Is A Fluval Roma 200 Too Small For Discus

[kevinjames]

Got a fluval roma 200. It's 200 litres and quite deep. It's my 'spare' aquarium and I'm bored of its current residents. I haven't kept discus before and would like to try. Is it too small though. I've seen other peoples discus in smallest aquariums but I myself don't like to cramp my fish in to whatever like a lot of people do. So am I worrying over nothing?

 

[Davo86]

bare minimum for 5 Discus is said to be 55G, yours is 52G so is quite easily doable either alone with with something like a shoal of cardinal/Rummynose or some Corys

 

[kevinjames]

its currently got some rummynose and cories in. It has a few other random like congos kribs and keyholes but I can rehome them. I have some baby bn plecs. are they ok with them. also is 5 the bare minimum?

 

[KittyKat]

In my opinion, no. You would be better off getting a 4*2*2 or 5*2*2 ft aquarium and having 6+ discus in there.

 

[Davo86]

either one established pair of 5 single specimens is said to be minimum yes, one isnt really fair on the fish and with 2-3 aggression isn't spread about as much and can become a problem for the weaker individuals.

The temperatures required for Discus to thrive may become a problem for the others

 

[kevinjames]

i have a 5x2x2 but that's home to some other more aggressive cichlids that I know DON'T work with cichlids. My plan was to keep the 15 rummys, the Serbia corys and maybe the baby bn plecs (although I've read they can try to suck the mucus off the sides of the discus at night) and I'm spawning gbr so maybe a few of them. Husbandry and filtration won't be a problem as I'm quite experienced and not just some dude who's seen some pretty looking discus in my lge and though I want them now.

 

[markandhisfish]

doable but not ideal. having kept a group of 6 large adult discus id prefer to see them in a 75g .

 

[kevinjames]

ill have to have a think then. i dont know if id want to just keep a pair and not much else really

 

[markandhisfish]

you have to remember that altho unlikely to get much bigger than 6 inches in most aquariums , with corrct care from an early age they can potentially hit 9 inches . then there is the high likelyhood of apair forming from the group and spawning, when this happens its better to have as much space as possible for the pair to claim a spawning site giving the others space to keep out of the way. discus can be just as nasty as any other cichlid when spawning .

 

[kevinjames]

you have to remember that altho unlikely to get much bigger than 6 inches in most aquariums , with corrct care from an early age they can potentially hit 9 inches . then there is the high likelyhood of apair forming from the group and spawning, when this happens its better to have as much space as possible for the pair to claim a spawning site giving the others space to keep out of the way. discus can be just as nasty as any other cichlid when spawning .

thanks for the advice mark. ill put it on the back burner for now and see what i do with my current fish

 

[GShorty1981]

you have to remember that altho unlikely to get much bigger than 6 inches in most aquariums , with corrct care from an early age they can potentially hit 9 inches . then there is the high likelyhood of apair forming from the group and spawning, when this happens its better to have as much space as possible for the pair to claim a spawning site giving the others space to keep out of the way. discus can be just as nasty as any other cichlid when spawning .

Really 9"? I have never seen one that big! are you talking TL? or without tail etc?

I kept 2 pairs in a 4x2x2 a few years back, they maxed out at 6"

 

[KittyKat]

you have to remember that altho unlikely to get much bigger than 6 inches in most aquariums , with corrct care from an early age they can potentially hit 9 inches . then there is the high likelyhood of apair forming from the group and spawning, when this happens its better to have as much space as possible for the pair to claim a spawning site giving the others space to keep out of the way. discus can be just as nasty as any other cichlid when spawning .

Really 9"? I have never seen one that big! are you talking TL? or without tail etc?

The biggest discus I have ever seen had a diameter of 10" including fins. Most of my German LFSs who keep discus on permanent display have fish with an average diameter of 8" (yes, I couldn't believe it either and measured them myself).

 

[GShorty1981]

Pics?