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View Full Version : How many discus will fit in a 10 gallon QT?


Diann62
10-03-2008, 10:49 AM
I have a 10 gallon QT tank that I'm putting my discus into before putting them in the 110 gallon. The LFS has pigeon blood that are 3-4" for $60.00 or 3 for $150.00 so I want to get 3. How many will fit in the 10 gallon? Should I only get 1 at a time? Will only 1 discus get lonely being by itself for a month? If I get one at a time, it'll take 3 months just to get 3 fish in the 110 gallon, but I don't want to do anything wrong. What are the thoughts?
excuzzzeme
10-03-2008, 11:39 AM
I figure you can stack 20 in there at once!:grinyes:

On there serious side, I would do one at a time to keep the water healthy and to give it swimming room. Depending on the quality of your LFS you may want to consider a shorter QT.

I never QT from the lfs I do most of my business with as they take excellent care of the livestock nor do I purchase anything brand new/just arrived. I have them hold it for a couple of weeks first. They haven't lost fish and neither have I.
DominionDesign
10-03-2008, 11:55 AM
I figure you can stack 20 in there at once!:grinyes:


It depends on if you stack them top to bottom or side to side:). I would think you could quarantine 3 at once if the tank has an established bio filter and you do 50% daily water changes. TFH had an article by Jack Watley awhile back where he visited a friend who kept a breeding pair in a 14 tall. As long as they are well fed and the water is good I dont see a problem.
The Zigman
10-03-2008, 12:05 PM
can you get a biggeer QT? Like maybe a 20Long?
The reason being that it would be best to add the 3 discus to your show tank at the same time, rather than one at a time .. to avoid possible agression issues...
otherwise the first discus in the tank mya dry to dominate the others...
happenedin my 125.
Draal5
10-03-2008, 2:08 PM
You don't say whether you have any other discus or not? what other fish are in the 110?

3 Discus is the worst possible number to keep you need 5 or more so that their aggression is spread around. 3 will quickly kill one then the 2 remaining will go at it till the other is dead.

You need to read up a little more on discus before you start keeping them.
Star_Rider
10-03-2008, 3:10 PM
in a nutshell a 10 is too small for Discus even for a qt period. you will need a larger tank 29-40 Gal to house for qt.
wataugachicken
10-03-2008, 3:32 PM
in a nutshell a 10 is too small for Discus even for a qt period. you will need a larger tank 29-40 Gal to house for qt.

i agree. if you're going to spend the money on discus, you might as well spend a little more on a good qt tank for them and do it right. one other thing is that if in the future something *bad* happens and you need to use a hospital tank to isolate a sick discus, a 10g definitely isn't going to cut it for a bigger fish or two. better to be prepared from the start than breaking the speed laws trying to get to petsmart before they close to pick up a larger spare tank. (because the worst fish emergencies always happen when all the stores are about the close. and i'm not kidding.)
Star_Rider
10-03-2008, 3:41 PM
I have a 10 gallon QT tank that I'm putting my discus into before putting them in the 110 gallon. The LFS has pigeon blood that are 3-4" for $60.00 or 3 for $150.00 so I want to get 3.

How many will fit in the 10 gallon? None a 10 is too small even for temporary housing.

Should I only get 1 at a time?I would recommend getting more optimally you need 4-5 to diffuse aggression. Discus are not the calm passive fish you might believe. they are still, after all, Cichlids.

Will only 1 discus get lonely being by itself for a month? see above

If I get one at a time, it'll take 3 months just to get 3 fish in the 110 gallon, but I don't want to do anything wrong. What are the thoughts? get a larger tank and stock 4-5 discus. you can do this with a 29-30 if you buy juveniles, they will need frequent water changes and several feedings per day(4-5) this usually means lots of cleaning up.
discus are foragers and will forage all day long.

I had a bit of time to elaborate but in a nutshell I agree with other posters
hirschy75
10-03-2008, 3:43 PM
I would pretty much double what everyone has said so far.

A 10 is way to small for one, especially alone for a month. use your 125 as the QT tank. Ask the store to hold them in a seperate tank, if your going to get 3 or more they might be willing todo this. Otherwise just take them home and put them in the 125.

Again it would be better to get 5-7 totally, for some reason i have heard that they do better in odd numbers above 3 rather than even ones.
The Zigman
10-03-2008, 4:24 PM
I had 3 discus in my 125 for about 3 weeks... the smallest was bullied by every other discus..
I added 2 more, and all was good.. you definately need more than 3.
Diann62
10-03-2008, 5:07 PM
I plan on getting about 7 or 8 in total, but was just starting out with these ones. I have cardinal tetras, 3 clown loaches and 3 bristlenose plecos in the 125. Too bad I already have the 10 gallon set up and ready to go. Looks like I'll have to either get a larger one, or just put them in the 125.
pinkertd
10-04-2008, 10:45 AM
I totally agree with with everyone has advised you. Get a bit bigger QT tank, doesn't have to be anything fancy. Ideally get them all at one time so they establish their pecking order right off the bat. And with only 3 you will definitely see two pick on one right from the start! A group of 7-8 will be awesome for that large tank you've got!!
67chevelle
10-04-2008, 12:24 PM
Like everyone else said,10 gallons is too small.But because you are interesred in a quarantine tank,I would go with a 29 gallon.Buy a big enough sponge filter for it,then run the sponge filter in your community tank(with whatever other filter/filters you have) to keep the sponge filter cycled.If you happen to need it later on,you can fill the 29 qt tank and then just take the sponge filter out of your community tank and put it in the qt tank and,viola,the tank is cycled and safe for a sick fish.When you don't need the tank,keep it empty and out of the way.
In the meantime,like someone else mentioned,if you are buying your discus from a good LFS,I would not worry about quarintining them.But have a QT tank ready with a cycled filter just in case you need it for a sick fish later.
smbjedi
10-05-2008, 8:58 PM
check craigslist, you could get a larger tank for free. :headbang2:
lilim10
10-05-2008, 9:40 PM
You don't say whether you have any other discus or not? what other fish are in the 110?

3 Discus is the worst possible number to keep you need 5 or more so that their aggression is spread around. 3 will quickly kill one then the 2 remaining will go at it till the other is dead.

You need to read up a little more on discus before you start keeping them.

:iagree:Discus have a lot more to them than price and beauty. Research it up, http://forum.simplydiscus.com/ is a good site to visit and get good quality discus, most discus from the lfs are poor quality and unhealthy.
Preeths
10-06-2008, 5:50 AM
If the tank has no other fish then i do not see why you want to quarantine them? Go ahead and put the fish in the 110 after it is cycled.
Star_Rider
10-06-2008, 10:20 AM
If the tank has no other fish then i do not see why you want to quarantine them? Go ahead and put the fish in the 110 after it is cycled.
the benefit to qt is in the event you need to treat you avoid stressing the fish (catching them) and can treat in the QT tank.
Qt are generally smaller so the dosage of meds is more economical.