Considering Getting Into Discus... Advice?

[WyldFya]

Maybe you just need to be a bit sneakier

Get a tank thats suitable for discus - it will also be fine for all sorts of other discus compatible community fish. Set it up with the tetras, corys, loaches... normal community fish. Dont stock it heavily though. Once it's all established and running smoothly quietly slip in a couple of small discus They are better going into a well established and planted tank anyway. They dont really need any special care or conditions, they just dont tolerate poor water conditions as well as many other fish.

Sometimes it's easier to get forgiveness than permission

Ian

Highlighted info is incorrect. Discus generally will do poorly in planted tanks, as planted tanks and discus have opposite needs. They do require special care, as not many people do 50-100% water changes daily on their guppy tanks.

 

[WyldFya]

Ever since I got into fishkeeping and started to go to REAL fish stores, I've always been mystified with Discus. One of my favorite fish since I was tiny was the angelfish, and the Discus kind of took the crown away. I still love angels, and I'm not afraid to have them, but I've always been a bit afraid to try Discus. Sometimes my LFS will get some nice ones in and it's a struggle to not buy a few - sorta like I feel like they're "too good" for me. Anyway, I've done my research and I think I'm going to try. I'm not going to out and out go from no Discus to trying to breed them... but I'd like to pick up a few small ones and see how it goes. As for tank space, I'm a bit confined. My bigger tanks (2 55s and a 29) are packed with fat, happy bichirs - and my boyfriend wouldn't let me put something "girly" in with them. I AM in control of one 10g and 2 20gs. My plan is to find some young discus (saw some websites selling 2'') and putting them in one of my 20gs. If the time or need arises, I can always whine until I get the 29, or just set up a new one. Because I'm afraid I'll fail, I'm going to try to find some extra cheap (ugly ) ones, but I would like a reputable source.

So, from what my research says, I'm shooting for a pH 6.4-6.8, water temp of mid 80s, and very regular significant WCs somewhere from 25% wkly up to 30% every 2 days... correct? Also, I read in one website not to use carbon at all in the tanks filtration - but I only saw it on one site. Was it true? And what type of filtration would be best for the 20g?

Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated - and if I have any information wrong please correct me

Keeper*

If you were talking about wild discus, your info would be somewhat good. Todays domestic discus are very hardy, and can be kept in a wide range of pH's. They are fairly undemanding, but a bare bottom tank is best to start with for young discus. If you do decide to get discus, a 20G with very frequent water changes will be fine, but you will want to start with 4-6 in the tank. For water changes, as a minimum, I recommend no less than 50% weekly. If you want full size discus eventually (especially with a tank as small as a 20H) then you will want to be up around 50-100% daily, 100% being done in two parts during the day. Food is another area that discus are special in. When small they do best having several feedings a day. I feed my discus 4-7 times every day. A wide variety of foods is also important. Live or frozen bloodworms or blackworms is going to become a large portion of their diet.

 

[Bobears]

Hey WyldFya, clarify something for me since I also am about to go down the Discus path. I've read some of the same things Keeper has and it's a little confusing. I know most Discus are tank breed now. I also know that that makes them more hardy after a few generations, as you say they are more hardy now. But, why the constant massive water changes if they are more hardy. If I can maintain consistent water quality for two weeks then why would I need to do anything different? Different in that ph is 6.5 with low alkalinity.

 

[johnny_1993]

good luck anywys

 

[Ianab]

Highlighted info is incorrect. Discus generally will do poorly in planted tanks, as planted tanks and discus have opposite needs. They do require special care, as not many people do 50-100% water changes daily on their guppy tanks

Sorry... I have to disagree there

http://www.discushaven.co.nz/keeping.htm

Now this guy is the main discus breeder and supplier here in NZ, so I have to assume he knows what he is talking about.

Clean water is vital for Discus. Weekly water changes of at least 20% are a must, ideally more, but not all in one go. Always remember that changes to your fishes environment can create a certain amount of stress and nothing can be more detrimental to your fishes health than stress. So, as a matter of course, do not change any more than 20% at any one time. Do this once or twice a week and your Discus will thrive.

It may also be that generally NZ water is very soft, slightly acidic and low in Nitrate. It may be that it's more like their natural environment, making keeping them easier? Some peoples tap water has higher nitrate readings than our old tank water, that cant make it easy to keep fussy fish.

The planted or bare bottom is more debatable, but if you are keeping a show tank as opposed to breeding then it's generally going to be planted. Discus should do fine in that - as long as your water quality is kept high.

And my guppy tank does get 50% water changes, because it's overcrowded - but only weekly

But I still maintin they dont require 'special' care, just a higher standard than many other fish can survive with.

Cheers

Ian

 

[WyldFya]

Hey WyldFya, clarify something for me since I also am about to go down the Discus path. I've read some of the same things Keeper has and it's a little confusing. I know most Discus are tank breed now. I also know that that makes them more hardy after a few generations, as you say they are more hardy now. But, why the constant massive water changes if they are more hardy. If I can maintain consistent water quality for two weeks then why would I need to do anything different? Different in that ph is 6.5 with low alkalinity.

They are hardier, but still require large amounts of food, which results in larger amounts of nitrogen. They need very low levels of nitrogen to keep growing properly. Large water changes is the way to fix that. They are hardier in pH swings and such, but still need very clean water.

 

[WyldFya]

Sorry... I have to disagree there

http://www.discushaven.co.nz/keeping.htm

Now this guy is the main discus breeder and supplier here in NZ, so I have to assume he knows what he is talking about.



It may also be that generally NZ water is very soft, slightly acidic and low in Nitrate. It may be that it's more like their natural environment, making keeping them easier? Some peoples tap water has higher nitrate readings than our old tank water, that cant make it easy to keep fussy fish.

The planted or bare bottom is more debatable, but if you are keeping a show tank as opposed to breeding then it's generally going to be planted. Discus should do fine in that - as long as your water quality is kept high.

And my guppy tank does get 50% water changes, because it's overcrowded - but only weekly

But I still maintin they dont require 'special' care, just a higher standard than many other fish can survive with.

Cheers

Ian

He doesn't know plants. It is a very bad idea to do both for most. Where discus should be kept under 10ppm of nitrogen, peferably around 5 or less, while plants should be kept anywhere from 10-20ppm nitrogen, there is an obvious problem. While the discus will survive in a planted tank, unless the keeper is very diligent about the paramenters, you will quickly end up with a stunted discus. If you start with adult discus, this isn't a problem. If that is your main breeder of discus, I recommend you look at other sources. His recommendation for waterchanges is very low, and 50% is not bad at all. Many breeders change 50% water twice daily. Simply put, planted tanks need a good balanced, moderate nutrient level, while discus that are young and trying to grow to their full size need very low nutrient levels. Mixing the two, will end in stunted discus 9 times out of 10.

 

[Ianab]

I agree it's a compromise. But saying you need to do 50% water changes daily to keep discus is still a bit extreme. I think many breeders may actually do that, but they are going to be stocking their commercial growout tanks at a much higher rate than you should be keeping discus in a home tank. They are still successfull because of the high water change rate that keeps the water quality good.

But in a home tank you should be stocking much lower, and I agree that keeping the Nitrates low (<10) is the way to go. But how much water you need to change depends on the stocking rate and the quality of the new water. If your tap water is already high nitrate, you may never achieve under 10ppm, but if it's under 1ppm and the tank is lightly stocked it's perfectly possible without huge water changes.

Cheers

Ian

 

[WyldFya]

Not at 20% once a week it isn't possible. Discus need high protein, high calorie foods, in sizeable amounts several times every day. The higher amount of food fed daily then most other fish is going to result in very high nitrogen levels in very little time. Do not change the words I say into something I did not say. To keep discus, you can keep them in a 10 gallon with no filter, but to successfully grow discus to their full size, you need to do larger water changes than a mere 20%.

 

[Bderick67]

Sorry... I have to disagree there

http://www.discushaven.co.nz/keeping.htm

Now this guy is the main discus breeder and supplier here in NZ, so I have to assume he knows what he is talking about.

Maybe this guy is more interested in just selling discus and doesn't want to scare anyone off. Researching this you will find most recommend at least 50% weekly for adults and much more for growing young discus.

I know the first 6 to 8 months I had my discus, they only received 50% weekly changes and I really paid no attention to nitrates. My 2 year old discus are all between 4 to 5" and will never reach their full potiental.