View Full Version : Dad wants a Discus and Clown Loach tank.
OscartheGrouch
07-11-2007, 11:52 PM
My dad wants discus, clown loaches & perhaps a few tetras in his 45 gal tank. He knows how big CLs get but he lives on the second floor and plans to use the tank as a grow out tank, buying a 120 gal for the basement in the future. The problem is the water out of his faucet is very soft and acidic. I tested his aged water and I get the following pH 6.2, KH 40 ppm, GH 25, Nitate 20 and everything else is like 0. Is there a good way to buffer his water? Add coral maybe to his aged water barrel and tank filter? And what water parameters work well for CLs and discus together? I know a bit of aquarium salt work well with CLs but how about discus? Any help is appreciated.
WyldFya
07-12-2007, 1:56 AM
How old are your test kits, and what kind are you using?? Nothing seems too out of place, but the nitrates. Federal law regulates the amount of nitrate allowed to be in drinking water. Read up here (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html)
loach43
07-12-2007, 2:49 AM
Just a note that you can buffer the water to a higher ph by using a substrate intended for African lake cichlids. "Tahitian Moon" is an attractive black sand that does the job. White aragonite sand will do the job too but the clown loaches would go into their pale coloration on light colored substrate! Thought I'd mention this because having coral in a freshwater tank is odd looking imo, but yes, coral rock works very well too. Most hardcore discus nuts like to keep the ph around 6.5 to 7.0. so you don't have far to go
OscartheGrouch
07-12-2007, 4:13 AM
How old are your test kits, and what kind are you using?? Nothing seems too out of place, but the nitrates. Federal law regulates the amount of nitrate allowed to be in drinking water. Read up here (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html)
Hmm that can't be good. It's double the legal limit. Maybe that's why my family is so :screwy:. The test kit is brand new actually. I've been using Jungle's 6 Tests in One Strip Quick Dip.
OscartheGrouch
07-12-2007, 4:28 AM
loach43,
My dad has a Fluval canister for the tank and I read somewhere that you should get rid of the charcoal for discus. That's why I suggested putting the buffer in the filter replacing the charcoal portion. Tahitian Sand might look nice in the tank but I'm not sure if I can add much. Breeders seem to raise their discus in higher and higher ph now. I guess I don't have to change the ph if they start breeding though. :)
WyldFya
07-12-2007, 11:50 AM
Jungle in general is not a very good company for quality products. Switch to something else. I'd personally recommend API test kits for beginners, Red Sea Fresh lab deluxe for intermediate to advanced (and especially for planted keepers of all levels), and la motte, or salifert for very advanced keepers.
ewurm
07-12-2007, 12:03 PM
EPA article was great. BTW, Last time I tested, Diet Mountain Dew had 13 ppm Nitrate.
fishloverblake
07-12-2007, 12:24 PM
the discus is cool but clown loach.... no
you shouldnt get any cl cuz they easily get sick and die
OscartheGrouch
07-12-2007, 1:50 PM
Thanks for the advice on the test kits. Mountain Dew isn't imported from China is it? (brushing my teeth with Chinese toothpaste) Ewurm: you know how low a ph can CLs still do well?
the discus is cool but clown loach.... no
you shouldnt get any cl cuz they easily get sick and die
Please elaborate further why. Do note that we have our own choices, decisions and experiences. Just because it did not work out for you doesn't mean others shouldn't keep them at all. I have kept clowns for quite a long time yet I have not seen a single case of ich despite the notoriety that clowns are prone to ich.
loach43
07-13-2007, 8:40 AM
I don't consider clown loaches that difficult to keep. Most of them get ich from abrupt temperature changes or poor water quality. The hard part about clown loaches is that if they do get ich, it has to be treated immediately or else their scaless body will be devoured by tomites in no time.
hamato_yoshii
07-13-2007, 9:10 AM
the discus is cool but clown loach.... no
you shouldnt get any cl cuz they easily get sick and die
:confused: :confused: :confused:
oshp132
07-13-2007, 11:34 AM
My two cents......Discus and Clowns together work just fine. You just need to make sure that you have hardy Discus (I prefer to get mine from private breeders)...And make sure that your Clown Loaches are very healthy. I've had my Discus and Clowns together for about 7 months...But I had my Clowns for the past year, so I know they were healthy. They Clowns may be a little hyper during feeding time, so make sure that your Discus are not frightened easily....Two of my Clowns are over 6"!!!!
OscartheGrouch
07-13-2007, 1:08 PM
Water quality shouldn't be a problem for CLs if they're in the same tank as discus if you change the water like crazy for the discus. BTW, any of you discus owners recycle the water to other tanks or ponds, provided that you change their water like everyday or every other day? Still want to know a suitable ph for both and if any of you put aquarium salt in their discus and CL tank?
Bderick67
07-13-2007, 10:50 PM
Water quality shouldn't be a problem for CLs if they're in the same tank as discus if you change the water like crazy for the discus. BTW, any of you discus owners recycle the water to other tanks or ponds, provided that you change their water like everyday or every other day? Still want to know a suitable ph for both and if any of you put aquarium salt in their discus and CL tank?
I've kept discus and CLs together with no problems at a pH of 6.2-6.4. But they were adult discus, I would not try with juvies. I now keep my discus in a bare bottom 85g tank at pH 6.8 and do a 50% water change about every 4 days. The 40 gallons of water is put into my 180g tank the nitrate level is around 10ppm.
rallysman
07-13-2007, 10:54 PM
PM JD_man about his luck with discus and Clown Loaches together.
Since he's had 5+ discus and 30-40 clown loaches together for over a year i'd say it's ok;)
ewurm
07-13-2007, 10:57 PM
JD_MAN uses discus as dithers. LOL
JD_MAN
07-13-2007, 11:28 PM
PM JD_man about his luck with discus and Clown Loaches together.
Since he's had 5+ discus and 30-40 clown loaches together for over a year i'd say it's ok;)
Like Rally said...I have a 180 with around 30 some loaches and I am up to 8 discus now. (I have been on a buying spree in the last week.) They do great together since loaches mainly stays on the bottom and the discus is more of a top level fish. For the most part they have the same diet, which helps.
As far as water params. go...I don't know. I have never tested my water...ever. I keep lots of driftwood in the tank to help as a buffer. I was kind of scared away from discus for a couple of years, but found out that they aren't that hard to care for.
It makes for an amazing tank when they are all mixed together.
JD_MAN uses discus as dithers. LOL
lol
WyldFya
07-13-2007, 11:31 PM
Expensive dithers! :D
OscartheGrouch
07-13-2007, 11:59 PM
Thanks, guys. Appreciate all the help.
JD_MAN, that must be some tank you got there. All I see are the CLs in your gallery. Yeah, was hoping the CLs clean up the mess on the bottom while the discus feed up top.
JD_MAN
07-14-2007, 6:28 AM
Thanks, guys. Appreciate all the help.
JD_MAN, that must be some tank you got there. All I see are the CLs in your gallery. Yeah, was hoping the CLs clean up the mess on the bottom while the discus feed up top.
Here are a couple of pics from my tank. I couldn't find a full tank shot.
WyldFya
07-14-2007, 12:30 PM
]V[onster clown loaches, ]V[onster discus, and ]V[onster royal pleco!
]V[onster clown loaches, ]V[onster discus, and ]V[onster royal pleco!
:ROFL: True enough!:thumbsup: :headbang2
gomezladdams
07-14-2007, 10:51 PM
Why buffer the water for Discus?I think you need to research the fish a bit before you go any further
OscartheGrouch
07-14-2007, 11:16 PM
I'm not buffering the water for the discus. Buffering the water for the clown loaches. Raise the pH to maybe a 6.5 at least.
ewurm
07-14-2007, 11:37 PM
Here are a couple of pics from my tank. I couldn't find a full tank shot.
If those shots aren't magazine quality, none are. Did you get more discus since I left?
JD_MAN
07-14-2007, 11:42 PM
If those shots aren't magazine quality, none are. Did you get more discus since I left?
Thanks. :)
Yeah. We have bought 3 more discus in the last week. The wife has been on a buying spree lately.
I took a couple of full tank shots tonight, I just have to get them trasfered to the computer now...I am kind of feeling lazy right now.
ewurm
07-14-2007, 11:45 PM
I look forward to seeing them tomorrow. I wish I had a woman that would go on a fish buying spree.
WyldFya
07-15-2007, 1:26 AM
Can't wait to see the full tank shots. Also, a few more shots of discus in this thread would probably make more sense. :D
loach43
07-15-2007, 4:15 AM
No kidding, that tank is serious!:drool:
JD_MAN
07-15-2007, 9:21 AM
Here is a full tank shot. Not the greatest...I am in need of more lighting to be able to do these type of shots.
Loach43 - If you ever want to stop by and check out the tank, you are more than welcome. I have a pleco that I was looking to give to you.
rallysman
07-15-2007, 10:35 AM
It looks empty in that pic!! LOL
they must be behind the wood.
ewurm
07-15-2007, 10:36 AM
It looks empty in that pic!! LOL
they must be behind the wood.
Time for more loaches.
JD_MAN
07-15-2007, 10:38 AM
It looks empty in that pic!! LOL
they must be behind the wood.
It's funny how they are all able to disappear like that.
OscartheGrouch
07-15-2007, 11:01 AM
JD_MAN - Your Angels ever shown any aggression towards the Discus?
rallysman
07-15-2007, 11:03 AM
JD_MAN - Your Angels ever shown any aggression towards the Discus?
I've seen the one that protects the bubbles show aggression:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:
WyldFya
07-15-2007, 11:18 AM
I've seen the one that protects the bubbles show aggression:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:
:ROFL: :ROFL:
WyldFya
07-15-2007, 11:19 AM
Time for more loaches.
More loaches, and more discus!
JD_MAN
07-15-2007, 4:57 PM
JD_MAN - Your Angels ever shown any aggression towards the Discus?
No. None that I have seen. During feeding time the discus are pushing the angels out of the way to get all of the food.
I've seen the one that protects the bubbles show aggression:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:
:ROFL: True. No one is allowed near his bubbles.
Lupin
07-15-2007, 11:58 PM
More loaches, and more discus!
Ditto.:headbang2
Mystix212
07-22-2007, 2:44 AM
the discus is cool but clown loach.... no
you shouldnt get any cl cuz they easily get sick and die
If you were to keep them at the quality you keep Discus, then they should be thriving. Clown Loaches are very easy to keep. Though to some people, Loaches just arent for them. I find them hardy and my 5 have never been sick.
Clown Loaches are very slow growers. it takes them on average a decade to hit thier full size of 12". I would add them, dont not keep them. Though sometimes you purely want discus in a discus tank.