Peppering in Discus? Darkening in Discus?

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sushiray

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Jan 14, 2009
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new windsor, ny
Since I started past june, all my pidgeon/marlboros have some varying degree of peppering. one has a bad case (like dark freckles all over).

also my other discus variety had some degree of darkness, some from very dark brown to lighter dark shades. my blue diamond tho not brown would either be very dark or very light depending on lighting duration (also if they are frightened/startled they will get darker).

many have said dark backgrounds contribute to both peppering & darkening of other discus variety.

well I am using the ocean reef background which tends to dark blue so I have to think this has cause it.

but I just intro'd some new plants I purchased from a member & with the new greenery, I found all my discus much lighter in coloration (especially when I turn on the lights) & in fact my one very dark brown discus is showing its truer colors! a light tan! also peppering has decreased a lot! tho not all gone.

but my Q? is - can I get rid of their peppering at all, will they can they go away or am are they stuck with them for life?!
 

stephcps

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Jun 2, 2009
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I am by no means expert...fairly new to discus myself. But, from what I have read, you may lessen it by changing background colrs etc, but not toally get rid of it. I also read that the substrate color is also very important...not sure what you use. There has been a couple of long threads about coloring/peppering on simplydiscus.com.

Glad everyone is doing better...it's so stressful isn't it? I had one that I had to put in a hospital tank to treat with metro. It was days and days of no eating. I just new he was gonna die, but now he's the main man in the big tank!
 

sushiray

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Jan 14, 2009
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thks, guess background was the key. since I like my ocean reef background, I lived with their darkening. but the plants have done wonders!

mine is barebottom so it's see thru but you see also the black stand brace.

yeah, I had to QT with metro, boy all that white poop came out! lost one tho, the other I saved is stunted but is now part of the bigger family - even aggressive tho the smallest!

glad to hear yours are doing well also.
 

j-gens

planted tank junkie
Dec 8, 2008
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maumee, ohio
i actually have read about this a TON, people tend to think that the background is the main reason for discus to be dark but i have seen many threads and also have a tank with a black background and I keep my discus in there.. They actually do not pepper very much at all with the dark background and light substrate.
but when i had a dark substrate they seem to pepper up much more

just a personal experience that i though i may share with you...

My white pb that is in my gallery was very peppered when i got it in the picture and now it hardly has any
 

sushiray

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Jan 14, 2009
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new windsor, ny
yeah! only the lighter red pidgeons/red marlboros peppered, the other varieties not. since my substrate is bare bottom can see right thru to the floor which is white but tank stand is black. I think in my case it's more the background cuz the plants provide a nice front (3 groupings)
 

j-gens

planted tank junkie
Dec 8, 2008
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maumee, ohio
do your discus look down a lot and kind of look disoriented?
i had mine in a tank that was clear down to the bottom of the stand and was bb and it freaked my fish out
so i put a very thin layer of pfs down just enough to dust the bottom so they couldnt see through or see their reflection
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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SF Bay area, CA
Pinkertd told me to stick some cardboard under the tank, works good, it's my backgroud too. Bare tank & cardboard, kinda the poor man's version of a discus tank. They do have a couple potted plants
 

stephcps

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Jun 2, 2009
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I also have bare bottom but was advised to cover it. I just taped white poster board underneath. I must say it mad a big difference in the way they acted. They obviously felt more secure.
 

sushiray

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Jan 14, 2009
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new windsor, ny
mine don't get freaky with the bare bottom see thru. will give it try tho.

mine are free swimming all over the tank, tho they are now trained to be fed in the front right of the tank now. so now that's where they hover expecting more feedings!
 
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