when looking face on, has eyes that seems to pop out more than the male. Is that normal is is she sick. As for feces, did not see if it is clear/white as she is always on the bottom of the tank where she regularly lays her eggs. 

2) The pair keeps eating their eggs after they lay them. Should I leave them in the planted tank or put the 2 in a 40 gallon breeder?

3) I used Seachem acid buffer and peat moss to lower the PH. I don't mind the tanning in the water. I am using just a sponge filter and floating a bag (pantyhose) of peat moss that I got in the Garden center. Should I leave the peat moss bag in the tank or remove it? I was just trying to get a softer water and induce the pair to breed ...if I put them in there. 


Thanks again


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi,

Welcome back to the world of Discus.

Discus will take a while to get acclimated to a new tank and they are known for going on hunger strikes. Whats your water temp? Did you quarantine them? 

What are the tank mates?

I would move them to the breeder / Quarantine tank and let them adjust. Also if they do breed you will have better success.

I have used Frozen Myst Shrimp to encourage eating.

But I would watch them for a while to make sure they are healthy.

good luck


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## wiifish (Feb 10, 2010)

*Discus*

Thanks for the tip. My water temp is 82/83'ish They breed twice and ate their eggs twice. Just hoping it is because they are new parents and are clueless. If they are cannibals, then I will try caging the eggs after they are fertilized as many have tried.


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