# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna >  Why are my discus colour turns dark?

## sanhas

Hi,
I just bought a few discus. However, upon putting them inside my tank, these discus loose its colour within 2 days. Any reason for it?

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## vinccc2003

1) stress
2) poor water condition
3) sick

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## adolfoi

Discus are very sensitive fish. The usual practise is to quarantine them for about 1 wk before relaese them into the main tank.

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## StanChung

Picture of your tank and the discus?
That would help us help you determine the cause.

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## Sword

Once it turn dark ....that it! Must really deworm it. End up might not get back to its colour anymore. A pain in the neck..er..er.... :Exasperated:

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## Interestor

what strain you bought ?

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## StanChung

Not all discus darkening are caused by worms. Most of them are caused by bacteria or virus. Worms are generally not lethal to discus but bacterial and viruses can be.
A proper diagnosis is needed before you play doctor with your fishes or you may waste your money with the wrong medication or worse kill your fishes.

Darkening can also be caused by shock/stress due to new conditions or poor water quality.

Best advice I got from Andrew Soh[author 'Discus the Naked Truth I & II] is to buy healthy fat discus in the first place. Avoid those sharp forehead and skinny discus. Those would be harder to pamper[fatten up] even if you were an expert and extremely diligent in changing water.

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## psp1000

Before adding new discus in main tank , best is upon reach home, put the whole plastic bag (with discus inside) soak into the main tank for about 10mins, add in yellow power in yours main tank. Thank add in yours discus. This is what the shop told me, said this step cannot be miss everytime you adding new fishes into yours main tank.

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## bryan

It also depends on the condition it is kept in. I adopted a pair of snakeskins(I think? Discus noob here) from a relative who kept them in a bare tank with black oyama. The 2 were almost black. Placed them in my planted tank and the colors came out within 2 days. They are regualrly breeding now but in a communtity tank so the eggs get eaten up after awhile. I notice they also turn dark during breeding probably due to the harrasment from other fish.

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