Can these fish really live with Discus?

[quinnARIUM]

Hi everyone!

I currently have 10 lemon tetras in a 20 gal quarantine tank (they will be moved into the 75 gal shortly). I purchased these fish for my 75 gal discus tank. I don't have it set up quite yet and won't be getting the discus for a few months, but I wanted to verify these tetras could live with discus.

While I know most tetras are peaceful I couldn't help but notice the ferocity they exhibited during feeding time. They speed around the tank not caring if they are nipping food or each other and the food is gone in literally 3 seconds . They also killed three shrimp that I had in the tank...

Anyways I would be surprised if they bothered the discus, but I am concerned about feeding time. I know that discus are very slow feeders and I fear the lemon tetras might gobble up any food I try to feed the discus or other slow-moving fish I plan on purchasing. Do you guys think I can keep these fish together? Is there anything I can do to help the problem? I don't really have another tank for them so I would really like to try to make this work. By the way, I also was planning on getting about 15 rummy noses but I don't think they will be as aggressive.

 

[itiwhetu]

Feed the tetras at one end of the tank and the discus at the other. They should be fine together.

 

[itiwhetu]

Rummy noses and cardinals are always good mates for Discus

 

[Byron]

My concern here (with the Lemon Tetra, Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) would be the activity level not just at feeding but fairly consistently. This is a beauty, and it needs a good-sized group as it has some interesting interactive behaviours the more there are. But discus might not appreciate their boisterousness. At least my tank of Lemons was active. There is also of course the higher temperature discus require; this might be pushing the Lemons. @itiwhetu probably has this warmth in mind, as cardinals and rummynose are fine with this.

 

[itiwhetu]

I never really think of any other species of fish with Discus apart from rummies and cardinals. All things considered they are a perfect match

 

[quinnARIUM]

Ok, thanks for the advice guys! I will probably put the lemon tetras in the 75 gal once it is set up and see how they are doing by the time I get around to putting the discus in the tank.

 

[itiwhetu]

If your tank is heavily planted the lemons should hang in the plants, good point above about temperature tho, remember the Discus like it hot