How Many Discus?

[Zante]

I have a 400 litre tank with an 80 litre sump with a 2000 litre/hour pump

Fine black gravel substrate, with a crinum, two amazon swords, a bit of vallisneria, a water lily bulb and the Cuban carpeting plant (can't remember the name)

Current population is
17 cardinals
15 rummynoses
6 rams
12 adolfo's corys
1 bristlenose

Ph 6.5
Gh 7

Ammonia zero
Nitrite zero
Nitrate never over 10ppm

How many discus could I fit?

I was thinking six, but I definitely do not want to overstock.
I will even go down to a single pair, but I do want discus in my tank.

 

[iantaylor]

I have 6 Discus in my aquarium with no problem, my aquarium is 4x2x2 with a 1400ltr per hour external and a 1000ltr per hour internal filter fully planted and a lot more fish then in your aquariun, 20 cardinals, 8 rummy nose,nearly 20 different corys, 1pr bristlenose, 6 hockey stics pencil fish, 2 whiptails, 6 L318's plecs and some other fish as well.
Hope this helps

 

[Zante]

It sure does!

Now to find the discus I want.

I wonder where I could get six juvenile wilds...

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

10 would do well in your tank. How is your sump running? Is it a refugium with live plants? As this will have a influence on how often you will need to do water changes. Personally(and as beautiful as they are) I would not recommend wilds, as they have relatively weak immune systems and may not do well with your current stock. There are some great line bred Discus, and they will be a lot stronger.

 

[Zante]

10 would do well in your tank.

10 including all the other fish? isn't that crowded?

How is your sump running? Is it a refugium with live plants? As this will have a influence on how often you will need to do water changes.

At the moment there is one compartment full of bioballs and another doing pretty much nothing except housing the pump. I was thinking of setting up a light and adding some plants to draw some of the nitrates. It is a fairly recent idea of mine and I'm still looking around.

Thing is it won't be so easy, the sump is integrated in the back of the tank and the compartment is narrow and deep. I'll have to look for a fully submersible light, and plants that will live in that space. I wonder how vallisneria would do as a "floating" plant...

In the meantime I have plenty of plants in the main display.

Personally(and as beautiful as they are) I would not recommend wilds, as they have relatively weak immune systems and may not do well with your current stock. There are some great line bred Discus, and they will be a lot stronger.

Yes, I understand. Thing is I REALLY like the look of wilds. Maybe I should have written "six juvenile wild-looking"

Can you suggest any lines that look like wilds?

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Cobalt, and Turks are very pretty, and not too far away from wilds. Obviously you will find them in varying quality, with prices to match! When they are young it is hard to tell how good they are, so is a lot down to luck.

Your current stock really won't bother the Discus, and so long as you have the time and a good water change regime, then they will do just fine. I am not sure that I understand your sump being in the back of the tank

. Normally if you are running a full refugium, then you can stuff a lighted section full of plants to absorb the nitrates prior to the water returning to the tank. This would reduce the frequency of required water changes. So is only really a means to making you maintenance easier. I do 50% water changes every other day. It is easy if you have it worked out well.

 

[Zante]

I have spotted Chen's Discus, and I live quite close to his place, he also has some very nice-looking speciments in stock.

Do you know the place? Is his stock good? Do you know any better places?

Since we're talking, is it worth getting a breeding pair and a few juveniles, or is it going to be useless in a community tank?

I know the juveniles will eventually pair up, just wondering whether I can hope for successful breeding in a community tank or not even consider it.

I'd like to point out breeding is not my aim, but it would be a welcome bonus.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

I have spotted Chen's Discus, and I live quite close to his place, he also has some very nice-looking speciments in stock.

Do you know the place? Is his stock good? Do you know any better places?

Since we're talking, is it worth getting a breeding pair and a few juveniles, or is it going to be useless in a community tank?

I know the juveniles will eventually pair up, just wondering whether I can hope for successful breeding in a community tank or not even consider it.

I'd like to point out breeding is not my aim, but it would be a welcome bonus.

I do know of Chen's, and he has a good reputation. I have never been there though. I currently live in Thailand. I am currently in the process of breeding and it is very labor intensive, and very frustrating!

As such I wouldn't waste your money on buying a breeding pair for a community tank, as they will never rear fry in there, and will just become aggressive to the other fish when they want to spawn. Better to spend the money on good quality fish

If later on you end up with a pair, then you might want to have a go at breeding in another tank.

 

[Zante]

Just to get a feel for it, would a nearly cubic 95 litre be good enough for a breeding pair?

As I said I'm not looking to breed, but I am curious and when I start asking questions I never stop

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Just to get a feel for it, would a nearly cubic 95 litre be good enough for a breeding pair?

As I said I'm not looking to breed, but I am curious and when I start asking questions I never stop

Yes ample space, as you need to force them to be together, and a big tank would make them chase each other. The trick is water quality, and it is not easy.....trust me!

I have pages on it, in a blog on here. Talk about frustrating

 

[Zante]

Ok, thank you

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Ok, thank you

Welcome mate, and always ready to share any knowledge I might have...... both good and bad