How Come Nobody Has Discus?

[part-timer]

Discus aren't called kings of the aquarium for the hell of it. They are one of the most beautiful, graceful and placid fish (outside of spawning) that an aquarium can hold. They also have great personalities - happily coming to the waters edge to take flake from your fingers following you around the tank.

Most of the things that have been said aren't really relevant in this day and age - a decade or so ago when it was mostly wild rather than tank bred specimins available then the concerns were valid. They can now be kept in a well looked after community setup without need for reverse osmosis and specific water conditions etc and apart from slightly more regular water changes they are actually a relatively easy fish to keep, though a bit more work is required for breeding.

I've kept discus for 20 years and if you find a decent local breeder, they aren't even that expensive. Give them a go, you'll never look back.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

True Reverse Osmosis is uneccessary, even to breed them. !50 ppms of harness are ok for breeding even. They do need acidic preferably, but can live happily around 7.0. The greater majority of discus are man made, the ones with stripes are the likely wild caught specimens that need the old water perameters. Discus are easier to keep than they used to be thats for sure.

 

[freerunner416]

I'm DYING to get discus.. Just can't fit a tank big enough into my house. Going up from a 20G to a 36G cube hopefully! They are really graceful and seem to have a mind of there own!!!! Would love to get a bigger tank.

 

[Robris]

My house in Sydney has tap water with 0 nitrates and a kH water hardness of 3. That is good for discus? what kH should they be at?

The only problem I have is that my tap water pH is at 7.2, I wouldnt mind keep discus in about 6.4. If I buy pH Down and add that in my water buckets when doing water changes will it instantly drop to lower or does it take time?

 

[benjo]

i have a full dicus set up 6 discus at the moment with corys and plecs and a couple of little fish for some colour

ill proberly have around 10 ten by the end of this year

 

[benjo]

Because discus are naff fish that can't tollerate anything... If they can't adjust to me then tough luck. And they look silly too.

ONE WORD MUPPET!!!!!

ONCE MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND THE DISCUS HAVE MATURED (I.E MARKINGS) START TO BECOME STONGER THEY CAN REALLY ONLY BE MATCHED BY MARINE FOR THE COLOUR OF THEM

 

[NonstickRon]

Because discus are naff fish that can't tollerate anything... If they can't adjust to me then tough luck. And they look silly too.

ONE WORD MUPPET!!!!!

ONCE MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND THE DISCUS HAVE MATURED (I.E MARKINGS) START TO BECOME STONGER THEY CAN REALLY ONLY BE MATCHED BY MARINE FOR THE COLOUR OF THEM

I kinda agree that they're silly looking. The colors are very pretty, a little too pretty for my macho self, hehe. The thing that bothers me most about them is their little kissy faces. They look too 'girly' for me.

 

[K-Holed]

My house in Sydney has tap water with 0 nitrates and a kH water hardness of 3. That is good for discus? what kH should they be at?

The only problem I have is that my tap water pH is at 7.2, I wouldnt mind keep discus in about 6.4. If I buy pH Down and add that in my water buckets when doing water changes will it instantly drop to lower or does it take time?

I'm not personally a big fan of pH down. Unless you take measures to ensure the pH remains at that within the tank, you're just asking for pH swings. I'd be much more inclined to use more natural and permanent methods of lowering pH.

 

[petertr]

My house in Sydney has tap water with 0 nitrates and a kH water hardness of 3. That is good for discus? what kH should they be at?

The only problem I have is that my tap water pH is at 7.2, I wouldnt mind keep discus in about 6.4. If I buy pH Down and add that in my water buckets when doing water changes will it instantly drop to lower or does it take time?

You will have no problem at all with that water. My water is pH 7.8 at the moment, and they are fine!

Although I am adding a bag of peat tonight to lower it a little

 

[shibby]

i have discus beautiful manly fish ! more charecter then teras discus reconise and seem to respond my tetras just shoal and run.

i picked discus after my marine tanks had cost too much for my liking, and i must say im liking my planted discus tank alot more then my marine one.

 

[mike os]

.... well I have a couple of dozen at the mo....I'm down a lot as time is short at the mo.

usually have 40-50 and a couple of hundred juveniles