Unsure Of Clichids

[tetraqueen]

Hav been reading posts etc and Frontosa get the size of a regular football? would that be American style like a small rugby ball?
Just trying to imagine how big they get.
Discus need soft water but I live in a chalky area so the water is not soft.

Is there a way round this?
When I get new tank it will need time to cycle but is it good to use my this ones filter media as it will be on until the new tank is switched over.

 

[vancouver]

Frontosa do get pretty large. An American football is probably about right.

Discus are very sensitive, and if you don't provide them the type of water they need they wont last long.

 

[tetraqueen]

Well we have hard water which is a fact there was a reply to me earlier and they said Discus were not too hard but then Neons are difficult and need soft water but mine have coped started the cycling and have been a treat to have.

 

[SamUK]

discus are alot harder to keep than neons.


and are the discus for a seperate tank to the frontosas? cos there not very compatible fish.

 

[mark7616]

You can buy an RO machine this will give you soft water.

 

[angelmouse]

What size tank will it be?
Angel

 

[zach537]

I have a Friend that has a 450 gallon tank he made his self. and has about 4 frontosa's in it, im not sure which kind. but he has them mixed with a vairety of cichlids, like peacocks, yellow labs and a variety of odd ball plecos. ansyways his frontosas are about 7-9 inches and havent grown much in the past year.

 

[cheesy feet]

If you buy tank bred discus which have been acclimatised to hard water by the breeder they will be ok.

 

[kev_kb]

If you buy tank bred discus which have been acclimatised to hard water by the breeder they will be ok.

That's debatable really. They certainly won't be able to breed in hard water. I doubt they would live their full life span (10 year ish) and reach max size either if always kept in it. It also depends what you call hard... Most tap water in the UK is very very hard and really not suitable for Discus, though some are lucky.

 

[tetraqueen]

tbh I'm so uncertain of these fish a bit of a coward or soft hearted . At moment I'm only at the look not buying as at the stage to do something this w/e but will be time afore fish for recycling.

So what is hard about keeping Discus ??


All fish should be looked after but apart from water conditions what is so hard ?

tell me I do not know. I know they are not first fish but I'm not wanting to breed. To be honest I'd like peaceful, settled , happy and contented fish just like I want to be.

 

[kev_kb]

All fish should be looked after but apart from water conditions what is so hard ?

Nothing really! A lot of people do not want to spend the extra effort to use RO water to provide soft water, and some just think they can bend the rules. If you research the fish, put them in a mature tank and provide for them correctly they are pretty easy to keep. Think of it more as keeping water, not fish.

 

[cheesy feet]

If you buy tank bred discus which have been acclimatised to hard water by the breeder they will be ok.

That's debatable really. They certainly won't be able to breed in hard water. I doubt they would live their full life span (10 year ish) and reach max size either if always kept in it. It also depends what you call hard... Most tap water in the UK is very very hard and really not suitable for Discus, though some are lucky.

I'm getting to lazy to wright What i am saying though is if you can find a breeder near you who acclimatises his discus to hard water at a young age and has your water conditions there shouldn't be a problem.Unless as you have said your pH is really high.And yup, your not even supposed to keep discus in hard water, but i do.I slagged around a bit and did not do enough water changes and stunted mine, so i doubt they will even live another 5 years.However i am now keeping them correctly to try and give them a full life.As kev said there is nothing hard about discus unless you have got there water conditions/diet or tank mates rong etc [husbandry].As with any fish discus cannot become ill for no reason, unless you bought them when they were ill.Maintenance/water qaulity is the key with discus, if you mess that up you mess them up.Keeping one discus tank probably has as much maintenance as say 3 standard tropical communitys...

 

[tetraqueen]

your near me so I think the problems will be similiar.

 

[Mystix212]

Another thing is that they love planted aQUARIA, then you need more lighting, which leads to CO2. But you cant beat the result of a dedicated discus keeper.

 

[tetraqueen]

Another thing is that they love planted aQUARIA, then you need more lighting, which leads to CO2. But you cant beat the result of a dedicated discus keeper.

That angel and tank look awesome, I love to see Discus that are well kept but I really think with the noise the wrong water etc it will be more than I can manage.
clichid I have seen I guess all these fish are out of my league