New Setup!

[joeyh51]

Hey all,

So I'm thinking of starting fresh with a new set-up after loosing a few of my fish to disease from a bad batch from a LFS. And I'm just looking for some ideas really, Obviously it's going to be a cichlid set-up as I'm posting in here, but not entirely sure what yet.
I'd like a couple of big ones, colourful but without lumphead as I'm not really a fan. I was wondering about a discus set-up, but heard they're pretty high maintenance, I wouldn't mind giving it a go, I'm just a little worried of messing it up and wasting a load of money. I live in Sheffield so the water is already fairly soft with good pH levels for discus so its tempting. Could anyone shed some light on keeping discus, what its like, water changes etc etc?

The tank I've got is a Vision 260 with an Eheim Pro3 2075 and a Fluval 305, so good filtration, with Seachem Purigen in the fluval which I've heard is good for keeping the water pristine.

Basically any advise or ideas would be more than welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Westwood]

Pair of firemouths? Convicts? With some ditherers and plecs?

 

[joeyh51]

Yeah I've thought of firemouths but I'd kinda like something a bit bigger. And I'm not a massive fan of convicts, not entirely sure why, they're just not my favourite.
Planning on getting a plec though, I can't own a tank without a good old suckerfish in there!!

 

[Westwood]

You could keep a a pair of firemouth, and a pair of severum, i have kept them together, and had no issues. Sucker fish are ace, got my breeding pair of bristle nose, there brilliant!

 

[mattlee]

if discus is your aim then go for it. there are alot of myths surrounding these fish and their care that are just not true....... i and many others on this forum have kept discus successfully in normal tap water with 1 water change a week of about 50%. my pH is about 7.6-7.8 and medium/hard so according to the myths totally unsuitable for discus, i had no issues at all with my fish!!!!
wharf aquatics have some stunning and big wild caught discus in at the minute that are reasonably well priced. they keep them in straight tap water and have had no trouble with them and they eat like little pigs. people dont seem to go there for discus so its not the best for variety but these wilds are about 6 inch and nice browns etc in colour. if i remember right they are £70 each but im sure you will get a deal on a group as they have had them a while now.

i sold mine as i got bored with them. they look nice but dont really do much...

 

[Verminator89]

Firemouths can hit 8", so i'd love to know what bigger fish you'd like in a 260 Obviously more commonly firemouths get to 6".

Shoals of natural angels look very impressive. A group of 4-5 natural coloured angels would look spectacular in a tank this size, especially as its a vision 260. Scaped well it could look awesome.

If discus are your temptation though i'd say give it a go. You won't know unless you try and it could end up being the best decision you ever make...

 

[joeyh51]

Yeah like I said I am very tempted with discus, I'd prob get about 4-5 and then a load of neon tetra's, with a good looking plec I think it could be an awesome set-up.

It just hurts parting with upwards of £200 for 4 odd fish

 

[joeyh51]

Ok, so think I've decided on trying out a discus set-up. Now I just have to think of stocking it, I read somewhere that its roughly 50 litres per discus, so with my 260 litre I could get about 5? Then a plec of some sort, and a load of tetra's. I'm still wondering about which type of tetra to go for, but theres another thread about discus tankmates so I'm keeping an eye on that.

Considering tank decorations/plants, I've got a massive piece of bogwood, and a few other pieces as well, with a load of rock that I was going to make a feature out of. The bogwood I have tans the water like nothing I've ever seen before, I'm assuming this won't be a problem, and will probably benefit them like most other fish? Then I'll need some nice tall plants as well?

 

[mattlee]

cardinal tetras and rummynose tetras look great in a big group and can stand the higher temps that discus require. with regards to a plec i would get one that gets no bigger than 5-6 inches and again that can handle the higher temps of 30 degrees. just remember that plecs are known poo machines even at a small size and can add quite a big load on a filter.

 

[joeyh51]

Yeah you have a point, but as I've got 2 external filters running, one big enough to handle a 600 litre tank, I didn't think that would really be a problem.
If I'm going to be getting about 5 discus, how many tetras would you suggest?

 

[mattlee]

i would go for a group of about 20 cardinals

if your near leicester at all i have 17 good sized cardinals i need rid of too

 

[joeyh51]

I'm up in sheffield so might take you up on that offer, need to get rid of another 4 rainbow and butterfly cichlids first though, or I have a feeling they could get eaten!

Planning on getting the discus from wharf, anyone been recently know if they've got some nice ones in stock?

 

[mattlee]

I'm up in sheffield so might take you up on that offer, need to get rid of another 4 rainbow and butterfly cichlids first though, or I have a feeling they could get eaten!

Planning on getting the discus from wharf, anyone been recently know if they've got some nice ones in stock?

i was at wharf a few weeks ago and they have some large wild caught discus in at the minute. they have been there for a while now and are doing fine in their tap water. as they are wild discus the immune system might be better than the bred for colour farm raised fish that lfs usually have in. a nice browny colouration and a group of 5 would look amazing. i bet you will get a deal on a group too as they have had them in for a while now

if you are interested in the cardinals then im looking for £25 for them all and could possibly meet at wharf as im due a trip there soon

 

[joeyh51]

Yeah sounds good, I'm thinking in a couple of weeks or so though, just had a bit of a disease crisis that wiped out a few fish in my tank so need to check everything's ok first before getting the discus in there. Plus don't want to be selling ill fish! Aaaaand I need to get myself mentally prepared to part with so much money for 5 fish!!!

I know one of the guys there likes making deals for stuff, I'll just try and grab him

 

[Carlovel1]

Yeah I've thought of firemouths but I'd kinda like something a bit bigger. And I'm not a massive fan of convicts, not entirely sure why, they're just not my favourite.
Planning on getting a plec though, I can't own a tank without a good old suckerfish in there!!

Festivum? Nicaragua Cichlid?