Discus have an expensive learning curve!

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Achill3s

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 11, 2010
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Florida
Yup, Discus have an expensive learning curve if your not careful. I recently decided to try discus with my 75 since the dempsey and severums kept trying to kill each other. Couldn't really afford a large group so I got a deal on 3 small to medium sized discus for 120, beautiul colors. About a week and a half after getting them, came home to find one dead. LFS has 7 day policy and wouldn't trade it out for me. Ok fine, I still have 2, freebie died. 2 days later. 2nd one flips out in the tank, spinning in circles and dies right before my eyes. At this point I am very disappointed. I have had so much good luck with so many fish, thought I could keep them without issue. So far the last one is doing fine. I have moved it to my planted 20 long until my 20 tall cycles completly. I know they like to be in groups but I can't afford to get anymore right now and a 20 tall may not be a huge tank for it but it should be happy. Here is the tank its in now. http://72.187.139.72:8081/

And no, I didn't put them in with a dempsey or severums...sold those!
 
Join SimplyDiscus and read the forums...should help lessen the learning curve.
 
Yes with a little research discus are not any harder than angelfish to raise. one suggestion I wouldnt buy discus from anyone who would only sell you three of them. I also wouldnt buy discus from anyone that offers a guaruntee of any kind since one will not be needed providing they are a reputable source and you should know what you are doing. Raising discus should not be difficult breeding them is another story althought it is still not that hard with a little research and know how.

i would suggest finding a local breeder that can provide you with quality healthy fish as well as mentor you on how to raise them.
 
Discus won't be happy if you put them in a new tank with fish they are not use to, they need to be on there own so they can adapt to there new surroundings, too much stress will kill them.

Discus are OK but they need to be the main fish in the tank kept with small peaceful fish like cardinal tetra. They need fresh water & clean filters - It' is very important to quarantine them as they get immune to different bacterias & Illness
so a new healthy looking fish could wipe out all your existing fish . If you can't quarantine them I would add primafix or melafix salt & do plenty of water changes..
 
My discus are like rats. They just wont friggen die!! I leave the filter off for a week (twice), don't feed them for months at a time, put off water changes and they just keep on living it! I bought them from a nice hobbyist for 10$/pc at ~2"-3" I bought 5 and 3-4 months later their all still alive! And 2x as big! Their little royal PITA. Completely ignore me, don't beg for food, act like they somethin real special... quite the contrary!

I liked the idea of peaceful cichids at first, miss my old group of fish SO MUCH! Sure 1 of them was gettin too big but the rest were doing great! Just hope you don't make the same mistake as me.... Selling off your most beloved fishes to try something new... wish I could go back in time and keep my featherfin catfish. She was my treasure piece! FULL of personality. :(.

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I've had discus for years, and they can be tricky. Warm water, clean water, and soft water very important. And then they still die for no reason. They are known for viruses and internal parasites.
Can't do anything for viruses but maybe a UV could help with parasites
Good luck. They're beautiful fish


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Doing proper research PRIOR to buying expensive fish like discus should be a given. Most likely you would not have bought 3 small discus from a LFS that gave you a free one for buying two, that should have been your warning sign right there :)

Discus are not any harder to keep just give them clean water, good food, and the right environment. Most domestic breeders raise their discus in tap water so the issue of ph and soft water are non existent unless you are dealing with wild discus.

Any reputable breeder or dealer keep discus in pristine conditions and you very rarely encounter disease or parasites when dealing direct.
 
mr.bigglesworth said:
My discus are like rats. They just wont friggen die!! I leave the filter off for a week (twice), don't feed them for months at a time, put off water changes and they just keep on living it! I bought them from a nice hobbyist for 10$/pc at ~2"-3" I bought 5 and 3-4 months later their all still alive! And 2x as big! Their little royal PITA. Completely ignore me, don't beg for food, act like they somethin real special... quite the contrary!
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You sound like a terrible fish keeper, others should probably just ignore your advice.
 
lipadj46 said:
You sound like a terrible fish keeper, others should probably just ignore your advice.
Click to expand...

+1 if that's how you treat your fish you shouldn't keep fish at all and don't deserve to leaving your filter off for a week would be like your parents not letting you shower for a week and not feeding for 3 weeks is like you not eating for 10 days why don't you make a fake fish tank on your computer because with the way you treat your fish your not a true fish keeper at all...


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