You know I think all this hubub about Discus need exactly this water Ph and this water hardness and that exact thing is a little bogus. My LFS keeps their discus in city water. Yup city water, and if you looked at them you would think that they would be in RO/DI water. I'm not sure how many water changes a week they do on their discus tank but I'm willing to be 2 times a week would be the maximum. They are just as beautiful as any other discus. They act normal, look normal, eat normal, and over all are very very healthy fish. Now keep in mind that they did get a little lucky with the city water. Its a soft water but the Ph runs about 8.2 ish. For this reason I have been thinking about trying my hands at discus keeping once I can find a little larger tank. I understand that they probably wont breed without the correct water conditions but the LFS have had eggs before though no actual fry. Though the lady at the LFS has had a few of her customers come in and say that they have had fry from her discus, if thats in the city water or not I dont remember. But My whole point is that I don't really think that discus are these fish that absolutly need this or that. I think it can very some and still have happy and healthy fish.
Can I Keep Discus?
- Thread starter HHH
- Start date
ncguppy830
Male
Ok just remeber the LFS doesnt keep there fish forever, therefore otd be redudant to give the fish special needs.sputnick said:
Very true, but Discus are also one of the fish that stay the longest. I'd say she will sell a single shipment (6-10) of them every 3-4 months. But she has personally kept discus in those same conditions and had great success all the same.ncguppy830 said:
ncguppy830
Male
meh i still think in order for them to thrive they need specific water conditions
Agreed...kind of like gbr, shortened life spans in harder water. To answer the first question realistically I'd say definetly no...a pair in a heavily planted, well filtered, warm 55 gallon could fall ill very easily. Plus, as said if you're looking at the smaller ones (and cheaper) you'd have to do a ridculous amount of water changes. If you're crazy for discus and are prepared to take on the care then good luck, you'll find most of what you need to know on this forum and other sites.ncguppy830 said:
I believe topping up water is perhaps working now because you don't have so many fish. If you got quite a few Discuss then the waste would go up and you would definitely need to do water changes or nitrates would start to build up.
If water changes are already a concern, then in my opinion, Discuss are not for you.
If water changes are already a concern, then in my opinion, Discuss are not for you.
Electric Warrior
Fishaholic
Huh? I have an adult pair in a heavily planted, warm, well filtered 55G, and they are huge, perfectly healthy, and lay eggs every week. Where did you get that info from?Noahsfish said:
ncguppy830
Male
Huh? I have an adult pair in a heavily planted, warm, well filtered 55G, and they are huge, perfectly healthy, and lay eggs every week. Where did you get that info from?Electric Warrior said:
i think what Noah meant was that only experts should have dicus in smaller tanks, because begginers might mess it up in a smaller tank.
Huh? I have an adult pair in a heavily planted, warm, well filtered 55G, and they are huge, perfectly healthy, and lay eggs every week. Where did you get that info from?ncguppy830 said:
i think what Noah meant was that only experts should have dicus in smaller tanks, because begginers might mess it up in a smaller tank.
Yes, I wasn't implying that it's impossible or even difficult to do if you know what you're doing...just that it's not something to be taken lightly.
Regardless of the scientific benefits of water changes - I wouldn't want to sit in my own filth week in, week out. Does that mean you don't syphon either? Must be incredibly dirty and full of rancid guck at the bottom.
No nitrates.. Has the tank been set up long? I still don't see a low tech dealing with the nitrates to the extent it's at 0 constantly..
No nitrates.. Has the tank been set up long? I still don't see a low tech dealing with the nitrates to the extent it's at 0 constantly..
Sophie makes a fair point really in saying that I don't see how you can have 0 nitrates at all times.
Don't think even the most experienced keepers can have 0 nitrates constantly and the API liquid test for nitrate is sometimes not accurate or even difficult to be carried out properly.
Anyway, unless nitrate is over 40/80ppm then not too much to worry about IMO.
Its ammonia and nitrites i worry more about.
Ph and nitrate not so much as long as does not swing too much at any given point.
Don't think even the most experienced keepers can have 0 nitrates constantly and the API liquid test for nitrate is sometimes not accurate or even difficult to be carried out properly.
Anyway, unless nitrate is over 40/80ppm then not too much to worry about IMO.
Its ammonia and nitrites i worry more about.
Ph and nitrate not so much as long as does not swing too much at any given point.
I'd go have the water double/triple checked with a different kit at a LFS or something.
Mine read 0 Nitrates for ages, until I re-checked and actually had a reading of Nitrates, turned out the kit was faulty, or at least the Nitrate test.
It also can be temperamental when it comes to how much you shake the bottles, especially #2 bottle needs shaking like your life depends on it.
Discus are sensitive to Nitrates hence the need for lots of water changes to keep the Nitrates at a minimum.
Mine read 0 Nitrates for ages, until I re-checked and actually had a reading of Nitrates, turned out the kit was faulty, or at least the Nitrate test.
It also can be temperamental when it comes to how much you shake the bottles, especially #2 bottle needs shaking like your life depends on it.
Discus are sensitive to Nitrates hence the need for lots of water changes to keep the Nitrates at a minimum.
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