Discus Advice

[KkAaNnEe]

Hi

So I have been doing research into Discus as I am looking at keeping some, I have had aquariums with different fish over the last 3 years or so and always liked Discus but thought they were a bit demanding.

Now I have some basic questions and would love to hear any advice on keeping them

How many could I have in my Rio 180? I would like to keep my neons (8 in total possibly 2 more for 10)

Water changes? I currently do 25% a week

Where to purchase (Im in North London)

Should I go external with my filter? I have always had what I would call an understocked tank, not sure how the internal would do...

This is something Im researching and looking into so any suggestions welcome..

Thanks

EDIT: 100th post! Nice

 

[amy1994]

Hi

So I have been doing research into Discus as I am looking at keeping some, I have had aquariums with different fish over the last 3 years or so and always liked Discus but thought they were a bit demanding.

Now I have some basic questions and would love to hear any advice on keeping them

How many could I have in my Rio 180? I would like to keep my neons (8 in total possibly 2 more for 10)

Water changes? I currently do 25% a week

Where to purchase (Im in North London)

Should I go external with my filter? I have always had what I would call an understocked tank, not sure how the internal would do...

This is something Im researching and looking into so any suggestions welcome..

Thanks

EDIT: 100th post! Nice

http/www.aquarist-...index_cat49.php

Heres a site with loads of discus breeders, Chens discus and Discus for the discerning are both situated around London,so you should have a look. I have just today got my discus from David Lai(Discus for the discerning) and they are lovely with such bright colours, pics are in Tropical discussion. I have also seen Chens discus stock and they are also very nice. But there are many different breeders on there, so you should have a look around.

I have a 230l, and currently have 6 discus, they look lost at the moment, but you've got to think about how big they ar egoing to get. Would you upgrade your tank in time, or stay with it? Discus should be kept in groups of 4-6+ as they are shoaling fish, if you have been doing some research, i'm gessing you know how big they get, so see if you think that many would be alright. I think you should be able to keep some discus in there, you should have enough room, but hopefully someone else will help you with that just to make sure.

I do about the same water changes, i have heard other people do more though. What sort of water were you thinking of keeping them in, RO, HMA, or just reconditioned tap water? I keep mine in just reconditioned tap water and they are fine. If you had an external filter you would have to make sure that there is a slow flow of water.

Hope this helped

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Thanks for that,

Justy conditioned tap water is what I use, I had an RO Unit for a while as I was going marine, but they are too much work tbh

What sort of price are we talking, obviously this is dependant ons ome different strains

 

[amy1994]

Thanks for that,

Justy conditioned tap water is what I use, I had an RO Unit for a while as I was going marine, but they are too much work tbh

What sort of price are we talking, obviously this is dependant ons ome different strains

Yes, thats why i didn't want to get in to RO water.
Like you say it really does depend on the strains and sizes, some may be very cheap while others are very expensive. It can also differ between the breeders, but most prices are the same. Both Chens discus and discus for the discerning have websites which show the stock pricelist, also on the site i gave you they will have different pictures, just have a look, as i don't really remember what the prices were ....
if you went in to a shop they would be £60+ and that would be the discus which the breeders are selling cheap! Or atleast thats what my LFS is like...
you may even find local breeders on there, i think some people on gumtree were from London area, selling some of there stock, you could check on there too.

 

[snowflake311]

Hi

So I have been doing research into Discus as I am looking at keeping some, I have had aquariums with different fish over the last 3 years or so and always liked Discus but thought they were a bit demanding.

Now I have some basic questions and would love to hear any advice on keeping them

How many could I have in my Rio 180? I would like to keep my neons (8 in total possibly 2 more for 10)

I am in the USA the 180 is how many liters it is right? If so that's only 40 us gal. That's not really big enough for a good group if discus. 55us gal is the smallest I would go for 6 discus.

Water changes? I currently do 25% a week
I do 80% every 5 days. 25% weekly is no enough IMO. I try and do a 50% wc every other day. But it's been hard lately so u just do bigger wc less.

Where to purchase (Im in North London)

Sorry don't know about the UK but I know some good importers in the state. I have some German bread stendkers that I really like I know you can get some in the UK just not sure where.

Should I go external with my filter? I have always had what I would call an understocked tank, not sure how the internal would do...
Yes external is the only way to go IMO. Here in the USA it's really hard to find a in tank filter for a large tank. External takes up little to no space in the tank and is easy to clean. Bigger is better with them too

This is something Im researching and looking into so any suggestions welcome..

Look in to getting a bigger tank. Your 40 gal would be good as a grow out but no long term. Also get ready for way more wc.

Thanks

EDIT: 100th post! Nice

 

[snowflake311]

Hi

So I have been doing research into Discus as I am looking at keeping some, I have had aquariums with different fish over the last 3 years or so and always liked Discus but thought they were a bit demanding.

Now I have some basic questions and would love to hear any advice on keeping them

How many could I have in my Rio 180? I would like to keep my neons (8 in total possibly 2 more for 10)

I am in the USA the 180 is how many liters it is right? If so that's only 40 us gal. That's not really big enough for a good group if discus. 55us gal is the smallest I would go for 6 discus.

Water changes? I currently do 25% a week
I do 80% every 5 days. 25% weekly is no enough IMO. I try and do a 50% wc every other day. But it's been hard lately so u just do bigger wc less.

Where to purchase (Im in North London)

Sorry don't know about the UK but I know some good importers in the state. I have some German bread stendkers that I really like I know you can get some in the UK just not sure where.

Should I go external with my filter? I have always had what I would call an understocked tank, not sure how the internal would do...
Yes external is the only way to go IMO. Here in the USA it's really hard to find a in tank filter for a large tank. External takes up little to no space in the tank and is easy to clean. Bigger is better with them too

This is something Im researching and looking into so any suggestions welcome..

Look in to getting a bigger tank. Your 40 gal would be good as a grow out but no long term. Also get ready for way more wc.

Thanks

EDIT: 100th post! Nice

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Hi

So I have been doing research into Discus as I am looking at keeping some, I have had aquariums with different fish over the last 3 years or so and always liked Discus but thought they were a bit demanding.

Now I have some basic questions and would love to hear any advice on keeping them

How many could I have in my Rio 180? I would like to keep my neons (8 in total possibly 2 more for 10)

I am in the USA the 180 is how many liters it is right? If so that's only 40 us gal. That's not really big enough for a good group if discus. 55us gal is the smallest I would go for 6 discus.

Water changes? I currently do 25% a week
I do 80% every 5 days. 25% weekly is no enough IMO. I try and do a 50% wc every other day. But it's been hard lately so u just do bigger wc less.

Where to purchase (Im in North London)

Sorry don't know about the UK but I know some good importers in the state. I have some German bread stendkers that I really like I know you can get some in the UK just not sure where.

Should I go external with my filter? I have always had what I would call an understocked tank, not sure how the internal would do...
Yes external is the only way to go IMO. Here in the USA it's really hard to find a in tank filter for a large tank. External takes up little to no space in the tank and is easy to clean. Bigger is better with them too

This is something Im researching and looking into so any suggestions welcome..

Look in to getting a bigger tank. Your 40 gal would be good as a grow out but no long term. Also get ready for way more wc.

Thanks

EDIT: 100th post! Nice

Hi, thanks for sharing that

I believe 180 litres is around 47.5 US gallons, 40 UK Gallons... The stand that my rio 180 is sitting on is actually the stand for the 240 version so I could upgrade with little hassle I suppose, 240 is 63.5 US Gal.

TBH water changes are something that is ok, I have a decent system to them so not too much trouble, just a bit more conditioner to buy lol

thanks for your help

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Anyone else?

 

[snowflake311]

You could try 5 discus. Filters don't clear the water they convert ammonia to less harmful nitrates. So water changes are needed no matter how good your filters are. Fresh water keeps fish healthy.

 

[Squidward]

If you don't want to use RO water, you could go for Stendker Discus which are tank bred and are more used to harder water with a higher ph. Though a HMA filter is still a good idea.

Marc Evendan @ Devotedly Discus http/www.devotedly-discus.co.uk/
is the UK supplier.
Marc is very knowledgeable and always helpful.
DD is in East Sussex, not too far from London, but I think he couriers fish too.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Was gonna say space wise you need 50 litres per discus and really you want 5 or more to spread bullying which always happens. So, basically you need a bigger tank ideally. Also a good idea to make sure its at least 24" height as average Discus will reach around 8" diameter and any less depth would be like putting a tetra in 1" deep water.

Discus are not difficult fish at all, people think they are and get put off, if you do your research then you'll be fine. Discus are very easy so long as you don't mind hard work. Such as regular larger water changes, making sure uneaten food is hoovered up by either bottom feeders or by you with a syphon, hopefully by bottom feeders as the more you poke around in the tank the more stressed they will get.

Don't by any means buy any tank mates that suck to the side of the glass as Discus are covered in a tasty slime and they will latch to them, stress them and can die.

Tank mates are a great idea, ideally Cardinals and a large shoal as they at as like an early warning system for Discus which puts them at ease. (Hence larger tank better idea).

Oh and get a good test kit.

External filter is a good idea but then I kept Discus in a tank with a Fluval U4 internal for a while and they were fine.

Thats all I can think of right now lol.

Good luck................do your research and you wont need it.

 

[snowflake311]

8" is a big discus the average is more like 6" . Many don't get Over 6" or if they do it takes some time. But the average is 6" some so called stunted discus only 5". I have a lfs discus that is over a year old and only 5" but still slowly growing.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

All mine reached 8, one reached past that, but then I had one that got no bigger than 3 lol so best to be on the safe side.