Discus

[HODDY]

Hi all,I went to a couple of fish shops toay and there discus was amazing! i mean they had blue ones that looked like they would glow in the dark! I know hey have to be well kept after and will be willing to do so.I would double the filtration snd also add more when money comes my way.Could someone discus lover please tell me abit more about discus.Tankmates,water quality,filtration,heating,tank size,how many in a group.Thanks guys!

 

[cheesy feet]

Theres a post here by some old chap who hasn't had time to make it better...Still is good though
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...6&hl=discus

 

[DazedNCoNfUsEd]

Come on.... I think he wanted a little more detail than that!



JK, Good post.

 

[HODDY]

could i squeeze 5 in a well planted 40g 4ft x18 x12 ?
It will have 2 externals,And i will add a couple of sponge filters to it.Or maybe a couple of fluval 2-3s just for adds.ALso do the discus have to be same colour or can i have one of each? thanks,Ben.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Two things, cheesy feet that I would change about your post is that Discus tend to turn dark, not pale when sick, or at least all the species I know of. And Discus tend to stop growing when they start spawning. So It might be worth mentioning in that post that you should get them as big as possible before you let them start devoting their bodies nutrient sto egg laying and rearing fry.

 

[angelmouse]

hi i have 5 discus in a 48x18x15 with 2 powerful external filters, mixing colours is fine i have mixed bunch, its just preference. If you are going to go heavy planted it is best not to get them too small, it can stunt the growth as a planted tank is difficult to keep really clean. good quality soft water, ph not too high and stable,and good water change routine are the key to success.
Angel

 

[kev_kb]

Over filtration is not the answer, maintaining stable and appropriate water conditions is. A 12" deep tank is not really suitable, 48"x18"x15" is a minimum and bigger is better if you can. One external filter of an appropriate size is all the filtration you require, you can over filter but IMO its really not needed. Over filtering cannot replace frequent water changes no matter how many filters you run.

Buying large discus is very good advice, and as your a beginner you should avoid a heavily planted tank. A bare bottom setup would be best, you can add plants in pots or on bogwood if you wish. Small discus are easily stunted and should be avoided for beginners IMO. The discus you buy should be pretty much perfectly round, have good colour and size around 4". However, you need to be prepared to spend the money on decent quality fish, such a discus will probably be around £40-50. If money is tight this fish isn't for you.... but hopefully you already realise that. You can keep 5 in the 48" tank mentioned above, but keep tank mates to a minimum. Water should be kept at 30C so you'll need a decent heater, I run two in my tank, also be prepared for the higher temp to add slightly to your electricity bill.

You'll need to keep them in soft water, and unless you are very luck to have very soft water from the tap the easiest way to soften your water is by using an RO filter. More info on this is available by searching the forums.

Do a bit more research and if your still interested then asked any specific questions you have.

 

[cheesy feet]

Two things, cheesy feet that I would change about your post is that Discus tend to turn dark, not pale when sick, or at least all the species I know of. And Discus tend to stop growing when they start spawning. So It might be worth mentioning in that post that you should get them as big as possible before you let them start devoting their bodies nutrient sto egg laying and rearing fry.

Yup, I know.Theres a number of things which need changing.

 

[paul-discus]

I toatally agree with all that Kev has said. You don't need heavy filtration for discus, buy your discus at 4" and like Kev says forget the plants. I would just put a THIN layer of playsand on the bottom of the tank and siphon off waste every day and uneaten food 15 minuites after feeding. I do a partial water change every day with water the same temperature and pH as that of the tank. Before getting discus learn all you can from books and others first, then apply common sense and clean habits and you'll do okay. If you live in a soft water area so much the better.