Can I Keep These Fish In A Heavily Planted Tank?

[craigybaby37]

Ime going to be setting up a planted tank in the next few weeks and i just want to make sure i can keep that i can keep a pair of discuss, a few blue rams, some cardinal tetras and a few cory cats in a heavily planted tank??

Tank dimensions are 32" wide 24" tall and 20" front to back, also i have a 12 gallon sump

Thanks

 

[Twinklecaz]

I don't know if that set up will work (someone will) but it sounds lovely! Show us pics if you can do it. I love Discus but don't think I'm ready for them, maybe in a few years.


I did think though that all fish liked/don't mind plants. Again I could be wrong though.

 

[craigybaby37]

Well one of my local fish shops said i would be ok to keep them all together in a planted tank.....it was there idea of the discuss as i was originally planning on just blue rams with the cardinals and cory cats but when they suggested a pair of discuss i liked the idea.

Ive been into marines for the last 3 years so i feel more than confident in looking after some discuss.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Oh yeah, you got tons of experience then. I'm just cycling my first tank right now (well, since I was a kid).

 

[demasonisrule]

welcome back from the salty side, it's much cheaper over here

discus should be in groups of 3-4+, not sure if the tank is big enough, I have no real knowledge of tank size. The discus may eat the cardinals, so be careful of that. The cories may also uproot some of the plants. The rams will leave the plants alone, but I have no idea if they're compatible with the discus.

I can't wait to see this tank up and running, make sure to get lots of pics and to keep a journal in the photos section

 

[mattlee]

i keep discus with cardinals with no problems,i did have to grow them up a bit first just to be safe though.... corys shouldnt be kept at 30oC like discus need and although people do it it doesnt do them any good in the long run. they also wont uproot any plants they are quite tame and not clumsy or heavy fish. blue rams will be ok in the higher temps but they need a low pH otherwise they wont last long also very low nitrates are required but this applies to discus too. discus need to be in groups as already said and 6 seems to be the number quoted by most to keep any aggression down from a single fish, they are cichlids dont forget..... you could get a breeding pair as they will stay together and not fight but prices rise for these due to them already being a pair. i wouldnt get discus from lfs as they are very expensive and low quality try and fingd a breeder locally and get a better deal. i would also suggest getting larger discus 4 inch + for a planted set up as they dont need as much feeding as smaller fish which are usually kept in a bare bottom tank so its easy to remove any uneaten food/poo etc to keep the water cleaner. some discus dont adapt to planted tanks as im finding out.... 1 out of my 5 fish is more happy in a bare bottom tank in the garage it wouldnt eat in the planted but is eating now in a bare tank! try and get all the discus from the same supplier so there is no chance of passing diseases between them as they will all have been/grew up together at the suppliers. also get all of them at once to stop a dominant fish rejecting any new ones added. it makes things easier. i think your tank would be ok for a grouped pair but not a group of any more that arent paired up.

hope this helps, Matt

 

[craigybaby37]

welcome back from the salty side, it's much cheaper over here

discus should be in groups of 3-4+, not sure if the tank is big enough, I have no real knowledge of tank size. The discus may eat the cardinals, so be careful of that. The cories may also uproot some of the plants. The rams will leave the plants alone, but I have no idea if they're compatible with the discus.


I can't wait to see this tank up and running, make sure to get lots of pics and to keep a journal in the photos section

Ha ha yea its definalty cheaper, thats the main reason ime giving up the marine and due to the maintenance and lack of time i have to do it all.

Ill see what i can do about getting a journal up and running ive got to get rid of my marine stock as yet before th planted tank can get under way.

i keep discus with cardinals with no problems,i did have to grow them up a bit first just to be safe though.... corys shouldnt be kept at 30oC like discus need and although people do it it doesnt do them any good in the long run. they also wont uproot any plants they are quite tame and not clumsy or heavy fish. blue rams will be ok in the higher temps but they need a low pH otherwise they wont last long also very low nitrates are required but this applies to discus too. discus need to be in groups as already said and 6 seems to be the number quoted by most to keep any aggression down from a single fish, they are cichlids dont forget..... you could get a breeding pair as they will stay together and not fight but prices rise for these due to them already being a pair. i wouldnt get discus from lfs as they are very expensive and low quality try and fingd a breeder locally and get a better deal. i would also suggest getting larger discus 4 inch + for a planted set up as they dont need as much feeding as smaller fish which are usually kept in a bare bottom tank so its easy to remove any uneaten food/poo etc to keep the water cleaner. some discus dont adapt to planted tanks as im finding out.... 1 out of my 5 fish is more happy in a bare bottom tank in the garage it wouldnt eat in the planted but is eating now in a bare tank! try and get all the discus from the same supplier so there is no chance of passing diseases between them as they will all have been/grew up together at the suppliers. also get all of them at once to stop a dominant fish rejecting any new ones added. it makes things easier. i think your tank would be ok for a grouped pair but not a group of any more that arent paired up.

hope this helps, Matt

Thanks very much for the advice its very helpful, ill have a look for a discuss breader around my way and see if i can go have a look at there stock sometime, with the size of the tank i have ime starting to think it may be a little crowded with the discuss, rams, cardinalls and corys ive forgotten totally what the general rule of thumb is about how many " of fish per gallon (obviously depending on setup)

 

[Assaye]

From what I know that tank will be far too small for adult discus. It's not very long - less than 3 foot. Discus also should be kept in larger groups, from what I know of them. I'd be looking for a 5 foot tank, tbh.

Discus are well known for being sensitive to fast moving fish and the neons might weird them out.

 

[mattlee]

generally people advise 1 inch per gallon but this can change depending on the fish shape and feeding habits also the filtration on the tank. for example 3 x 2 inch cardinals wont have as much effect on the bioload as 1 x 6 inch discus, plecs are well known as poo machines so again a 6 inch plec will have much more effect than 3 x 2 inch cardinals. 1 inch per gallon is a very very basic guide but can give a good idea for stocking when first setting up as you can always add more if the tank isnt overcrowded or producing too much nitrates, only you will get to know your tank in this manor....

 

[Assaye]

With the inch-per-gallon rule, it's not just length of the fish that needs to be taken into account, but their whole body area. This means the rule takes into account the body mass of the fish and likely waste prodution and is actually fairly accurate at predicting tank size. As long as you take into account swimming room (and so don't try stuffing large fish into high-volume but tall tanks), it's a pretty good guide.

 

[craigybaby37]

Thanks for all the help everyone, by the sounds of it a pair of discuss would be pushing it in a tank my size with some rams, cardinals and some corys.

I know ill be fine with just the rams, cardinals and corys and it'll still be a realy nice setup i think.