Are discus hard to keep?

[fattubwhale]

Raising Discus is not as difficult as it sounds or what people make it out to be! Once you figure out a routine with water changes, feeding schedule and most important keeping your water parameters stable and under control it becomes more enjoyable and less stress full.
Everything comes down to trial and error... you will learn from the mistakes you make! It's just like any other fish you raise Discus are just a little more sensitive to the water parameters. No one gets it right the first time.
Bottom line is, For healthy and Happy Discus It all comes down to PRISTINE WATER CONDITIONS, QUALITY FOOD and a little TLC.
This is what I do and it works for me

 

[Wenzo0o0o0oo]

Ro Is not needed if u just want to keep them, but for show or breeding to might be good


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[mudbuttjones]

Id say if you set up a proper drip system they could be just as easy to keep as2 anything else

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[Wenzo0o0o0oo]

Id say if you set up a proper drip system they could be just as easy to keep as2 anything else

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Are drip systems a must for discus?


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[mudbuttjones]

Are drip systems a must for discus?


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I don't keep discus, but plenty of people do, and just change water (manually) every day. Alot of breeders don't even have filters on tanks, just change water daily .

It would be a must for me, as daily water changes are a deal breaker. Tanks are a hobby albiet an excessive hobby, but I don't want to be married to a discus tank.

Depending on your tap water a drip system could be problematic without being treated/conditioned/aged/whatever before being added. The high Temps could be hard to maintain also depending on how things are set up.

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[Anderman]

Yes they are are difficult if you have other tanks to take care of and probably not as difficult if you only have one tank and just have to look after the discus. If you are already doing maintenance on other tanks and then all of a sudden you start a discus tank then here is what happens.... more water changes then the average fish,need soft water for the eggs to hatch, parasite problems and eating and overeating problems. I would say they are a pain in the butt and after mine all bite the dust it won't be a fish that I will ever own again. For me the hobby is something to sit back and enjoy not a job as I already have a job. So if you want a new job and more things to do then buy discus because they will keep you busy keeping them alive and healthy.

 

[RD.]

The following Stendker discus were purchased as small juvies, and raised on pellet food (1mm NLS) fed 2-3 times a day, the odd treat of bloodworms, and received large weekly water changes, just like all the other fish kept in this local breeders fish room. Tank temps were 82F, and the juvies were all raised in HARD water with a pH of 8.0. The only discus that I'm aware Don had issues with were some of the weaker designer strains out of SE Asia, that were sickly from the get go. The Stendker discus were as hardy as any other cichlid that I have seen or kept over the years.

No need to have a drip system, or perform daily water changes if you aren't feeding beef etc. The cleaner the food the less issues one has with water quality, and the longer one can go between water changes.

As Ryan stated there are far more difficult to keep SA cichlids compared to discus ......

 

[MKD]

They're different than other fish. Most fish grow side ways more, they grow all 4 ways that make them round. so you'll experience and notice how they grow/develop patterns or color when you provide proper care and feedings them. They're not for those whose feed/care/wc whenever you like. IMO, they are more likely a pet than just fish that some people think that they can feed 1 time a week and wc very 2 weeks or whenever they feel like to wc. Commitment is the key.

 

[aquatic lover]

Hi,

I am keeping Discus at the moment in one of the three fish tanks. I have had heard the difficulty of discus and was surprise at the easiness of the fish when I knew the rules. I do a regular water change of 50% once to twice a week. I do not have the luxury of daily water changes as the cost of water is expensive I use the substrate such as Tashi Amano to keep the pH at low levels so I do not have to fiddle with the pH. I keep watch of nitrates so they will not get high. The substrate also helps me grow the plants. I also makes sure the discus is the dominant fish in the tank and not stressed or bullied by other fish.

 

[CANAMONSTER]

The following Stendker discus were purchased as small juvies, and raised on pellet food (1mm NLS) fed 2-3 times a day, the odd treat of bloodworms, and received large weekly water changes, just like all the other fish kept in this local breeders fish room. Tank temps were 82F, and the juvies were all raised in HARD water with a pH of 8.0. The only discus that I'm aware Don had issues with were some of the weaker designer strains out of SE Asia, that were sickly from the get go. The Stendker discus were as hardy as any other cichlid that I have seen or kept over the years.

No need to have a drip system, or perform daily water changes if you aren't feeding beef etc. The cleaner the food the less issues one has with water quality, and the longer one can go between water changes.

As Ryan stated there are far more difficult to keep SA cichlids compared to discus ......

Thanks! I'm going to give them a shot I think!