Stocking guide

[Unknownfuture]

Hi, Stocking guide for a 940 litre system ??

Tons of different guides. Was thinking of 8 discus, 4 zebra pleco and 10 neon tetras. Your knowledge is appreciated

 

[Colin_T]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Has the tank been cycled yet to let the filter develop the beneficial bacteria needed to keep the water clean?

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Neons don't live very long in warm water that discus require. Cardinal tetras do better in warm water.

If you buy discus, get fish that are 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Don't get smaller fish because the little 1 to 2 inch fish struggle due to the stress of being shipped and quarantined and moved to shops. And big fish 5 inches plus are usually mature and regularly fight with other fish or bully the smaller ones.

When you get the discus, buy them all at the same time and introduce them together so none establish a territory and attack new fish that are introduced afterwards.

You should also treat all the new fish for intestinal worms and it's a good idea to quarantine all fish for a month before adding them to an established tank.

 

[HoldenOn]

Zebra Pleco need super high flow. Discus don't. Plus they are like 200+ usd.

 

[itiwhetu]

Why only 10 neons, that bit doesn't make sense

 

[Guyb93]

If you plan on keeping discus you might want to look into water temperatures, I have no experience in discus but I think they like a high temp 82-87f and neon tetra would not do great in that temp , I’m no expert though and I hear pleco and discus are not a great mix as plecos can suck the slime coating off them

 

[Unknownfuture]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Has the tank been cycled yet to let the filter develop the beneficial bacteria needed to keep the water clean?

---------------------------
Neons don't live very long in warm water that discus require. Cardinal tetras do better in warm water.

If you buy discus, get fish that are 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Don't get smaller fish because the little 1 to 2 inch fish struggle due to the stress of being shipped and quarantined and moved to shops. And big fish 5 inches plus are usually mature and regularly fight with other fish or bully the smaller ones.

When you get the discus, buy them all at the same time and introduce them together so none establish a territory and attack new fish that are introduced afterwards.

You should also treat all the new fish for intestinal worms and it's a good idea to quarantine all fish for a month before adding them to an established tank.

thanks for your feedback. The tank has only started cycling. I have put old filter media in their to help the process along. I knew of someone years ago who kept Plecos and discus without an issue although I have heard the slimecoat sucking before. The tank is 200cm L by 60cm W by 80cm H
I haven’t decided on the amount of tetras but I’ve kept them in the past at them temperatures. All fish will be quarantined as usual and treated. Water conditions luckily in my area are favourable for discus so I don’t have to mess around with RODI water.
The discus I know need near perfect conditions so I might even forget about the tetras. Decisions decisions. That amount of stock shouldn’t be overkill in that tank ? With the discus needs in mind ?

 

[Colin_T]

8 discus should be fine in that tank until they start breeding. Then depending on the pairs, you might have to move some of the fish out. If you have a pair that only takes a quarter of the tank, that is fine, but some prs take over the entire tank and kick hell out of all the other discus. You will have to watch them and see how they do when they start breeding.

I can't comment on the catfish because I don't know what species they are. However, suckermouth catfish do produce a lot of waste and this isn't something you want in a discus tank. Small algae eaters like whiptail (Loricaria) and twig (Farlowella) catfish would work and produce significantly less waste than bigger suckermouth catfish.

 

[Unknownfuture]

8 discus should be fine in that tank until they start breeding. Then depending on the pairs, you might have to move some of the fish out. If you have a pair that only takes a quarter of the tank, that is fine, but some prs take over the entire tank and kick hell out of all the other discus. You will have to watch them and see how they do when they start breeding.

I can't comment on the catfish because I don't know what species they are. However, suckermouth catfish do produce a lot of waste and this isn't something you want in a discus tank. Small algae eaters like whiptail (Loricaria) and twig (Farlowella) catfish would work and produce significantly less waste than bigger suckermouth catfish.

The zebras to my knowledge only grow to a few inches. I have no issues in keeping up a strict water change schedule. I note your point of the behaviour during breeding. I had this issue with angel fish over night they killed half a dozen fish. I never saw the eggs so couldn’t act soon enough.