Discus are an endless money pit!

[Stan510]

I had a breeding pair in a 100 gallon with plants and multiple lights overhead. They grew up in that tank from 2" to 4"+ breeders...then after a few spawnings? They stopped eating,white feces and I gave up on them forever. That was my best effort since other Discus I had died in months or less.
In this aquarium? notice that they are the only two,and also the other fish are very few and small. Those Discus? Look on the thin side.
When you see what large Discus look like with thick bodys? You won't bet on those lasting another year. I hope they do as its pretty much as close to best case of Discus and plants and lots of light.

 

[Stan510]

If you go Discus,go for quiet,exclusive,and always topnotch water. Don't go for the fantasy that youtubers like "Mr.Fish" posts of adult Discus crammed into hundreds of gallons and intense lights. Those fish were put in that size I would bet you.
Notice that nobody has titled their vid "My Breeding 5 year old Discus in my community and plant tank"
It's like asking Arowana not to jump out of your open top Aquarium.

 

[OliveFish05]

Why do you think is the best tank size for discus

If you go Discus,go for quiet,exclusive,and always topnotch water. Don't go for the fantasy that youtubers like "Mr.Fish" posts of adult Discus crammed into hundreds of gallons and intense lights. Those fish were put in that size I would bet you.
Notice that nobody has titled their vid "My Breeding 5 year old Discus in my community and plant tank"
It's like asking Arowana not to jump out of your open top Aquarium.

 

[Stan510]

I think one pair are happy in 50 gallons. Think about it- at that size you have no excuse to not use a quality filter,bought or homemade. All you need is dim but quality lighting- to bring out the colors. The biggest happiest pairs I've seen were in those types of tanks. One did have a few cardinals. The other nothing but the breeding pair. If you can give them 100 gallons? Then you might get them to jumbo size. Sure,put in a nice chunky piece of wood..they can clean it and use it to even spawn on. Skip that Spiderwood and sharp ends.
Look at this tank..its held up as success! Well,I see that all the fish are thin,half look like they are not long for the world and to the most rank beginner- seeing two of the fish with closed fins is fatal behavior.
You want to see healthy Discus? Look at Whatleys Discus farm on youtube. They keep those fish like I say you should. Hey,if you want plants? put tall houseplants to each side of the aquarium,put maybe a hanging plant over the aquarium- with saucer to catch water. Boom!.Your Discus are back in the jungle and no polluted sands like you see here in the vid- see that blue green algae below the substrate? That ain't good for Discus.
Not to say..but,he guess's he's had those fish "About a year". Uhuh.

 

[Stan510]

This is a big problem- "experts" on youtube fawning over large Discus in whatever aquarium they like. No mention that the fish were bought large and then placed in the fantastical scaped aquarium.
You want Discus? Get out of the fantasy and get real. Invest in a UV filter,quality bio filter and mid 80's temperatures. I'm sure Discus are in the deepest hottest parts of the Amazon- 90f-110f temperatures are all year ..with that humidity of course.
The person in the video must have paid hundreds and hundreds or dollars or more for those fish and in a year none will be left.

 

[Rocky998]

This is a big problem- "experts" on youtube fawning over large Discus in whatever aquarium they like. No mention that the fish were bought large and then placed in the fantastical scaped aquarium.
You want Discus? Get out of the fantasy and get real. Invest in a UV filter,quality bio filter and mid 80's temperatures. I'm sure Discus are in the deepest hottest parts of the Amazon- 90f-110f temperatures are all year ..with that humidity of course.
The person in the video must have paid hundreds and hundreds or dollars or more for those fish and in a year none will be left.

I do believe people keep discus the wrong way but they don't "need" UV filters... No fish "needs" one... Sure it may make water cleaner but it may make it "too clean"

 

[Stan510]

For highest success? Go UV. They do not make water too clean. They kill harmful bacteria and also can kill newly hatched parasites. Long term success with Discus isnt "that guy has them and isnt using that". Let him do it the hard or even wrong way.

 

[Stan510]

Here wild Discus are kept with rare tetras in a scientific way. With UV filter, blue 3' canister if I'm not mistaken. THEN,you can use sand and NOTICE his sand is not too fine..Corys can root around in it and plants can grow in that size grains.

 

[Stan510]

Here's one more. She and the others point out that the faint gray bloom you in most all aquariums in from certain angles- like when you look up to an aquarium,is cleared by UV. She also says it will eliminate BGA. It wont kill the algae thats on the glass or rocks and plant- but the microscopic free floating BGA it will kill and so the more you remove from objects..you will win a war of attrition.
You might not need UV filter with Discus in a breeder aquarium..bare but for the fish,but if you want to add plants and sand? You want a UV filter. Btw, A UV light for a 50-100 gallon aquarium runs about $130. That's like the price of one large breeder Discus. Keeping 10?..UV !

 

[Stan510]

Here is one more for "Old Discus in breeder type aquariums". Notice that to keep his fish big and healthy- he has it all,R.O., Pool like sand filter,and I'm sure someplace a UV filter.
No plants,no soil no tankmates..and the Discus don't care. Breed away!
This is part 2 in part one he had what I knew he would have, a frontroom Discus aquarium of 240 gallons with plants,sand and tetras and Corys. Yet,when you listen,he's using breeder aquarium Discus cast-offs that were either not spawning or were in one case he admitted its stunted. Like I said..its take a breeder to supply a show tank. You are not a breeder. So keep it clean and simple for long term success.
You might go over this guys channel. Lots of interesting vids on breeding rare Pleco's and other rarities.

 

[Stan510]

If I had my old fish room setup? I would be very happy to keep a beautiful pair of Discus in a 55 gallon,no substrate but maybe dark slate or slate tiles. One cone shaped piece of chunky driftwood and a subdued purple gro type light. That's it. Put some houseplants around it and a nice dark background. What's wrong with that when you see the fish thrive in that bio habitat? Use your other aquarium to have big Altum Angels and tetras and loads of plants.

 

[OliveFish05]

So you are saying that Discus do better with no plants?

 

[Rocky998]

So you are saying that Discus do better with no plants?

I believe he is...

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

I do believe people keep discus the wrong way but they don't "need" UV filters... No fish "needs" one... Sure it may make water cleaner but it may make it "too clean"

I have a UV sterilizer on my 150 g. It is not super fancy or top of the line but I like it (Got it from Chewy a few years ago). This tank houses my 16 " Black ghost. I might baby him a bit but I would hate for him to get anything since he is so sensitive to a lot of medications. I also have one on a 55 g that I fought BGA with forever, couldn't clear it manually so I cheated

It does not disrupt your biofilter, if you went in and aggressively disrupted the surfaces which beneficial bacteria live, then it could harm good bacteria. Otherwise is only gets the stuff free floating in the water.

Edited to add: I bought the Corallife turbo twist 6x UV sterilizer in May 2020 for 140 USD. The corallife turbo twist 3x for 100 USD in August 2019. I run both of mine in line. And they have been great.

 

[Rocky998]

I have a UV sterilizer on my 150 g. It is not super fancy or top of the line but I like it (Got it from Chewy a few years ago). This tank houses my 16 " Black ghost. I might baby him a bit but I would hate for him to get anything since he is so sensitive to a lot of medications. I also have one on a 55 g that I fought BGA with forever, couldn't clear it manually so I cheated

It does not disrupt your biofilter, if you went in and aggressively disrupted the surfaces which beneficial bacteria live, then it could harm good bacteria. Otherwise is only gets the stuff free floating in the water.

Im not saying you cant have one but a fish species doesnt "need it"