After 35 years i took the plunge

[StripeGirl]

Well for one reason or another i have never kept a discus in over 35 years of fish keeping.They have always intimidated me.After selling my tarpon i found myself with a somewhat empty 450 tank.the tank always runs warm,even after i took one of the heaters out.The tank has lots of plumbing which is where the heat comes from.Any way the tank is always 85 so i thought what would like 85 degrees,lots of filtration,and get along with a fire eel and plecos...Discus is what i decided on.I picked up my first jumbo pair of Marlboro reds from Hans.I am going for the larger sized discus only because of the size of my fire eel.The fire eel is very gentle and investigated them but was not impressed and acts like they are not even there now.I have a few questions for some of you more experienced discus keepers.

1.What pleco's do you recommend would work best?I have many kinds so switching things around would not be a big deal.ATM i have L-240,L-241,L-128,L-202,L-235,L-253.

2.I have a strong flow/current in my tank??? Which could be redirected for less of a flow?

3.How many discus would you put in ? the tank is 450 gallons.

 

[StripeGirl]

here is the giant pair i got from Hans.

 

[LOPAKA]

^^ great start. I am contemplating getting some myself for a community tank. I say for a tank your size you could do at least 30+ w/ no problem.

 

[Gasha]

450 gallons ??84x42x30??... discuss.... i think it has a lot of potential because they are so cool, especially in a heavy planted tank... but at the same time, there are so many diff monsters you could get in there... what ever you do please post pics.... btw a snow king would be sweet in that tank with the discuss!!

 

[StripeGirl]

450 gallons ??84x42x30??... discuss.... i think it has a lot of potential because they are so cool, especially in a heavy planted tank... but at the same time, there are so many diff monsters you could get in there... what ever you do please post pics.... btw a snow king would be sweet in that tank with the discuss!!

The tank is 54x54x34i have many monster fish in other large tanks so i wanted something less monster.

not sure about a bunch of plants because of the plecos:}.

 

[3dees]

whatever you do turn the flow way down. discus do not like high flow and will probably hide out in a section of the tank with the least amount. geo's and a large school of tetras would be cool. do your homework on the pleco's as some have been known to suck the slime coat from the discus while they sleep. you can do so much with a tank that size.

 

[Gasha]

The tank is 54x54x34i have many monster fish in other large tanks so i wanted something less monster.

not sure about a bunch of plants because of the plecos:}.

well being a snow king... i would only put that one in there, like the center peace(they are pretty)... heavily planted would be fine with one pleco... and if your worried that much then no plecos for you... if you go discuss go heavily planted or don't at all.... all those discuss with no plants would look like crap.... i would go huge peace of drift wood a cave for the king and plant the crap out of it..... ftw!! a tank that big needs all the plants and what not or it's just gonna look like the LFS...

everyone says that slime coat crap...i have had plecos with some of the most non aggressive fish and they just munch the crap out of the driftwood and eat the occasional plants i throw in... leftover shrimps... even beefheart... i think people don't take care of their fish maybe?? so the pleco goes nuts and attacks the fish... reason i make the non aggressive referance is because my texas kicks the snot out of my pleco and he hides with the pike all the time, running for his life when she goes on her random rampages.... couldn't get her slime coat if his life depended on it..

 

[dadecountyalan]

bn plecos do good. and discus do not like high water current.although you might get awaqy with it since you have such a huge tank. as for how much. well that depends on your budget because you could put more than 35 in there

 

[chloe]

iv never had discus but the slime coat thing imo happens to bichirs mainly because they just sit there lol. i only ever saw it happen with mine when the plec was just sucking its way around and happened upon a sitting poly, poly would wriggle straight off and that was it.

 

[3dees]

Gasha, how can you say it's a load of crap when you don't even keep discus? I'm not talking about other fish. look it up and you will find many discus keepers who had trouble with certain plecos, oto's and loaches sucking the slime from thier fish. there must be something about discus slime that attracts some fish to do this. I never said that all plecos do this. I have a 5" bn and he never bothers my discus. all I said was to read up on them. that should be good advice for any fish you add.