Yes, in English, there is an idiom that describes a situation where multiple people are talking about different things and are unable to understand each other. The idiom is:
"Talking past each other."
This phrase is used to depict a communication breakdown where individuals are having a conversation, but they are not really listening or comprehending what the others are saying. It's as if they are speaking on different wavelengths, leading to confusion and misunderstanding, much like the scenario you described in your example.
So, you can say, "They were talking past each other, discussing different things and getting nowhere with their conversation."