Jumbo Black Bar Discus At Lfs For Only $49.99!

[trojannemo]

i'm changing my tank around to house 1 discus as the show piece fish. i already removed all of my rambunctious fish and have added fish that I have seen work well with discus in many other tanks. got 2 angels, 4 rainbows, 3 flying foxes, 1 platy and 1 clown loach - these last two i know dont "go" in a discus tank but i'm very hesitant about letting them go as they are my oldest fish.
anywho, i'm changing the tank around, but haven't done so yet.

at this LFS they are selling all sorts of fish, from arowanas to baby flowerhorns ($120) and medium sized flowerhorns ($399!) and a 12"+ angel and other big fish like that. they also sell all sorts of discus, so i was looking around, not planning to buy yet but getting my bearings on pricing and colors and stuff. their "jumbo" sized discus was selling for $120. however, on top of that one, on his own little holding tank was a massive 8"+ black bar discus that had been traded in by a customer and it was being sold for only $49.99 i know the store and they're very reputable, and they told me explicitly they wouldn't sell it unless it was 100% healthy, but since they didnt have to pay much (if any?) money for the discus, they were selling it cheap like that.

i almost bought it on the spot but i'm concerned that he wouldn't make it.

my water is normally alkaline and hard, and in my preparation i'm adding a big mopani wood (already soaking) and peat to the filters to hopefully lower both the hardness and the pH...

so i want your confirmation that it's a bad idea to get this discus just because it's priced 1/3 to 1/4 regular price since he probably wouldn't do well or even survive in my tank at this point...

 

[Sheilaf]

1 Discus by itself is a bad idea. They are a schooling fish and are happier with their own kind. 1 by itself will be miserable. And yes, if you don't think the fish will survive in your tank, you shouldn't get it.

 

[vonnie06]

hi like said above 1 discus on its own is nt a good idea as they like shoaling what size tank have you got?the other thing i woulded be two worried about the price as some discus do go cheap but i will say look out for any deformaties and illness before you buy and sorry but im not sure if those fish are alright with discus

 

[kribensis12]

I wouldnt get it. You need around 5 dicus to keep them happy. Plus, they need a VERY mature tank, stable water parameters, high protein foods, good filtration ( not with a strong out put though), and non agressive tank mates. I wouildnt but the fish unles you are prepared to buy many more. What size tank is this?

 

[trojannemo]

the tank size is 38G...that is why i only wanted to get one discus. i'm still doing the setup, with or without the discus because i'm going all-out planted anyways.
it's funny 'cause i did a lot of reading on discus before posting here, so i'm pretty informed on what they need in terms of tank conditions, and i know i can provide it, just not now...but none of the articles i read mentioned the need for multiple discus

oh well, it was a good dream while it lasted! if and when i have the space for a bigger tank i'm going to do an all out discus/angel planted tank...and a separate flowerhorn tank
but i get no discus-fishie for me for now

thanks for the help though, i'd much rather not get the fish than get it and have it suffer or die

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

the tank size is 38G...that is why i only wanted to get one discus. i'm still doing the setup, with or without the discus because i'm going all-out planted anyways.
it's funny 'cause i did a lot of reading on discus before posting here, so i'm pretty informed on what they need in terms of tank conditions, and i know i can provide it, just not now...but none of the articles i read mentioned the need for multiple discus

oh well, it was a good dream while it lasted! if and when i have the space for a bigger tank i'm going to do an all out discus/angel planted tank...and a separate flowerhorn tank
but i get no discus-fishie for me for now

thanks for the help though, i'd much rather not get the fish than get it and have it suffer or die

Multiple Discus numbers is probably the most important part of keeping Discus. I am surprised you haven't heard of this before.


Clown loaches should be in bigger numbers, and housed in bigger tanks than a 38g.

If you want to mix both Discus and Angel I would recommend a bigger tank for them. I tried it and had to remove the Angel once it got big. I replaced it with a smaller one though.

 

[trojannemo]

Multiple Discus numbers is probably the most important part of keeping Discus. I am surprised you haven't heard of this before.


Clown loaches should be in bigger numbers, and housed in bigger tanks than a 38g.

If you want to mix both Discus and Angel I would recommend a bigger tank for them. I tried it and had to remove the Angel once it got big. I replaced it with a smaller one though.

unfortunately i dont have the finances nor the space to keep a bigger tank at the moment. so i have let go of the idea of keeping discus. when i get my own place i've already decided i want something like a 5-6 ft tank to plant and have with angels and discus. for now, i'll live only with my angels and rainbows.

with regards to the clown loach, i'm aware of that now...unfortunately when I bought him i had started in the hobby not too long before and i had no idea. i've had him now for 6 months and 2 days and he has done great. he's got great coloration, has grown nicely and has never gotten sick, not even with ick when the majority of the tank got it this far he has never been depressed or shy. he's very friendly and against to what i've read online, he is constantly swimming around. when and if he becomes unhappy in the tank i'll try to find him a bigger home, but he's one of my two oldest fish and i'm keeping him until i physically can't anymore...he's only about 3.5" now anyways, so for now the tank is big enough for him...

thanks for your help though guys, you helped me make the right decision and not get that discus on impulse