Discus Debate?

[discusmad]

I have both angels and discus in my tank, and have so for 2/3 years without any probs whatsoever.
Attention must be payed to water quality/temp and feeding if you wish to get the best out of your discus.

Any futher info can be found here...

wwww.ukdiscus.co.uk

 

[KathyM]

Thanks discusmad - can I ask which way round you did it (angels or discus first etc)? If I nip over to the link you gave, I'm not going to get shot down regarding the keeping of angels and discus together am I (no offence intended at all, just don't want to walk into a fight *lol*)?

 

[discusmad]

I had angels in first, and they were no trouble to my discus.

The Angel/Discus debait is years old any many beleive they should be kept apart for the reasons mentioned prev, but at the end of the day, every fish is different and what works for one, may not work for some.

But I have had the two together for years as the angels act as a 'dither' fish so my discus dont feel nervous when first introduced and have stayed in from then.

Hope this helps

paul

 

[annka5]

1) They're only fragile if you don't meet their requirements.... it would be fairly poor evolutionary thing if they really did succumb to diseases as easily as some older literature suggests, after all. Give them exactly what they need and they're as tough as any other fish. What they need is a bit more challenging than some though - calm tank, clean water, etc.

2) Well, no fish will thrive if it's tank mates aren't chosen with care.....perhaps nothing is a "community fish" in the way some books would seem to imply. Discus are only trickier in that they need higher than average tropical temperatures, cleaner-than-average water, and need calm tankmates. I keep mine with cardinal tetras and cories.

3) H'mmm - I think if you were to look at examples of these "thrown together" tanks then you'd find that the ones that did well were the ones (either by accident or design) that had pretty closely compatible fish in it. So a "mixed commmunity tank" of discus, tetras, hatchet-fish, types of cory which don't mind the heat, maybe other small cichlids like rams... Or, you'd find the tank hadn't been going for more than a very few months.

4) to (7) Re: angel fish - I'd agree with other posters that the parasite could be erradicted by treating the fish in quarantine before being added in with the discus. The temperatures are fine. The temparament - more questionable: it probably does depend on the individual fish, the ages they are introduced to the tank, etc etc. And maybe a bit of luck. Am not much good on angels, though...so definitely recomend listening to someone else about them !

 

[ringham]

I thought I'd come on here and see what you lot thought of what I read in an aquarium book the other day.

The book was fairly new (was flicking through it at someone else's house so can't give name/author) and it said basically that:

1. Discus aren't as fragile as people make out.

(I beleiev that they ARE as fragile as people make out, but that doesn't mean that they aren't easy to take care of. providing you have the right filtration etc.)

2. Discus can live in "community" tanks.

(They can with the correct tank mates and quarintined tank mates (i have done this myself))

3. The proof of the above two is when people don't look into it first and just chuck fish in which do great.

Some other opinions I've had from asking elsewhere (not endorsed by me either way as I have no experience as yet):

(people should do more research in their own fish)

4. Angels and discus live in the same waters in the wild and therefore can live together very well.

(This is true although not always wanted (why mix the most beautiful tropical fish ever with something mediocre i.e. £35 fish and £5 fish))

5. As counter to above, piranhas inhabit the waters of many other fish, but we don't keep them in with them in home aquaria.

(true)

6. Discus have to live in hotter water than my angels (my tank is at 81F).

(But angels can tolerate this if neccessary)

7. Angels spread killer diseases to discus (I thought it was a worm issue only so any information much appreciated).

(true if the angels havent been quarentined IMO)

 

[Sp00ky]

1. Discus aren't as fragile as people make out.

I would very much agree with that to an extent and add that they are not as diffcult to care for as they were some years ago, but let your husbandy slip and they will soon let you know.



2. Discus can live in "community" tanks.

Yep, i would also agree with that... i also know of someone who has a pair in a community tank that spawn very frequently.



4. Angels and discus live in the same waters in the wild and therefore can live together very well.


I have a friend who from time to time keeps young together and i havent heard him complain of any increased loses.



5. As counter to above, piranhas inhabit the waters of many other fish, but we don't keep them in with them in home aquaria.


Not heard of that one before, but would you really keep anything other than another Piranha in a tank with anything?? let your feeding slip and you will end up purchasing new fish !



6. Discus have to live in hotter water than my angels (my tank is at 81F).

My breeder that i purchase discus from also breeds angels and keeps them all in the same temp.



7. Angels spread killer diseases to discus (I thought it was a worm issue only so any information much appreciated).


Not heard of this one, i think someone mentioned it on here in another post and i think it was jayjay ( or may not have been ) that asked for more info on this as we had never heard of it before.

 

[grayboy1]

maybe im not one to comment as ive only been keeping discus with angels for like 3 months. but i must say. the 2 dont bother eachother whatsoever and as far as feeding goes, both rush to eat from my hand greedily. my dicus + angels have really settled in now. the discus regularly take bites at my hand when im in the tank hoovering the gravel with the syphon. i feel cheap, they only want me for food lol

 

[Liam]

I kept Altum Angels with discus for 6 years, after pairing off there were 2 regularly spawning pairs of discus and a mated and sometimes spawning pair of Altums. One single discus and a single angel who hung out together. The Altums and discus all moved in together and shoaled together as babies. The tank was nearly 500 litres, heavily planted, bogwood etc. There were 25 cardinals, and about 10 other small fish and 5 clown loaches. I didn’t have any problems with them at all. Just my experience. Yes Discus need certain conditions but given those conditions they are as tough as any fish from what I have seen.