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By all means. I'm sure you will continue to simply ignore any facts that conflict with your world view. It's a very human thing to do.

Thanks for the link. Very interesting, but also a bit mysterious. The first thing to note about that study is that the only subjects were catfish, presumably a single species but that is nowhere specified. The second thing to note is that the only bacteria examined in the study were columnaris...

Would love to have a link to your reference, or a copy of the study.

But you keep two convicts in a 20 gallon? Seriously?

The so called "scientific" evidence reported by Byron is anecdotal, not scientific. The "experiment" made no mention of specific water parameters. Since I've personally kept wild caught cardinal tetras for many years, I seriously doubt water hardness had anything to do with the health issues...

Firstly, the API test for water hardness is not reliable. I had results similar to yours, but when I used a digital TDS meter the hardness reading was 300 ppm. Secondly, I'm not aware of any species of tropical fish that would have a problem with your water, unless you want to breed. Some...

I was a bit surprised to find a notification of your response in my mailbox. I thought this thread was well and dead. While the information you have provided is largely accurate, I've been well aware of the issues you mention for a long time. If you are interested, probably the best single...

That's one of several unsubstantiated hypotheses. On a related note, the disease is often reported as occurring in established, bare bottom tanks with daily water changes. Somewhat ironically, some have concluded it was caused by the frequent water changes.

I recently purchased a group of 5 yellow discus. Unfortunately, 2 of them died from what is sometimes called "whirling disease" or "mad discus disease". The actual cause of this disease is unknown, though there are lots of unsubstantiated theories. I personally believe it's a nervous disorder of...

I'm late to the party, so I hope at least a few of the people posting to this thread are still following. I personally believe all living things possess intelligence. I've collected a few links below illustrating that belief. Bumblebees Fish Birds Dogs Whales

I know you weren't being literal, and I assume you know this, but there is no perfect QT. Fish that appear perfectly healthy can be carriers of parasites, bacteria, or viruses which they are immune to but others are not. You only discover this after adding them to an existing aquarium with other...

I was happy to read this. Most sources will tell you 55 gallons is the minimum and 10 gallons per fish. I disagree. Personally, I consider a 75 gallon tank and 15 gallons per fish the bare minimum. I once kept discus in a 55 (four adults) many years ago and told myself never again. There's a...

I'm posting this here, because although the focus is on discus, it contains useful information for all fish keepers. Following are some basic facts about discus that any prospective, or current, discus keeper should know. I want to emphasize the items listed below are facts, not opinions: 1)...

That level is nothing to worry about. Follow the advice given by Fishfunn.

Chuck out all the media and replace it with pot scrubbers.

I am an advocate of undergravel filters. I equipped my first aquarium, more than 30 years ago, with a UGF. Initially I was attracted by the price, but over time I learned to appreciate their reliability and efficiency. Recently, I lost all my discus due to a massive microbial bloom that...

One of my discus really likes black algae. I've had discus before that liked to nibble on it between meals, but this one will interrupt a regular feeding to go nibble on some black algae instead. Even more amazing is the fact that there isn't much algae to begin with and it's growing on some...

Juvenile discus at feeding time.

A 40 liter tank should be considered fish abuse for even the smallest tetra species.

Seriously? The only thing a 55 liter tank is suitable for is a single betta, or a few small aquatic plants and some snails or dwarf shrimp, if that's what you're into.

Not to mention the occasional sociopath. I've had to remove overly aggressive discus.

You just need to be sure you're not inhibiting water flow through the filters. You might want to consider doing a matten filter.

I had an irresolvable problem with my previous aquarium due to untreated source water (third world nation). Recently, ee were able to switch over to a new, treated water source. I decided it was time to sterilize my aquarium and start over. Here's a photo of the newest inhabitants, some yellow...

In truth, filtration is something of a mystery even among water experts. Sponge filters are exellent, albeit ugly. You just need to make sure you an adequate amount of filter media. For a 75 gallon tank you'd need something like this...

Just place some egg crate under the rocks and the rocks will not be an issue. Fish couldn't care less about your decorations, so long as the cave dwellers have a place to go to. Forget the HOB. Go with canister filters (filled with foam or K1), a sump, or UGF. I personally prefer the latter.

And there's the rub. Juvenile discus do best at @86, which is simply a fact. Find me a breeder who says otherwise. And most plants simply can't handle the temps. Those that do, live but do not thrive. I'm not saying any more on the topic because it's clear you have an agenda. You ignore the...

Three Indisputable Facts Fact #1 Aquatic ecosystems are extremely complex environments consisting of thousands of interrelated species of microorganisms. In truth, very little about these relationships is known and even less is understood. Even the most basic process essential to fish keeping...

Assuming he can maintain water quality and keep his plants healthy enough without the use of ferts. Therein lies the issue. Plants don't grow in discus habitat. Number one, the water is generally too warm. Number two, there is not enough light. The only plants you see in discus habitat are...

^^^This. Sponge/foam filters are simply better (more efficient not to mention cheaper) than any other filter material available. The distinction between mechanical and biological filtration is arbitrary and misleading, they do both.

I thought I'd post a photo of one of my angels. My best guess is that it's about 3 months old.

Only when they are young. Adults are just as easy to keep as any other tropical fish, though they do need warmer water. If you're worried about your electric bill, stick with colder water species. This is not hogwash. I don't know of any plants that do well in water that's 30C. I've grown...

This is false. Discus can easily handle 32C if necessary, though I doubt it's actually helpful if they're sick. If they're sick, you have other issues.

By the time you notice it'll be too late. For best results you need to keep the water temperature above 28C, 30C is better. Many discus keepers will grow out juveniles at 32C, but that's not really necessary. You'll need to feed them at least 4 times daily a good quality, high protein food...

Those are very young juveniles. Generally, the younger they are the larger the group they should be kept in. You are likely to experience behavioral issues, though predicting discus behavior is a bit like predicting the weather. The other issues are that plants and discus don't do well together...

So far, the angels have been a welcome addition to the community. No problem at all with the other fish. I was surprised to find they are fin nippers. Mostly, they just bother each other, but they do occasionally nip at the discus. Not enough to be an issue. One of the angels was sensitive to...

This is nonsense. Keep the angels and geos, add some tetras if you're so inclined. Personally, I wouldn't keep rainbow fish with angels, but it's not because they require different water parameters.