Altums and discus together?

[Zante]

I'm thinking ahead at my next freshwater tank, since I'm dismantling everything due to a house move, and I can't get away from SA cichlids, and discus in particular. Since I'm thinking of having two large tanks instead of the many small ones I have now we're talking about 600+ litres.

With that much room I can have a large school of rummynoses and a large herd of corys to complement the larger discus, but, in that much room I'm thinking I could go for some variety too.

So, does anyone have experience in keeping discus and altum angels together?
If it makes any difference I'll be looking for captive bred altums.

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't have any direct experience, but most discus keepers won't have angels with their discus. Angels are that little bit more aggressive and tend to bully discus and stop them eating.

 

[Byron]

Agree with fluttermoth. Discus and angelfish should not be housed together. Now, I know many do, but that doesn't mean it is the best, and it is not. Jack Wattley who probably knows more about discus than anyone alive has frequently written that these two cichlids should not be housed in the same tank. There were several reasons, but the increased feeding aggressiveness of angelfish that fluttermoth mentioned was a key one.

 

[snowflake311]

It has been a long time since I posted on here.

I have kept both Discus and Now Angles only. I had my last and oldest Discus was 5 years when he passed. He lived with the angle fish for a year. With the Angles and it was fine. A lot a like in so many ways. In the wild discus and angles are often found living near and with each other.

With all Cichlids It comes down to personality. Some are just more aggressive by nature and others are more mellow. I have seen aggressive nasty discus and I have seen mean Angles. If I were you and had 2 tanks that were 150Gal because 600L is about 150Gal for us silly Americans. I would try mixing them but be ready to separate them if need be with 2 large thanks you can do that. Unless one tank is going to be for aggressive fish. The discus will set up their own pecking order the angles will set up theirs they often do not both each other and keep to their own kind. You need at least 4 or more of each. 3 is a bad number for cichlids.

 

[simonas]

My personal view is that your discus should be the main men in a discus set up and the ones that get most of the food. Angels are so greedy and boisterous that the discus will never flourish with them in there. I've tried it a few times but alway sold the angels on for the discus benefit

 

[Zante]

Don't worry, I've decided to only have discus in that tank.