I would like discus but is this tank too small for them?

Fish4dawin

Fish Addict
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
846
Reaction score
293
Location
Uk, London
Hi everyone, I have a 39 gallon tank, that I recently got. My water parameters are 7.3 pH and GH is 290. I was wondering if discus would be able to work in this sixe tank. The dimensions of the tank are 81 cm x 36cm x 50cm. Yes my water is very hard but with RO water would I be able to keep discus? Also what tankmates would you guys suggest?
 
If you have RO water that’s great for them but I think this tank is too small you want to have them in at least a 75 gallon as they are big fish as adults and need to be in a group.
 
If you have RO water that’s great for them but I think this tank is too small you want to have them in at least a 75 gallon as they are big fish as adults and need to be in a group.
Ok thank you @Wills. What would you suggest for it then. I have fish in there at the moment but what would you suggest for a new project?
 
I agree 39 gallon tank is way to small for discus. One thing you need to consider is that discus are very delicate fish and take a lot of work to keep them healthy. Which means lots of water changes. IMHO and it depends on the size of the school discus should be in at least a 100+ gallon tank. Your better off going with fish like Angel Fish which are less demanding and can do well in tanks of 55 gallon or larger. But bare in mind that Angel fish are hardy but can also be aggressive to other fish, mainly when they are breeding.

In a 39 gallon you are better off with fish like some species of gourami fish. But bare i mind some species of gourami also get to large for a 39 gallon tank. Other species of gourami fish can be very aggressive like all the variations of the three spot gourami which are Gold gouramies, Opaline gouramies. Some really nice non-aggressive types of gouramies that get to a good size are Moonlight gouramies and Pearl gouramies. But in any case no matter which way you go with a new project to your research.
 
Isn't this tank a Juwel Rio 125? If it is, it's not 39 gallons, it's 125 litres = 33 gallons. So definitely no discus I'm afraid.

I used to have a Juwel Rio 125 and without any decor in the tank, it does hold 125 litre. Obvioulsy less than that once there's substrate and cdecor.
 
Isn't this tank a Juwel Rio 125? If it is, it's not 39 gallons, it's 125 litres = 33 gallons. So definitely no discus I'm afraid.

I used to have a Juwel Rio 125 and without any decor in the tank, it does hold 125 litre. Obvioulsy less than that once there's substrate and cdecor.
I just realized that with the water and deco and stuff in it is a 33 gallon. Sorry for confusing everyone there :oops:. What would be a nice new project then? My pH is7.3 and GH is 290
 
We tend to forget that when we measure a tank and work out the volume from the dimensions, we need to allow for the fact that the tank can't be filled to the brim. In the case of Juwel Rios, the lights sit on the rim of the tank and drop down a fair bit inside the tank reducing the volume quite a bit. There is a maximum water level mark inside the tank to keep the water clear of the lights. So when calculating the volume from dimensions with Rios, you can use the length and width of the tank, but the height should be measured from the bottom of the tank to the max water level line.

Juwel name all their tanks with a word and number eg Rio 125 or Vision 180 etc. The number is the volume of water in litres that the tank can hold with no decor etc.
 
We tend to forget that when we measure a tank and work out the volume from the dimensions, we need to allow for the fact that the tank can't be filled to the brim. In the case of Juwel Rios, the lights sit on the rim of the tank and drop down a fair bit inside the tank reducing the volume quite a bit. There is a maximum water level mark inside the tank to keep the water clear of the lights. So when calculating the volume from dimensions with Rios, you can use the length and width of the tank, but the height should be measured from the bottom of the tank to the max water level line.

Juwel name all their tanks with a word and number eg Rio 125 or Vision 180 etc. The number is the volume of water in litres that the tank can hold with no decor etc.
Ohhhhh. So the height is probably 43cm or something.
 
What could a new project be say if I were to get RO water. Dwarf chain loaches would definitely be in there. I'm sorry for constantly yappering on at you guys. It's just I'm keen and want to have the best tank I can have and with you guys' help I can help achieve that. Does anyone have any ideas on a new project (by project I mean like what fish)?
 
Mines 120L/30G. Similar dimensions and very hard London water.
Currently temporarily holding:
4M/8F Long Fin White Cloud Mountain Minnows
3M/6F Medaka
3M Guppies
2M/6F Heterandria Formosa.
until the HFs species tank silently cycles.

I can’t recommend the LFWCMMs enough. They’re gorgeous and extremely busy around the tank. Medaka are good but I’d recommend getting single colour only and not the red/white ones I’ve got for purely aesthetic reasons. Guppies are.....well.....errrh Guppies, they add a bit of variety visually.
The HFs though I love. A very small nondescript fish that because of the action in the tank from the others seem to spend most of their times in the planted back n sides. When they do come out into the open they’re not intimidated by the other bigger fish. Their appearances at the tank front seem to become events! Like a celebrity visit or a ship launch by royalty! @emeraldking thought they’d be a bit shy and I only got em out of my preferred order because of C19 supply difficulties. Theyll hopefully have their own place by the New Year.
All the above fish don’t require a heater indoors and will be outside in their own “ponds” over the summer to hopefully make little fish.

I can’t recommend LFWCMMs and Medakas enough though their temp range limits their possible tank mates somewhat.
 
Mines 120L/30G. Similar dimensions and very hard London water.
Currently temporarily holding:
4M/8F Long Fin White Cloud Mountain Minnows
3M/6F Medaka
3M Guppies
2M/6F Heterandria Formosa.
until the HFs species tank silently cycles.

I can’t recommend the LFWCMMs enough. They’re gorgeous and extremely busy around the tank. Medaka are good but I’d recommend getting single colour only and not the red/white ones I’ve got for purely aesthetic reasons. Guppies are.....well.....errrh Guppies, they add a bit of variety visually.
The HFs though I love. A very small nondescript fish that because of the action in the tank from the others seem to spend most of their times in the planted back n sides. When they do come out into the open they’re not intimidated by the other bigger fish. Their appearances at the tank front seem to become events! Like a celebrity visit or a ship launch by royalty! @emeraldking thought they’d be a bit shy and I only got em out of my preferred order because of C19 supply difficulties. Theyll hopefully have their own place by the New Year.
All the above fish don’t require a heater indoors and will be outside in their own “ponds” over the summer to hopefully make little fish.

I can’t recommend LFWCMMs and Medakas enough though their temp range limits their possible tank mates somewhat.
My LFS does LFWCMMs but I don't think the medakas. I'm planning to get an RO generator though. What is HF? What would you suggest if I got my wwater down to a GH of around 150?
 
HF are the last fish on my list. Best kept alone or you’ll rarely see them.
If I had 150ppm water I’d have Microdevario Kubotai, scarlet bad is and apistogramma Hongsloi as they’re just about my favourite fish. I bought a cheap RO M/C for that purpose but that tank will have to wait until our new kitchen and utility room goes in (2yrs?). Fingers crossed.
 
If I had an RO generator I'd probably go with 8 dwarf chain loaches a school of rummynose tetra an ancistrus and some sort of show piece fish I'm still trying to figure out what though. I'm open for an ideas though.
 
What could a new project be say if I were to get RO water. Dwarf chain loaches would definitely be in there. I'm sorry for constantly yappering on at you guys. It's just I'm keen and want to have the best tank I can have and with you guys' help I can help achieve that. Does anyone have any ideas on a new project (by project I mean like what fish)?
If you use a reverse osmosis (R/O) unit, you could keep smaller rainbowfish like Iriatherina werneri or most of the Pseudomugil rainbowfish. They would be happy in water with a pH around 7.0 and a GH between 100-200ppm. You could get this with a 50/50 mix of R/O and tap water.

If you don't use R/O water, any of the smaller Melanotaenia species like M. praecox, maccullochi, sexlineata, nigrans or exquisita.

Pseudomugil signifier from hard water or brackish water would be fine in hard water, as would P. cyanodorsalis. P. cyanodorsalis actually need hard water and if possible, with some salt.

The following link has information on all the different species of Australian and New Guinea rainbowfishes, including the ones I listed. Have a look and see if anything takes your fancy.
rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Melano.htm
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Back
Top