Questions for general Discus care

[Pyramid_Party]

Hi, well I been thinking about giving Discus a try, but before I do that I'd like to do the right thing and gather some info about them. I have a few questions:



1. How are Discus when they breed? How do they act towards other Discus or other fish in general? Are they violent when protecting their eggs/babies?


2. Can (2) Breeding pair of Discus be housed in a 55 gal?


3. Are loaches a good tank mate for these fish?


4. Does alot of water movement irritate Discus? What I mean is, say for example, you have an aquaclear 110 on the tank and the water movement it causes, will this not be good for Discus or it doesnt matter?


If I was to house any other fish with them, I'd probably do some loaches. This is all the questions I have for now, cant think of anything else. If theres something you'd like to let me know, go ahead and share it. Thanks

 

[Discus-Hans]

Hi, well I been thinking about giving Discus a try, but before I do that I'd like to do the right thing and gather some info about them. I have a few questions:



1. How are Discus when they breed? How do they act towards other Discus or other fish in general? Are they violent when protecting their eggs/babies?


2. Can (2) Breeding pair of Discus be housed in a 55 gal?


3. Are loaches a good tank mate for these fish?


4. Does alot of water movement irritate Discus? What I mean is, say for example, you have an aquaclear 110 on the tank and the water movement it causes, will this not be good for Discus or it doesnt matter?


If I was to house any other fish with them, I'd probably do some loaches. This is all the questions I have for now, cant think of anything else. If theres something you'd like to let me know, go ahead and share it. Thanks

Pyramid_Party,

Good idea !!!!!

1. Not real violent but they protect their brood.

2. Yes.

3. Yes, but you've to let them slowly get used to the higher temps, 84-86F.

4. They don't like to much movement, but to give you an example (not sure how much movement an aquaclear 110 will give) I've an airstone in each 20 gallon high breeding tank and this give quit some movement, they are okay with that.

There are 1,000's of things I could tell you but my time doesn't allow this.

But do you want to breed them or just keep them and IF it happens....let it be.
If you want to breed them, split the 55 in 2 parts, the filter foam I use in my filter systems (2") is perfect for that. It will give you a higher survival rate.

Hans

 

[ikevi]

I'll chime in on the ac110. With it going full blast in a 55 it will in essence cause the discus to stay on the half of the tank the HOB filter isn't on. Though the loaches would enjoy it.

 

[Pyramid_Party]

Yeah, so I guess the aquaclear 110 would irritate them. I suppose a cannister filter would be better. What would you say? Also, I think I wont have loaches with them, I heard since loaches are move around too mcuh it might stress the discus.

So with 4 discus, if I were to add any other fish, would this be overstocked? I dont like to overstock tanks. What would be a good tank mate for Discus?

Also, whats an ideal set up for them? Wood/plants and do they prefer sand or regular gravel? Also, with (2) breeding pair, is there chance for cross breeding? Is this a good thing or bad thing?

 

[SusieQ]

Hi There.. While Hans is certainly more of an expert than most of us, I will add a little bit from my experience.
I use canister filters in all but my breeding tanks. Depending on how your fish react to the current you can use the spray bar to have a less turbulent waterflow. I also suggest more than 4 discus. They are happiest in groups and if you are very good about water changes etc you could probably get away with 5 or 6. If you end up loving them (most of us do) you are probably gonna move up to a bigger tank anyways..LOL
Are you planning on starting with juveniles or adults?? That affects the stocking as well as the tank setup. Most folks, including me recommend bare bottom for juveniles as they need lots of feedings and lots of water changes and it is easier to maintain. But I have raised smaller discus in planted tanks and again.. if you are diligent about their water they do fine. They just don't seem to grow as large. They love a sand substrate.. pool filter sand is cheap and great. It's fun to watch them blow at the sand to get their food. They are very plant friendly. I've had them with rummeynose and bn and assorted others with no problems.
I have had 2 breeding pairs in a 125 with other discus and other fish and no problems. They are not as aggressive as say angelfish when breeding. But they are cichlids and each has its own personality. I had one that I had to give to a friend as it bullied all the other fish in the tank no matter what I tried.
They are fantastic fish but they do require more attention than your average tropical . You should do a lot of research and then go for it if you feel you are ready to undertake the commitment. Thanks to many strains being tank raised they are not the oh so sensitive fish they used to be. I cannot stress too strongly to get your fish from a reputable breeder and if possible all at the same time.
They were probably the most rewarding fish I've ever kept. I especially enjoyed the mating/parenting. While this is a great site for info I also recommend you look at simplydiscus.com, a site dedicated to these beauties. HTH and good luck with whatever you decide to do. Sue

 

[Casper]

Possible tankmates:

As SusieQ pointed out, Rummynose and Cardinal (not neon) tetras are most commonly used. The Rummynose tetras really stay together so the schooling effect i really nice.
Also bristlenose plecos work well since they really stick to algae and don't get large and won't suck on your discus slime coat.

I've also seen setups with eartheaters (Geophagus) with discus, but I'm not sure which species are acceptable.

Of course there are the Apistogrammas (German ram, etc.). They'll just inhabit their little part of the tank and not bother any of the discus. Maybe even make fry for discus to eat? lol.