Looking for suggestions

[Zante]

I'm planning 1200 litre tank for discus after I've settled into the new place.

This is what the stocking I'm looking at is:
8 discus (probably LSS)
40 rummynose tetra
30 sterbai cory
5 L183 starlight plec

It might look low for that size, but I prefer underpopulated tanks, and anyway it's a lot easier to buy new fish and add them than catch them and have to rehome them.

Thing is, I've had this population before, albeit in smaller numbers, and while I'm happy with it I'm wondering if there could be something I haven't thought of, or some fish I don't know about, so I'm here asking for suggestions for tank mates.

No more cichlids though, I want the only ones in this tank to be discus. I'll be setting up a separate tank for rams.
Also it'll have to be South American, preference given to amazon fish.

 

[TekFish]

Hatchetfish? For the top of the tank? I think they can go into the bottom end of Discus range, temp wise.

 

[RRaquariums]

Wow man hard question when limited to no cichlids that's about all that comes from South America lol.

But there are a few.

Skirt tetras also inhabit the same areas discus do in the wild so there's an idea for a top to mid level dweller. However they can be nippy if they aren't in a big enough group to keep themselves busy with each other.

Another choice is lemon tetras they are visually a pretty cool contrast with the torpedo shaped bodies of most tetras and a cool splash of yellow and black.

That's all I can think of right off the bat.

 

[Zante]

Hatchetfish? For the top of the tank? I think they can go into the bottom end of Discus range, temp wise.

Nah, I'd thought of those, but the tank needs to be open. I'd be picking them off the floor.

 

[Zante]

Wow man hard question when limited to no cichlids that's about all that comes from South America lol.

lol
I know, but I'm well familiar with most cichlids, and if I do add any it will possibly be keyholes (although they'd be at the limit of their temp range) or rams (but they'd eat any cory fry)

But there are a few.

Skirt tetras also inhabit the same areas discus do in the wild so there's an idea for a top to mid level dweller. However they can be nippy if they aren't in a big enough group to keep themselves busy with each other.

Another choice is lemon tetras they are visually a pretty cool contrast with the torpedo shaped bodies of most tetras and a cool splash of yellow and black.

That's all I can think of right off the bat.

I'll look up skirt tetras, the numbers won't be a problem as I'm planning substantial shoals of anything I add. For freshwater I do prefer fewer species each in larger numbers.

Wouldn't 28C be a bit too much for lemon tetras?

 

[RRaquariums]

Well according to most of what I've found reading up they are in the same suggested range as rummynose tetras which is in the 75-80 range that being said they will acclimate fine to slightly higher like 82 but just like with all fish the higher the temp the faster there metabolism will work and they will live shorter lives. At least that's the problem I've found when mixing smaller tetra species with fish that need those really high temps. Just out of curiosity why are you going so warm with the temp? Not disagreeing with a warmer tank since I always keep my tanks in the 80 range even with saltwater but just curious as to your choice on that temp?

 

[Zante]

Well according to most of what I've found reading up they are in the same suggested range as rummynose tetras which is in the 75-80 range that being said they will acclimate fine to slightly higher like 82 but just like with all fish the higher the temp the faster there metabolism will work and they will live shorter lives. At least that's the problem I've found when mixing smaller tetra species with fish that need those really high temps. Just out of curiosity why are you going so warm with the temp? Not disagreeing with a warmer tank since I always keep my tanks in the 80 range even with saltwater but just curious as to your choice on that temp?

Well... since it's a discus tank...

 

[RRaquariums]

Ah. Never kept discus but I can see the advantages of higher temps especially with faster growth.

 

[Zante]

Ah. Never kept discus but I can see the advantages of higher temps especially with faster growth.

28 celsius is on the lower end for captive bred discus. People keep juveniles even at 32.

 

[Byron]

Discus need the warmth (as you know) to be healthy. Good tankmates are cardinal tetras. I don't think the problem of discus eating cardinals is as likely as angelfish eating linear fish.

I would not consider Black Skirt Tetra, no matter how many. This is a fish that will usually nip the fins of sedate fish when placed into that temptation, so I wouldn't. Also, the activity level of the BST is not the best for discus.

Byron.

 

[Zante]

Discus need the warmth (as you know) to be healthy. Good tankmates are cardinal tetras. I don't think the problem of discus eating cardinals is as likely as angelfish eating linear fish.

I would not consider Black Skirt Tetra, no matter how many. This is a fish that will usually nip the fins of sedate fish when placed into that temptation, so I wouldn't. Also, the activity level of the BST is not the best for discus.

Byron.

I've had cardinals with my discus, I don't dislike them, far from it, but I wanted to hear something I hadn't kept yet. I might still end up with the lineup in my original post, but still I'd like to hear what's out there. I don't presume to know all the available species, and I likely don't know of some interesting possible tankmates.

For example, I'm thinking of splashing tetras, but I don't know if they'd like the temperature.
I know they're jumpers, but they'd limit their jumping to where the emersed plants are, and that would be quite safe for them in the layout I'm planning.

 

[NickAu]

I would not consider Black Skirt Tetra, no matter how many. This is a fish that will usually nip the fins of sedate fish

The 10 I have are little terrors I call them the Piranhas, Personally I think they should be kept on their own or with other Tetras only.

 

[Byron]

The Splash Tetra, Copella arnoldi, is worth considering. In a largish tank where you can have space above the water with overhanging plants, this would be ideal. It is still recommended to cover the tank above this, as this is an avid jumper; plus you want the water and air to remain warm, and there would be considerable evaporation. They have a higher upper temperature range than many characins. It has been many years since I had this species (back in the 1980's); I haven't seen them locally since.

There are several species in the genus Hyphessobrycon, the so-called Rosy Tetra clade, that are often recommended (by me and others) for angelfish because of their extreme peacefulness and disk-shape which complements similar fish. Some of them have 82F as the upper temperature range, but of course this is not usually the best idea, as fish maintained at the upper end of their preferred range will be harder worked physiologically than not.