cheesy feet
Fish Aficionado
Discus are such unique fish,and are almost completely different in care,shape and colour than any other new world cichlid.I just think as they are the 'king of aquariums' can you add a seperate forum for them mods? 
A Discus Forum
- Thread starter cheesy feet
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Personally, i think the forum is right as it is and endless sub-dividing will eventually lead to problems. Sure there are a few threads about discus popping up every couple of days, but imo, if a sub-forum is added for discus, then somebody will want one for angelfish, then one for dwarf cichlids and then they'll eventually want the dwarf cichlid one sub-divided again into rams and apistos, etc, etc.
Yes, discus are rather unique and a lovely fish, but i don't think they're so different to deserve a forum of their own as much of their keeping can be related to other NW cichlids and frankly, it will avoid much confusion.
Thats just my opinion...
Maybe a comprehensive pin on discus keeping would be more helpful to members than splitting the forum up...
Yes, discus are rather unique and a lovely fish, but i don't think they're so different to deserve a forum of their own as much of their keeping can be related to other NW cichlids and frankly, it will avoid much confusion.
Thats just my opinion...
Maybe a comprehensive pin on discus keeping would be more helpful to members than splitting the forum up...
There are many similarities between keeping & breeding angels & discus. There are many similarities with most all new worlds, many techniques cross over from one species to another.
I would like to see someone do a nice writeup on keeping and breeding discus, something im depth enough to get pinned. This would cover the specifics of that species, as well as similarities between that species and other nw cichlids.
I would like to see someone do a nice writeup on keeping and breeding discus, something im depth enough to get pinned. This would cover the specifics of that species, as well as similarities between that species and other nw cichlids.
OP
OP
cheesy feet
Fish Aficionado
I might just try that if i get time then.
.
pica_nuttalli
don't be a twit
If anyone who has expertise but feels less than confident in their writing/formatting ability, I would be more than happy to edit any raw material into a more readable format.
See these two thread for examples of previous work:
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=101658
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=139336
See these two thread for examples of previous work:
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=101658http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=139336
OP
OP
cheesy feet
Fish Aficionado
Discus in general
Discus Cichlids have taken on the name ‘King of the Aquarium’ for many reasons, such as colour, shape & behaviour. First off discus can come in many different colour morphs such as Pigeon blood, Red Turk, Blue Turk, Diamond, Blue Diamond, Snakeskin, Marlboro Reds, Red Melons, Just to name a few. I would be here all day if I were to write all the colour morph varieties! Let’s just say the possibilities of discus colour morphs are endless.
The Blue Turk Discus shows of its colours best when in a planted aquaria.
Pictures - Cheesy feet. Sub adult Blue Turks.
Now, their shape as their name suggests is like a discus, with an almost circular appearance. The only cichlids which even come close to the Discus body shape are Angels, Severums or the Uaru; however these are even far fetched. Their unique shape just adds to their striking appearance, making them even more attractive to fish keepers.
Note the Discus (not as in fish) like shape. As Discus become more mature they take on a more round appearance Picture-Cheesy feet
Behaviour, now maybe this isn’t an as valid reason to own these cichlids as there colour or shape, but still they are very friendly cichlids if kept in shoals of 5 or more (try to aim for odd #’s of discus in shoals as this spreads their aggression). You will not get board of them swimming up and down the tank in unison, begging for food and exploring around the aquarium.
As Discus are one of the most spectacular cichlids in the world you do not expect them to be easy to care for & affordable? Well you are right, but if you follow my guidelines you should have few problems. There are so many easy ways to get an ill/dying discus that I am not going to list them, but I will highlight them throughout this article.
Discus Details
Size-A healthy discus can reach as large as 9 inches, however 6-8 inches is more common.
Tank size-As a rule 2 adult discus should have at least a 30 gallon aquarium, and then add at least 10 gallons for each discus. The aquarium should be 16’ + in height.
PH-6.0 -6.5 is needed for breeding. My Discus’ live in a Ph of 8.4!
GH-2-11
KH-1-6
dH- 0-3dH
Temperature- 25-29°C (77-84°F), 28C-31C when attempting to breed
Diet
Discus are Carnivorous so feed live /frozen foods (with live there is a chance you’re Discus/Discus’ could easily get a parasite infection) such as; Blood worms, Glass worms, Beef heart, Tubifex worms. Frozen foods that are high in protein are also ideal. For staple you can use Tetra Prima granules for Discus or Sera Discus granules. It should be around 50-60% granules and 40-50% frozen/live.
Habitat
Discus cichlids are found in planting and wooded areas in slow moving rivers and backwaters in the Amazon river system. This water is soft, warm and has little current. They are found in groups of large numbers, well at least when they are not spawning. Their natural food is a mixture of aquatic inverts, small fish, insects and fry and many naturally occurring foods that may be available. Many other commonly kept south American tetras and cichlids can be found in these waters, which are ideal tank mates.
How to feed
Feed your Discus at least 3x a day, varying in foods each time. If you can feed them 5 x daily with small amounts this should speed up their growth rate. Overfeeding will lead to deaths and stunting. So if you have doubts if you are feeding your Discus the right amount, feed less! The myth of granules expanding ( because they haven’t absorbed water) inside a Discus resulting in bloating is a myth, maybe if you are feeding your discus on catfish pellets this might happen. It will not occur with the correct food though.
Useful tips when Buying Discus
When looking at the fishes health, don’t just look at the Discus you have set your eye on, examine the other Discus/fish it is in with. Chances are with Discus' if one is ill so is the other.
The signs to look out for are;
•Stringy white faeces.
•Thin pale Discus/fish
•Discus/fish with noticeable abbesses, fungus or ripped fins.
•Discus/fish gasping for air at the top of the water or laying on the bottom of the aquarium on their side.
•If they are in an aquarium with unacceptable tank mates(i.e. Silver dollars) chances are they’re under a lot of stress and could have an a parasite infection.
•If you see a discus with a white area and part of this ‘white stuff’ hanging of it is actually the Discus’ slime coat, it may have been damaged by another fish or even when it was caught. Either way a damaged slime coat can lead to infection/disease which leads to death.
And anything you might think is unusual!
Filtration
There seems to be a bit of a controversy as to what is the best filtration for Discus. IMHO sponge filters are the best when breeding/growing on Discus. They quickly collect good bacteria & do a good job of purifying the water. As Discus eat loads of messy foods and are a classic cichlid (messy) you should aim to at least x2 the tanks recommended filtration. In one of my discus aquariums I have a Bio life wet/dry filter; this keeps the water clean and the Discus happy. In my other aquarium (40 gallons) I have 2 sponge filters capable of filtering a 60 gallon tank. Then on top of that I have a Magni jet (for up to 200 litre aquarium)Sponge filter which I have changed to all bio media with bio balls. I found that the two sponge filters were not capable of doing the job alone. So as I say, aim for at least 2x your recommended filtration and just choose what filter is in your range. Biological is supposed to be the best.
So my water is not acceptable for Discus, how do I lower the pH?!
This pinned thread will explain it all-. Just try to avoid most chemicals. However purchase tank bred Discus and you won’t need to change the waters pH as the Discus will already be acclimatized to it. As I have stated my discus are in a Ph of around 8.4
Maintenance
The more water changes and the more times you feed your Discus throughout (remember it’s not the quantity of the food, but the amount of times you feed them) the day the faster the growth. Feed at least 3 x daily. Change water at least every 4 days for fry & at least weekly for young Discus and at least every two weeks for adults. If you see a large amount of waste (small waste on the bottom of the aquarium is common but should also be sucked up with a siphon/python/gravel vac) build up on the bottom of the aquarium regularly revise how much you are feeding and what your filtration and water change routine is & suck it up immediately. You should clean the filter media every 2 months in the aquariums water, keeping the good bacteria and ridding it of old waste. When doing water changes if using a RO (Reverse Osmosis) unit you will not need to add any chemicals. However if you are using tap water you may want to test your chlorine/chloramines levels in your water. Adding water with a lot of chlorine/chloramines in can kill the good bacteria on filters resulting in a mini cycle. You can buy commercial products which remove chlorine/chloramine for the water.
Tank mates
It’s fair to say the best tank mate for a Discus is another Discus, however there are many possibilities. Here is a list of compatible fish & what kind of fish won’t be compatible.
Compatible-Gold Nugget Plecotomus - Baryancistrus sp.
Upside downcatfish - Synodontis nigriventris
Polka dot catfish - Synodontis angelicus
Black neon tetra - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxlerodi
American flag fish - Jordanella floridae
Twig catfish - Farlowella acus
Whiptail catifish - Rineloricaria sp.
Kuhli loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhli
Cardinal -Tetra Paracheirodon Axelrodi
Clown Loach -Botia Macracantha
Corydoras Catfish
Imperial Zebra Plecostomus
Siamese Algea Eater
German rams
Angel fish (on occasion they can bully the Discus & starve them of food)
Emerald Catfifish - Brochis splendens
Cardinal Tetra - Paracheirodon axelrodii
Black Ghost Knifefish - Apterontus albifrons
Spotted Headstander - Chilodus punctatus
Pictus Cat - Pimelodus pictus
Clown Peckoltia - Dekeyseria pulcher
Others which arnt usually reccomended but i keep with mine are Praecox Rainbowfish (neon rainbowfish) or the CAE
Cockatoo Cichlid - Apistogramma cacatuoides
Bolivian Ram - Mikrogeophagus altispinosa
Dwarf Loach - Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki
Pearl Gourami - Trichogaster leeri
Harlequin Rasbora - Rasbora heteromorpha
Black Ruby Barb - Barbus nigrofasciata
They should not be kept with fish which will try to suck their slime coat of (i.e. a large pleco) ,or other fast moving/fin nipping fish such as Tiger barbs & Blue Gouramis.
To start of you will need a minimum of a 55gallon aquarium (keep it bare bottom so you can quickly remove waste) & 6 sub-adult/adult Discus .Your pH should be between 6.0-7.0 ,kH of 1-6a,gH of 2-11I,dH of 0-3 you will need to feed them a very good diet(as shown earlier on).You will probably find that Discus can breed in different conditions to this, but these are ideal conditions .In time you should notice that some Discus form pairs. Once this happens separate the pair which has formed and place them in a minimum of a 30 gallon aquarium. Perform water changes every day or every second day, it is proven Discus cichlids breeding & feeding responses are triggered when water changes are performed, & are thought that it simulates the changes in season in the Amazon River. Once your pair is established they may lay eggs as many times as 15x a week! The eggs take roughly 2 days to hatch and become free swimmers another 3 days later. You will notice the fry stay to the parent’s side and eat the slime on the sides of them. After they have been free swimming for 5 days they will become hungry, you can feed them brine shrimp at this stage. Remove the fry after 2-3 weeks as the parents can become stressed & it is a risk to their health. Breeders recommend feeding 6 X + a day for hatchling Discus as their appetite will be strong & this is the point where they will grow the quickest. Try to do water changes everyday day after the last feeding on your rearing tanks. Then the processed is repeated!
I hope you have found this information useful however it isn’t finished yet. I will get some better pictures of my Discus and edit the information when I find mistakes. So if you have any advice, ideas or pictures please PM me and I will add them, of course giving the credit to you!
Discus Cichlids have taken on the name ‘King of the Aquarium’ for many reasons, such as colour, shape & behaviour. First off discus can come in many different colour morphs such as Pigeon blood, Red Turk, Blue Turk, Diamond, Blue Diamond, Snakeskin, Marlboro Reds, Red Melons, Just to name a few. I would be here all day if I were to write all the colour morph varieties! Let’s just say the possibilities of discus colour morphs are endless.
The Blue Turk Discus shows of its colours best when in a planted aquaria.
Pictures - Cheesy feet. Sub adult Blue Turks.
Now, their shape as their name suggests is like a discus, with an almost circular appearance. The only cichlids which even come close to the Discus body shape are Angels, Severums or the Uaru; however these are even far fetched. Their unique shape just adds to their striking appearance, making them even more attractive to fish keepers.
Note the Discus (not as in fish) like shape. As Discus become more mature they take on a more round appearance Picture-Cheesy feet
Behaviour, now maybe this isn’t an as valid reason to own these cichlids as there colour or shape, but still they are very friendly cichlids if kept in shoals of 5 or more (try to aim for odd #’s of discus in shoals as this spreads their aggression). You will not get board of them swimming up and down the tank in unison, begging for food and exploring around the aquarium.
As Discus are one of the most spectacular cichlids in the world you do not expect them to be easy to care for & affordable? Well you are right, but if you follow my guidelines you should have few problems. There are so many easy ways to get an ill/dying discus that I am not going to list them, but I will highlight them throughout this article.
Discus Details
Size-A healthy discus can reach as large as 9 inches, however 6-8 inches is more common.
Tank size-As a rule 2 adult discus should have at least a 30 gallon aquarium, and then add at least 10 gallons for each discus. The aquarium should be 16’ + in height.
PH-6.0 -6.5 is needed for breeding. My Discus’ live in a Ph of 8.4!
GH-2-11
KH-1-6
dH- 0-3dH
Temperature- 25-29°C (77-84°F), 28C-31C when attempting to breed
Diet
Discus are Carnivorous so feed live /frozen foods (with live there is a chance you’re Discus/Discus’ could easily get a parasite infection) such as; Blood worms, Glass worms, Beef heart, Tubifex worms. Frozen foods that are high in protein are also ideal. For staple you can use Tetra Prima granules for Discus or Sera Discus granules. It should be around 50-60% granules and 40-50% frozen/live.
Habitat
Discus cichlids are found in planting and wooded areas in slow moving rivers and backwaters in the Amazon river system. This water is soft, warm and has little current. They are found in groups of large numbers, well at least when they are not spawning. Their natural food is a mixture of aquatic inverts, small fish, insects and fry and many naturally occurring foods that may be available. Many other commonly kept south American tetras and cichlids can be found in these waters, which are ideal tank mates.
How to feed
Feed your Discus at least 3x a day, varying in foods each time. If you can feed them 5 x daily with small amounts this should speed up their growth rate. Overfeeding will lead to deaths and stunting. So if you have doubts if you are feeding your Discus the right amount, feed less! The myth of granules expanding ( because they haven’t absorbed water) inside a Discus resulting in bloating is a myth, maybe if you are feeding your discus on catfish pellets this might happen. It will not occur with the correct food though.
Useful tips when Buying Discus
When looking at the fishes health, don’t just look at the Discus you have set your eye on, examine the other Discus/fish it is in with. Chances are with Discus' if one is ill so is the other.
The signs to look out for are;
•Stringy white faeces.
•Thin pale Discus/fish
•Discus/fish with noticeable abbesses, fungus or ripped fins.
•Discus/fish gasping for air at the top of the water or laying on the bottom of the aquarium on their side.
•If they are in an aquarium with unacceptable tank mates(i.e. Silver dollars) chances are they’re under a lot of stress and could have an a parasite infection.
•If you see a discus with a white area and part of this ‘white stuff’ hanging of it is actually the Discus’ slime coat, it may have been damaged by another fish or even when it was caught. Either way a damaged slime coat can lead to infection/disease which leads to death.
And anything you might think is unusual!
Filtration
There seems to be a bit of a controversy as to what is the best filtration for Discus. IMHO sponge filters are the best when breeding/growing on Discus. They quickly collect good bacteria & do a good job of purifying the water. As Discus eat loads of messy foods and are a classic cichlid (messy) you should aim to at least x2 the tanks recommended filtration. In one of my discus aquariums I have a Bio life wet/dry filter; this keeps the water clean and the Discus happy. In my other aquarium (40 gallons) I have 2 sponge filters capable of filtering a 60 gallon tank. Then on top of that I have a Magni jet (for up to 200 litre aquarium)Sponge filter which I have changed to all bio media with bio balls. I found that the two sponge filters were not capable of doing the job alone. So as I say, aim for at least 2x your recommended filtration and just choose what filter is in your range. Biological is supposed to be the best.
So my water is not acceptable for Discus, how do I lower the pH?!
This pinned thread will explain it all-. Just try to avoid most chemicals. However purchase tank bred Discus and you won’t need to change the waters pH as the Discus will already be acclimatized to it. As I have stated my discus are in a Ph of around 8.4
Maintenance
The more water changes and the more times you feed your Discus throughout (remember it’s not the quantity of the food, but the amount of times you feed them) the day the faster the growth. Feed at least 3 x daily. Change water at least every 4 days for fry & at least weekly for young Discus and at least every two weeks for adults. If you see a large amount of waste (small waste on the bottom of the aquarium is common but should also be sucked up with a siphon/python/gravel vac) build up on the bottom of the aquarium regularly revise how much you are feeding and what your filtration and water change routine is & suck it up immediately. You should clean the filter media every 2 months in the aquariums water, keeping the good bacteria and ridding it of old waste. When doing water changes if using a RO (Reverse Osmosis) unit you will not need to add any chemicals. However if you are using tap water you may want to test your chlorine/chloramines levels in your water. Adding water with a lot of chlorine/chloramines in can kill the good bacteria on filters resulting in a mini cycle. You can buy commercial products which remove chlorine/chloramine for the water.
Tank mates
It’s fair to say the best tank mate for a Discus is another Discus, however there are many possibilities. Here is a list of compatible fish & what kind of fish won’t be compatible.
Compatible-Gold Nugget Plecotomus - Baryancistrus sp.
Upside downcatfish - Synodontis nigriventris
Polka dot catfish - Synodontis angelicus
Black neon tetra - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxlerodi
American flag fish - Jordanella floridae
Twig catfish - Farlowella acus
Whiptail catifish - Rineloricaria sp.
Kuhli loach - Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhli
Cardinal -Tetra Paracheirodon Axelrodi
Clown Loach -Botia Macracantha
Corydoras Catfish
Imperial Zebra Plecostomus
Siamese Algea Eater
German rams
Angel fish (on occasion they can bully the Discus & starve them of food)
Emerald Catfifish - Brochis splendens
Cardinal Tetra - Paracheirodon axelrodii
Black Ghost Knifefish - Apterontus albifrons
Spotted Headstander - Chilodus punctatus
Pictus Cat - Pimelodus pictus
Clown Peckoltia - Dekeyseria pulcher
Others which arnt usually reccomended but i keep with mine are Praecox Rainbowfish (neon rainbowfish) or the CAE
Cockatoo Cichlid - Apistogramma cacatuoides
Bolivian Ram - Mikrogeophagus altispinosa
Dwarf Loach - Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki
Pearl Gourami - Trichogaster leeri
Harlequin Rasbora - Rasbora heteromorpha
Black Ruby Barb - Barbus nigrofasciata
They should not be kept with fish which will try to suck their slime coat of (i.e. a large pleco) ,or other fast moving/fin nipping fish such as Tiger barbs & Blue Gouramis.
- Please PM me if you have any other tank mates for Discus which are not on this list.
So I know what a Discus Cichlid is, and what requirements they need but what tank set up do they need?
There are three ways you can go.
•Heavily planted aquarium with Bogwood/Mopani (optional) roots and Discus. The only advantage you get from setting up a tank like this is the appearance and the fish which will love it; everything else is a general PITA! You must stop algae and maintain the plants while keeping a healthy environment for your Discus. If you want to set up an aquarium like this I suggest you have a look through the pinned articles on the planted tank section of the forum.
•Bare Bottom (no substrate). Usually used for growing on young Discus or for breeding Discus. Many advantages with this set up. I.e. can be easily cleaned, less or no algae issues & generally a much easier way to keep the water clean. You can use any of the normal decors and even potted plants such as the Amazon sword. IMO it is a must because Discus when sleeping use plants to rest on.
•Normal set up. Gravel/sand as substrate and Bogwood/Mopani roots for decor. This kind of set up is quite easy to do, but as it will not have plants I doubt discus will like it much.
To start of you will need a minimum of a 55gallon aquarium (keep it bare bottom so you can quickly remove waste) & 6 sub-adult/adult Discus .Your pH should be between 6.0-7.0 ,kH of 1-6a,gH of 2-11I,dH of 0-3 you will need to feed them a very good diet(as shown earlier on).You will probably find that Discus can breed in different conditions to this, but these are ideal conditions .In time you should notice that some Discus form pairs. Once this happens separate the pair which has formed and place them in a minimum of a 30 gallon aquarium. Perform water changes every day or every second day, it is proven Discus cichlids breeding & feeding responses are triggered when water changes are performed, & are thought that it simulates the changes in season in the Amazon River. Once your pair is established they may lay eggs as many times as 15x a week! The eggs take roughly 2 days to hatch and become free swimmers another 3 days later. You will notice the fry stay to the parent’s side and eat the slime on the sides of them. After they have been free swimming for 5 days they will become hungry, you can feed them brine shrimp at this stage. Remove the fry after 2-3 weeks as the parents can become stressed & it is a risk to their health. Breeders recommend feeding 6 X + a day for hatchling Discus as their appetite will be strong & this is the point where they will grow the quickest. Try to do water changes everyday day after the last feeding on your rearing tanks. Then the processed is repeated!
I hope you have found this information useful however it isn’t finished yet. I will get some better pictures of my Discus and edit the information when I find mistakes. So if you have any advice, ideas or pictures please PM me and I will add them, of course giving the credit to you!
pica_nuttalli
don't be a twit
looks fantastic for one night's effort!! wish i could get work done so quickly 
OP
OP
cheesy feet
Fish Aficionado
looks fantastic for one night's effort!! wish i could get work done so quickly
Lol,thanks.I just read through it and some bits need tinkering.O well.It's 5am and i neeed sleeep!
helsekia
The animals have taken over my asylum!
congrats thats an excellent start definately worth posting and pinning!
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