Denison barbs

[amy1994]

Doing some reseaerch, currently i have a bgk and blue phantom pleco in a 500l 6ft tank, i'll be getting discus at some point, later down the line once the tank is sorted, i'm waiting for bogwood to set on silicone before placing it in the tank and going to let plants grow bit more before adding them. I want the tank ready for them instead of changing things when having them to reduce stress. I was looking to see if i could also add a shoal of denison barbs as well, but can't find any information about if they would be ok with my bgk, any help would be appreciated

 

[Byron]

Discus being sedate fish (meaning, non-active swimmers) do not appreciate active fish around them, as this can cause severe stress. All barbs are too active for discus, as are the danios. Some of the rasboras can work, and some (but certainly not all) of the characins (tetras, hatchetfish, pencilfish group).

The other thing to keep in mind is temperature. Discus need warmth, 82F/28C is general but certainly no lower than 80F/27C, and this is too warm for many tropical including the barbs and most cories. Which brings me to the Black Ghost Knifefish; this fish is better at cooler temperatures than discus, around 77F/25C is preferable. So I would not recommend discus with BGK. Angelfish are more suitable, and commercially-raised angelfish (as opposed to wild caught which also need the warmth) are better in the upper 70'sF. BTW, angelfish and discus should not be combined.

 

[amy1994]

Thats what i was thinking but i've also seen many tanks with them. I've had angelfish in the past with discus, aswell as bgk all have been fine but i have also had other angels before discus and i know they can be very aggressive. Do you know of any smaller shoaling fish that would be alright with discus that couldn't be eaten by my bgk? I think i've seen people have congo tetras before but just doing research before buying anything

 

[Byron]

Thats what i was thinking but i've also seen many tanks with them. I've had angelfish in the past with discus, aswell as bgk all have been fine but i have also had other angels before discus and i know they can be very aggressive. Do you know of any smaller shoaling fish that would be alright with discus that couldn't be eaten by my bgk? I think i've seen people have congo tetras before but just doing research before buying anything

I too have come across "advice" that this or that is fine, but my personal suggestions that "X" and "Y" shouldn't be together, is the cumulative experience and knowledge of ichthyologists. This is based upon the norm for the species, and it is always safer to assume fish will be normal than not. If experiments don't work out, it is not always easy to "undo" them, and the fish suffer for it.

Discus and angels for example should absolutely never be together; for one thing, angelfish are more aggressive feeders, and discus may become withdrawn and sick, leading to death.

The problem with the BGK in with discus is primarily the temperature; BGK and angelfish are fine, natural in fact. There is a large floor-to-ceiling tank at the Vancouver Aquarium with these two fish species, and it has been running for years. It is fascinating to stand motionless in front of it and observe natural behaviours; the two species never interact, and they have hundreds of gallons of space, and it is authentically aquascaped. The light is so dim it is not easy to see the BGK, but that is their habitat.

Another issue is the nocturnal habits of the BGK can annoy discus, much more than angelfish. So I would not have discus because of the BGK, unless you intend re-homing it.