Can I Keep Discus?

[paulf]

Lets say i keep 4-5 discus in my 180l tank with my ten cardinal tetras, is this enough space???

Nope, tanks not big enough

 

[LisaLQ]

Lisa, your just the argumentative type that thinks she knows everything. Have you even kept Discus? If not then i suggest you go to another thread because your just making a fool of yourself. If you claim to know this much about Discus then why do you mention they eat plants? That is just some jibberish rubbish you have read somewhere. To call me irresponsible on the pm because i keep Discus in a 40g tank is just plain ignorance. Surely an adult of your age would be able to give encouragement to hobbyists a lot younger than you.

Godfather, your tank is fine for Discus as long as you go bare bottom. This way its easier to clean. If using a substrate or a planted tank then i would only put Discus of at least 4" in your tank otherwise they will become stunted. As long as you do water changes at least every other day then your Discus will thrive.

PD - I care about fish. I read a lot about fish. I've researched keeping discus for my 7ft tank, and read many many many threads recently about tank size and discus, where much more experienced people have replied.

If caring about overcrowding makes me seem argumentative, that's your problem not mine. I certainly wouldn't sugar coat anything to keep you happy - evidently you have some reservations about how you care for your fish or else you wouldn't be so defensive.

I will encourage people to keep fish, I've said you could keep a pair in there. But there is no way it is physically possible to cram 7 adult discus, 4 angels and a black ghost knife fish in a bloody 180l tank. And if someone did - that would be irresponsible.

Even 6 is pushing it. Just because you think it's ok to overcrowd doesn't mean everyone has to agree with you - it's only your opinion. Mine is different, backed by many (especially on the cichlid forum where you'll find this thread should have been posted - and had it been posted there I'm damn sure I wouldn't be the only one promoting responsible fish keeping). But I have every right to share it on a public forum. I'm not harrassing anyone, I'm merely replying when people ask me something.

If you continue to harrass both on here and pm I will be forced to report you to the mods. You're bashing the wrong person - I care about fish, not making fluffy threads about how everything's great and fab and cool.

Someone asked whether they could fit that many fish in a fish tank. I said no. Tell me where that's harrassment? I certainly didn't pm anyone attempting a board war - I just told it how it is. What's wrong with that?

As for the repeated pms asking "Lisa do you own any discus" - I've said on here, and in replies - that I dont. Doesn't mean I dont know anything about them, and the insinuation that my point is somehow invalid because of that is utter rubbish.

Now last time I checked this was an open discussion forum. If someone asks something, they're going to get many different views. Mine was one of them. Now kindly shut your trap and stop bashing me and harrassing me via pm for having a perfectly reasonable view.

 

[paulf]

Lisa, your just the argumentative type that thinks she knows everything. Have you even kept Discus? If not then i suggest you go to another thread because your just making a fool of yourself. If you claim to know this much about Discus then why do you mention they eat plants? That is just some jibberish rubbish you have read somewhere. To call me irresponsible on the pm because i keep Discus in a 40g tank is just plain ignorance. Surely an adult of your age would be able to give encouragement to hobbyists a lot younger than you.

Godfather, your tank is fine for Discus as long as you go bare bottom. This way its easier to clean. If using a substrate or a planted tank then i would only put Discus of at least 4" in your tank otherwise they will become stunted. As long as you do water changes at least every other day then your Discus will thrive.

I know what I am on about as I have discus and am also on the committe for the UKDA - so with a bit of luck I know what I am about anyway
40 Gallons is far too small a tank for discus in a community tank, Lisa is right, stop giving her a hard time, keeping them in a 40 Gall tank IS also irresponsible... unless they are a spawning pair and you know what you are doing....

Just my 2ps worth

 

[KimA]

I did post this question on the New World Cichlid forum yesterday morning (particularly as this post wasn't mine to start with, and thought it was more appropriate there ..... http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=178552

 

[PrettyDiscus]

Paul 40 gallons is fine for Discus. If you think it isn't why have so many people sucessfully raised adult Discus in a tank of this size. Im not giving anyone a hard time. She just comes across as rude and ignorant. My Discus are growing like weeds in my tank so why should i worry about you telling me my tank is too small? If they were uhealthy or diseased then i would be concerned but they are thriving and that is all that matters.

 

[paulf]

Paul 40 gallons is fine for Discus. If you think it isn't why have so many people sucessfully raised adult Discus in a tank of this size. Im not giving anyone a hard time. She just comes across as rude and ignorant. My Discus are growing like weeds in my tank so why should i worry about you telling me my tank is too small? If they were uhealthy or diseased then i would be concerned but they are thriving and that is all that matters.

No it is not, you cannot keep a group of fish that will grow to up to 8" long each in a community tank.
She is not being rude and ignorant, shes like me, trying to respond to people giving out the wrong information and getting no where because people refuse to admit they are wrong.
If I am wrong, then so are Tropica and somehow I doubt that they are....... unless you would like to say they dont know what they are on about???

 

[crazie.eddie]

The people are missing out on the size. I'm repeating my previous statement...

A 180 liter tank IS too small for a group of adult or sub-adult discus. It is fine for growing out juvenile discus, but you will need to move them to a larger tank once they get bigger. Unfortunately, if you want to grow out juvenile discus in a 180 liter tank, it's best to keep it as a BB tank, since it's easier to clean any uneaten food and fish waste. Then move them out to a larger tank once they grow out. The only adult discus you can keep in a 180 liter tank would be a confirmed breeding pair. This is a confirmed breeding pair not just a male and female you put in the same tank that you hope they would spawn

Unfortunately, LisaLQ did give some misinformation as well. Many discus keepers/breeders, which includes myself, have planted tanks with discus and never have any problems. I belong to a couple of discus forums (one with mostly US members, another with mostly EU members) where nobody has reported issues of discus eating plants. I have seen photos of BEAUTIFUL planted tanks with discus and none of those tanks looks as though they have been eaten. So I'm not sure what discus keepers are giving this misinformation.

The same goes for angels not being kept with angels. I also keep angels with discus, along with several other discus keepers and breeders, which includes those who also belong to the discus forums I belong to. The only issues I know of is the angels are more aggressive eaters than discus, which the only recommendation I have is finding discus that are just as aggressive eaters as angels.

 

[PrettyDiscus]

Paul, your just reading one site and then saying thats how it is. Different sites will give different opinions on tank size and everything else. It doesn't mean to say either of them are right. Discus usually get to 6" they rarely reach 8". Maybe if they were like 8 years old they would reach 8".
Many breeders have told me my tank size is fine as long as i keep up with daily water changes. That is all that matters. The health of the fish.

 

[LisaLQ]

Unfortunately, LisaLQ did give some misinformation as well. Many discus keepers/breeders, which includes myself, have planted tanks with discus and never have any problems. I belong to a a couple of discus forums (one with mostly US members, another with mostly EU members) where nobody has reported issues of discus eating plants. I have seen photos of BEATIFUL planted tanks with discus and none of those tanks looks as though they have been eaten. So I'm not sure what discus keepers are giving this misinformation.

The same goes for angels not being kept with angels. I also keep angels with discus, along with several other discus keepers and breeders, which includes those who also belong to the discus forums I belong to. The only issues I know of is the angels are more aggressive eaters than discus, which the only recommendation I have is finding discus that are just as aggressive eaters as angels.

I will take back the planted part - I was going on info passed on to me when I was considering getting discus and planting up my new tank. I can only go on what I was told, and if it's wrong - I apologise on that part.

As for the angels and discus, I did say "some people" are of the opinion they shouldn't mix. I didn't say it couldn't be done - but explained why people warn against it - which is the disease/parasitic problems.

My main point was regards the overcrowding - I dont think it's wise to take advice on stocking from someone who keeps 7 discus, 4 angels, a butterfly fish, a BGK and other fish in a 180l tank.

As for being rude or ignorant, I at least haven't had to resort to name calling or snobbish remarks about not being allowed to comment as I have no direct experience. I was sharing info commonly known. Simple as that.

Breeders can get away with smaller set ups - they keep bare bottomed tanks and have multiple spares should anything go wrong (either temperament issues, or water quality issues). Beginners should be warned against following suit as the amount of maintenance, supervision and experience that go into those tanks are not within the reach of most beginners. While some folks may be able to stretch to six discus in a tank technically big enough for only four at a push, that should not be promoted as the norm.

I am now bowing out of this - I've been told my opinion isn't worth anything, and TBH have better things to do with my time than argue with someone over how they read my messages. I will reiterate - I haven't called anyone ignorant, stupid, or told them not to keep discus. I merely quoted the normal stocking range quoted on here by many other people who do own discus. Many say 15-20g per fish, so me saying 10g was being quite tactful I think.

Good luck to the OP.

 

[Tolak]

While you folks are busy slapping each other around over the stocking rate you didn't think to ask how deep this 180l tank is. I'm seeing a 40 gallon that is 13" deep, totally unsuitable for discus. I'm also seeing a 45 gallon that is 23" deep. How deep is a 180l tank? How can you recommend stocking for a tank that you don't know the actual size of?

Anyone who has been keeping discus is probably a more advanced aquarist. Being more advanced you should realize that what works for one person may or may not work for another. Someone starting with a certain fish should understock if they are not familiar with their needs. I would certainly apply this to a more sensitive fish such as discus. You shouldn't try to stock like an experienced breeder unless you are an experienced breeder. I never suggest my personal angel stocking rate to anyone except another experienced breeder, someone starting with discus shouldn't try to stock discus like a breeder.

Since other's opinions on this have been discounted because they don't have discus you could throw mine out the window, except I have kept discus on & off. I have 7 in a 55 gallon that is 22" tall. These are 2" fish that are getting acclimated, and are earmarked to be sold little by little. There is no way that I would stock discus like a breeder, I'm not a discus breeder. There is no way 7 fish are going to stay in a 55 to adulthood. If I get a pair it's something new to try to breed. I may keep two, I think a 55 is a nice home for a pair. I wouldn't try this in a 40 gallon, they aren't angels, I'm a newbie to discus. I'm sure a discus breeder wouldn't think twice of doubling the stocking rate I have, and they should, being more knowlegeable.


Err on the side of caution & understock until you gain more experience. If folks are saying the tank is unsuitable, don't try it. Get a larger tank if you want to try discus, get some experience, then try a smaller tank.

 

[Gankutsuou]

yesh, I was about to joins this slapfest too.

But as tolak says, dimensions are very importanate!

We need to now how tall, as with angels, the highth could be the decider. Also, it's more costly, but buying an adult breeder pair may work better than a group...

 

[TheGodfather]

yesh, I was about to joins this slapfest too.

But as tolak says, dimensions are very importanate!

We need to now how tall, as with angels, the highth could be the decider. Also, it's more costly, but buying an adult breeder pair may work better than a group...

I have the rio 180, dimensions=101 x 41 x 50cm. With these dimensions can i keep 4-5 with 10x cardinal tetras??

Ollie

 

[PrettyDiscus]

yesh, I was about to joins this slapfest too.

But as tolak says, dimensions are very importanate!

We need to now how tall, as with angels, the highth could be the decider. Also, it's more costly, but buying an adult breeder pair may work better than a group...

I have the rio 180, dimensions=101 x 41 x 50cm. With these dimensions can i keep 4-5 with 10x cardinal tetras??

Ollie

Yes you can. If you are willing to do water changes at least every other day.

 

[KathyM]

Not big enough, sorry (edited to add: others have worded why far better than I could, so I won't waffle on).

It's interesting reading checking back old posts by PrettyDiscus. He asked on 15th December the exact same question and was told no.

 

[gsta13]

Not big enough, sorry (edited to add: others have worded why far better than I could, so I won't waffle on).

It's interesting reading checking back old posts by PrettyDiscus. He asked on 15th December the exact same question and was told no.

lol, im out of this one too. GL everyone.
Greg