High pH discus sellers

[Yoimbrian]

Greetings!

First off, I'm well aware discus are naturally from soft and acidic water, but I'm also well aware plenty of people have healthy discus growing in alkaline water.

My reality is my water is about pH 8.5 out of the tap, and I can't do RO because I'm on an old septic system and I don't even like the water use I have now.

So my question is this - do any high end discus sellers (whether breed or import) keep their fish in high pH water? I'd like to buy from one of them, if they exist.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Pretty sure discus Hans uses just regular water with his discus. He is located in the north east of the country but I forget exactly where. He has some incredible discus too. That is probably your best source to get them from.

 

[Bigfishnut]

Pretty sure discus Hans uses just regular water with his discus. He is located in the north east of the country but I forget exactly where. He has some incredible discus too. That is probably your best source to get them from.

He's just outside Baltimore MD. I have discus from Hans and they do great and even successfully breed in pH of nearly 8!

 

[Discusk]

I keep all my discus in high PH about 81-8.3 and they are doing fine. Don't worry about the high PH if u are going to keep them. However, With breeding i don't think it will work.

 

[Yoimbrian]

Thanks, I'll try contacting Hans!

I read somewhere claiming that the reason they can't be bred at high pH is the calcium disrupts the fertilization of the eggs or something, but who knows.

 

[Bigfishnut]

Thanks, I'll try contacting Hans!

I read somewhere claiming that the reason they can't be bred at high pH is the calcium disrupts the fertilization of the eggs or something, but who knows.

My discus have breed successfully at pH of 8. Don't sweat the pH

 

[Yoimbrian]

Got word back from Hans. He says they keep their discus at pH 7 and said pH 8.5 is on the high side and recommended altering the water to bring it down.

I've got a drip system set up, altering the water would be very difficult, and likely end up in pH swings (generally seen as far worse).

So back to my original question. Any vendors keep their discus at high pH???

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I would still go with discus Hans. Once you get the discus and they get settled in, the ph will be fine. It’s more important for the ph to be stable than for it to be lower.

Are you planning one getting adults or juvies?

 

[Bigfishnut]

Definitely spend the extra money for adult doscus. They tend to be far hardier and adjust to high pH better. If you buy small discus you will lose some and end up having spent as much per fish anyway. I've been through all this before and learned the hard way. I've ordered 40 to 50 discus at a time from Hans, and with 2.5" juvies I've suffered big loss. Adults seem to always adjust right away and do great.

 

[Lilyann]

I would listen to Han's recommendation. He has been doing this a long time and he knows his fish. There is good reasons why discus need to stay within a particular range of pH and the idea that a consistent pH is more important than a particular number can be only stretched so far. There are limits- and your pH is quite high, which, in the long term, will contribute to environmental stress which will lower the immunity of the fish.