Angelfish and Discus?

[caps]

JuanTamad,

If you dont mind me asking, whats the temp of your 55G, do you have live or fake plants? and do you have problems with feeding? Were you Discuss small or large when introduced to the tank?

I have a 75 community as stated in an earlier post and would like to add Discus, but I'm worred the increased temperture would not be good for my other fish and plants. (I might be wrong because I'm still researching this) I'm obviously also concerned about compatability between the Discuss and other fish.

Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[SimmonM]

I have a 65g with 5 Discus (all approx. 4") and 3 Angels (all slightly larger than a nickel). I find that when I introduce the angels into a discus tank at those sizes I don't usually have problems (I've raised Discus w/angels before successfully).

Yes Angels are aggresive eaters but healthy discus are also aggressive eaters (atleast in my experience).

Also - I don't buy into the whole "Angels-have-some-disease-that-only-kill-Discus" thing. As I said earlier - I've raised both species together successfully without problems or ever encountering this mystery disease. Make sure to properly qt Angels before introducing into the Discus tank and keep up with your water changes. I do 3 50% changes per week and I'm fine. Good luck!

 

[milkman407]

Thats 29 fish bro? thats alot lmao but i dont know how big they are wasnet paying attention im so sleepy ZZZZZZZ

 

[blue_gourami45]

I've seen angels & discus together in pet stores. Discus are gorgeous fish, kind of the 'elite' of the cichlids, but from what I have heard they are picky with water softness/ph/temperature (?) Am I correct? I would love to try keeping discus but because they are such a high priced fish I have not been willing to risk my $$$. Thanks for the info on what angels eat: I only feed mine flakes and bloodworms. I do have some frozen on hand for my African Elephant nose, will see if the angel likes that, but there are other fish in the tank with the angel and I know they'll eat it also. (yay! I have 3 posts now )

 

[Dkarc]

I've seen angels & discus together in pet stores. Discus are gorgeous fish, kind of the 'elite' of the cichlids, but from what I have heard they are picky with water softness/ph/temperature (?) Am I correct? I would love to try keeping discus but because they are such a high priced fish I have not been willing to risk my $$$. Thanks for the info on what angels eat: I only feed mine flakes and bloodworms. I do have some frozen on hand for my African Elephant nose, will see if the angel likes that, but there are other fish in the tank with the angel and I know they'll eat it also. (yay! I have 3 posts now )

Nope, not true. The water pH and hardness for the most part does not matter. My discus hatchery runs at a pH of 7.5 and a hardness of around 6GH. I know other breeders who keep their stock in a pH of 8.0 and a GH of 17!! And their discus do just fine. They can and will adapt to almost any pH. The only time I have seen discus do poorly is when the pH is above the 8.0-8.2 area. Yes, they do require a higher temp in the mid 80's. The key with discus is the water quality. Do NOT confuse water QUALITY with water CLARITY. Just because the tank is crystal clear doesnt mean the water is of good quality. Walk up to your tank right now and put your nose about an inch away from the water surface...that smell is the smell of a tank with a high organic load...which isnt detectable by any testing out there. To maintain good water quality, you need to do frequent water changes. I recommend 50% water changes everyday...but this isnt practical for most hobbyists. As long as you understock your tank, have a good biological filter, feed clean foods, and clean the filters weekly (the mechanical/prefilters), then you can get away with a 50% water change once or twice a week. That is the only thing discus are picky about...the water quality. If the water quality isnt up to par, they will let you know about it by showing their stress bars (vertical black stripes) or peppering (for PB based discus), and hiding in the tank, turning dark and not eating....all of these symptoms is what you probably see at your LFS when they get discus in. This is because LFS dont know how to care for discus, nor do they want to know. They are a disposable source of money. If it dies, they'll just order another one. No big deal right? Wrong! The LFS discus are stressed constantly because of the less than ideal conditions (bad water quality, too aggressive tank inhabitants, etc) they are far more prone to disease because the constant stress does hell on their immune system (we see this same effect on humans who are overworked and constantly in a state of worry). So, if you get discus, do not get them from the LFS. Instead, look for a local breeder. If you cant find one, then find a reputable discus breeder or importer who can ship the fish to you. When you go this route though, ask lots of questions and ask for ACTUAL pictures of the fish you are interested in. Not just a whole tank shot...some good up close shots. Ask a lot of questions. Ask for references. If a seller cant or wont do these things for you, then move on and find another discus seller who will. In the end, it'll make you more satisfied with your purchase and will give you a better chance in succeeding with discus because they are most likely healthier than if you bought elsewhere. If a seller has good quality, healthy discus...they arent afraid to show them off. Matter of fact, they are proud to do so. If you dont get this vibe from your seller, then move on to someone else. Plus, you can find good quality discus from hobbbyist breeders at the 2.5-3" range for well under $30 ($20 for more common types).

-Ryan
Orlando Discus

 

[upaquariest]

I have had no problems in my tank I have 2 large angels one almost 12 in tall and my discus was barely 2 inches when i put him in the tank while i have only one I am planning on 3 more just have not been able to find a reasonable supplier in my area. But after 2 weeks or so my discus actually began pushing the angels around, I have had him for about a year now and when i put food in the rest of the fish actually wait for him to leave the area before they begin to feed.

55 gallon with aqua clear 500 filtration

ph 7.0
water temp 84

Stock
6 cory cats
african butterfly
1 Large angel (12+ in tall) the other died a couple days ago
large bala shark
silver dollar
3" discus
3" pleco

 

[zekni]

I don't know if this helps or not, but I have a 65gal with one 3-4" angel who was alone in the tank before I bought four 3" or so discus. The discus were very shy at first, but follow the angel around quite a bit, and as the angel fish is quite outgoing, seem to swim the tank more freely and come out to eat more readily for having the angel around.