Discus

[Rafael Dilone]

Well I am planning to have a school of 6 Blue Discus along with many other fish in a 90 gallon tank. I have been researching alot on Discus in the last previous months. But I would appreciate if I can learn more on any advice on keeping discus.

 

[Sp00ky]

when you say "many other fish" how many and of what kind?

Also what size tank are you planning on using?

 

[SamUK]

Well I am planning to have a school of 6 Blue Discus along with many other fish in a 90 gallon tank. I have been researching alot on Discus in the last previous months. But I would appreciate if I can learn more on any advice on keeping discus.

 

[kev_kb]

Well the dimensions would be helpful but probably not a problem in a 90G!

It would be better if the original poster asked specific questions, there has been plenty posted on here about the basics of keeping Discus.

 

[ringham]

To start with, discus dont appreciate being kept with very fast moving fish. So if you were considering keeping discus with silver dollars, danios etc. then I don't think that the discus would appreciate it at all. Discus are liked mostly because they are beautiful and graceful fish, and not zipping around the tank.

Also (although I have not experianced this myself) I have heard that fish such as Angel fish and Corydoras fish carry a disease that doesn't affect themselves and most other fish are amune, ALTHOUGH it can be very harmful for the dicus. In general discus are prone to getting diseases, therefore very good filtration is a must. The best way to deal with disease is to prevent it completely.

Most people will tell you that you must do small and frequent water changes because ddiscus need perfect water (this is true) but if you have adiquet filtration you will only need to do a water change every 2 weeks.

Also discus prefer softer slightly acidic water. Some discus have been breed for generations in captivity and these are more foregiving. Even so, soft water (5-15 dGH) is prefered. A pH of 6.5 is about right with about +/- 1 pH. When keeping discus, maintaining the correct level or hardness can be just as impoirtant as maintaining the pH.

Dry food nowadays are stuffed with nutrients are will suffice for most of the discus's diet however a variation of blooworms, sinking pellets and discus mix (purchased from most lfs) will stimulate colouring and even breeding.

In the wild discus breed during the wet season so there is a better variation of food. Also a water change with a slight difference of hardness and pH may trigger spawning. There are many tricks these days and different ones work for different people.

You might want to consider buying a book, as I found that a book really helped me when I first started out.

I hope this helps

Reece

Also btw, don't try mail ordering your discus. I tried it recently and it just doesn't work

 

[paulf]

Also (although I have not experianced this myself) I have heard that fish such as Angel fish and Corydoras fish carry a disease that doesn't affect themselves and most other fish are amune, ALTHOUGH it can be very harmful for the dicus.

Whats this? have had discus for a while and thats new to me

Most people will tell you that you must do small and frequent water changes because ddiscus need perfect water (this is true) but if you have adiquet filtration you will only need to do a water change every 2 weeks.

I would't keep discus and do less than a 50% water change every week, they are very messy eaters and need very good water

Also discus prefer softer slightly acidic water. Some discus have been breed for generations in captivity and these are more foregiving. Even so, soft water (5-15 dGH) is prefered. A pH of 6.5 is about right with about +/- 1 pH. When keeping discus, maintaining the correct level or hardness can be just as impoirtant as maintaining the pH.

15dGh is not soft by any stretch of the imagination

In the wild discus breed during the wet season so there is a better variation of food. Also a water change with a slight difference of hardness and pH may trigger spawning. There are many tricks these days and different ones work for different people.

You might not want them to spawn, I have five 14cm red turqs, one 18cm brown and two smallish red marlboros and I get on average two spawings a week, trust me, spawning discus do not make for a happy tank its a nightmare with all the fighting

You might want to consider buying a book, as I found that a book really helped me when I first started out.

I would suggest googling for a specialist discus forum suck as the UKDA rather than buying a book. There are only two books worth buying on discus, the one I have is by Anthony Soh and costs around £40 and the other is about £70

Also btw, don't try mail ordering your discus. I tried it recently and it just doesn't work

Did for me depends where you get them from, mine came from Mark at Devotley Discus, 9am next day delivery and were fine, they were even spawning as he was catching them to bag them

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Well to make things easier I would like to tell you all the fishes that will be living with the 6 Discus. So heres the list 6 Royal Blue Discus, 12 Cardinal Tetra, 3 Zebra Pleco, 8 Praecox Rainbows, 2 Dwarf Gouramies, 1 Male Guppy, 4 Female Guppys, 2 Bluefin Notho(Killies). They will all be in the 90 Gallon tank. The demensions are 48x18x20. I will probalby be running a Eheim Proffesional II Filter(2126 Freshwater W/180 watt heater). Also will put an Aquastep Ultraviolet Sterilizer. This tank will be a planted aquarium and will be running Deluxe Fully-Automatic CO2 System. So do you think this setup is ok so far? This is just some of the main things I will need. I will be adding much more to the tank.

 

[kev_kb]

As you want a fully planted tank buy adult Discus only. Be prepared for them to eat the cardinals, though some people get away with it. The rainbows may be too active for them, and don't they like hard water? The guppies may be targeted as they are small, and you probably won't see any fry from them. Not sure about the killies though please check, some can be aggresive. The gouramies may also cause a problem as they can be fiesty. Finally, don't the zebras plecs need a fast water movement? If so they wouldn't be suitable either.

You will need to keep the tank/substrate very clean, having a fully tank makes this a lot harder but it can be done. Also check the CO2 system works correctly before adding the discus and ensure a steady ph, if it flucuates a lot the discus will not appreciate it at all. I don't think you need a sterilizer, but then I guess it wouldn't do any harm either.

If you mean you want to 'much more' fish to the tank later your better of posting your thoughts now I think.

 

[Sp00ky]

Also (although I have not experianced this myself) I have heard that fish such as Angel fish and Corydoras fish carry a disease that doesn't affect themselves and most other fish are amune, ALTHOUGH it can be very harmful for the dicus.

Whats this? have had discus for a while and thats new to me

im with you on that one mate. i have a shoal of bronzes in with mine for the past 9 months and never had a problem.

 

[Rafael Dilone]

As you want a fully planted tank buy adult Discus only. Be prepared for them to eat the cardinals, though some people get away with it. The rainbows may be too active for them, and don't they like hard water? The guppies may be targeted as they are small, and you probably won't see any fry from them. Not sure about the killies though please check, some can be aggresive. The gouramies may also cause a problem as they can be fiesty. Finally, don't the zebras plecs need a fast water movement? If so they wouldn't be suitable either.

You will need to keep the tank/substrate very clean, having a fully tank makes this a lot harder but it can be done. Also check the CO2 system works correctly before adding the discus and ensure a steady ph, if it flucuates a lot the discus will not appreciate it at all. I don't think you need a sterilizer, but then I guess it wouldn't do any harm either.

If you mean you want to 'much more' fish to the tank later your better of posting your thoughts now I think.

Well you dont have to have adult discus in the tank. I prefer them to buy them small and then watch them grow into adults. The zebra plecos will be fine with this tank. I have done research on every single fish that will be in this tank and everything is fine. All the fishes will get along. The discus wont eat the cardinals. Discus that do so do that only when the discus are unproperly feed and they turn to the cardinals for food and do everything possible to eat them. But a well feed discus would be fine. The Dwarf Gouramies are very peaceful. Also praecox rainbows would be fine in the type of water conditions. Even though they prefer hard water they are hardy fish that will be fine in soft water. I am planning to breed the guppys. I have always breed guppys. The Bluefin Notho will be fine as they are peaceful and will get along with all the other tank mates. About the CO2 system I will post a website showing everything it includes. It is a great CO2 system.
http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...3&N=2004+113779
Click on more inforamtion to learn everything you have to know about the CO2 system. I hope this explains everything I am planning.

 

[kev_kb]

If you want to buy baby discus then your better off buying a large group and raising them in a bare bottom tank, this way you will produce much higher quality discus. In a fully planted tank it would be very easy to stunt them. If you buy near adult fish you skip this stage and maintaining them in a planted tank becomes much easier.

I have known people whose Discus have eaten Cardinals and your comment about them only doing it when they are poorly fed is just plain wrong. As with all cichlids Discus have a personality, I would guess some will eat them and some wont.

I would also be concerned with the rainbows, they can very fast moving fish and this may bother your discus to the point where they wont eat. I wouldnt take the chance myself.

 

[Rafael Dilone]

If you want to buy baby discus then your better off buying a large group and raising them in a bare bottom tank, this way you will produce much higher quality discus. In a fully planted tank it would be very easy to stunt them. If you buy near adult fish you skip this stage and maintaining them in a planted tank becomes much easier.

I have known people whose Discus have eaten Cardinals and your comment about them only doing it when they are poorly fed is just plain wrong. As with all cichlids Discus have a personality, I would guess some will eat them and some wont.

I would also be concerned with the rainbows, they can very fast moving fish and this may bother your discus to the point where they wont eat. I wouldnt take the chance myself.

Well I am planning to buy them at around 4-6 inches so they are no longer considered babys. Since the rainbows are that much of a problem I will just not have them. But I am still going with the cardinals because all the people I know that have discus with cardinals are ok without the cardinals getting eaten. But if the discus eat any of the cardinals I would have to go along and not have cardinals.

Well after all the advice given to me by many people this is my new list of fish I will have. 6 Royal Blue Discus, 12 Cardinal Tetras, 3 Zebra Pleco, 5 German Blue Rams, 2 Dwarf Gouramies, 1 male guppy, 4 Female Guppys,

 

[ringham]

Also (although I have not experianced this myself) I have heard that fish such as Angel fish and Corydoras fish carry a disease that doesn't affect themselves and most other fish are amune, ALTHOUGH it can be very harmful for the dicus.

Whats this? have had discus for a while and thats new to me

Most people will tell you that you must do small and frequent water changes because ddiscus need perfect water (this is true) but if you have adiquet filtration you will only need to do a water change every 2 weeks.

I would't keep discus and do less than a 50% water change every week, they are very messy eaters and need very good water

Also discus prefer softer slightly acidic water. Some discus have been breed for generations in captivity and these are more foregiving. Even so, soft water (5-15 dGH) is prefered. A pH of 6.5 is about right with about +/- 1 pH. When keeping discus, maintaining the correct level or hardness can be just as impoirtant as maintaining the pH.

15dGh is not soft by any stretch of the imagination

In the wild discus breed during the wet season so there is a better variation of food. Also a water change with a slight difference of hardness and pH may trigger spawning. There are many tricks these days and different ones work for different people.

You might not want them to spawn, I have five 14cm red turqs, one 18cm brown and two smallish red marlboros and I get on average two spawings a week, trust me, spawning discus do not make for a happy tank its a nightmare with all the fighting

You might want to consider buying a book, as I found that a book really helped me when I first started out.

I would suggest googling for a specialist discus forum suck as the UKDA rather than buying a book. There are only two books worth buying on discus, the one I have is by Anthony Soh and costs around £40 and the other is about £70

Also btw, don't try mail ordering your discus. I tried it recently and it just doesn't work

Did for me depends where you get them from, mine came from Mark at Devotley Discus, 9am next day delivery and were fine, they were even spawning as he was catching them to bag them

Good for you.

I said about the disease because, although I have not experianced this only heard about it, so don't bother telling me that I am wrong or whatever, I was just passing on what I heard from another discus keeper.
I guess that everyone has their own techniques but my discus are fine.
Maybe not but i was giving a guideline (unwise to keep them in this high hardness).
If you don't want to spawn them then don't read that paragraph. And if you do then only keep a pair in one tank.




HAPPY NOW

 

[TwoTankAmin]

So heres the list 6 Royal Blue Discus, 12 Cardinal Tetra, 3 Zebra Pleco, 8 Praecox Rainbows, 2 Dwarf Gouramies, 1 Male Guppy, 4 Female Guppys, 2 Bluefin Notho(Killies).

-Cardinals will do fine with discus as long as they are too big to fit in the dicus' mouth.
-Zebra plecos are great with Discus as they need similar water conditions ( I keep them together).
-Praecox will really not be happy in the temps discus need. They are also an active fish another thing to avoid with discus.
-Dwarf gouramis are borderline as they tend to prefer water a bit cooler than discus.
-Guppys dont do well in softer water and while they prefer cooler temps than discus they can be kept that warm.
- Killies- it would never cross my mind to try keeping them with discus and most of the other fish in your list. Most killie keepers keep them in species tanks.

You can do corys, as long as they are ones that tolerate warm temps such as sterbai.

UV and high light, co2 added planted tanks dont work. The UV destroys some of the micronutrients the plants need to thrive.

Discus prefer lower light levels and your planned tank needs a lot of light. They also do not like current- many discus keepers use sponge filters.

Discus absolutely need clean warm water. Anybody who says different is uninformed and has probably never seen a healthy discus. Weekly water changes are simply not sufficient for good discus health. Moreover, regular vacs are also needed- usually with each water change. This is why many discus keepers keep them in a bare bottom tanks.

Discus are not agressive eaters, they are more of a grazing type fish in that they eat liesurely all day long. They do not compete well for food.

The warm temps discus need means some plants will not do well. Be sure to carefully research what you choose in that respect.

Considering that zebra plecos run $150 and up for even small ones and much more for adults, your tank should be set up for their needs as the 3 you want will cost you more than all the rest of the listed fish combined.

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Well thanks for all the advice everyone. It has really helped me out in making the final decisions on what fish I will be housing. After many things many of you guys pointed out I have to drop some fish on my list. But I will definitely have the following fish. 6 Royal Blue Discus, 12 Cardinal Tetra, 3 Zebra Pleco, 6 German Blue Rams. Also I have read that after discus pair of with another discus they will be in that pair for life. So does this mean they will always have to be in a breeding tank after they pair off? Also I will like you guys to recommend some fishes I can add to the fish I mention in red. But keep in mind that they will be no problems with the ones I mentioned. I would also like to add some shrimps to the tank. So do you know any that will be big enough not to get eaten and not to cause a problem with the fishes.