Best tankmates for Discus

[wuicho]

Hi everyone, im seting up a new tank that is 48"x24"x24" the ph is around 7.0 the filtration is one aquaclear 500 and one fluval 303.
I want to put in there some discus and Im woundering which tankmates coud i put in there too.
Any suggestions? :)

[morleyz]

I've seen angels with discus and it has a nice look.

[Dangerdoll]

I have angels with my discus.....also have some cories....they all get along fine....

[Harry Tolen]

Some people feel that angels are too active and aggressive (relative to discus) and that the combination doesn't generally work well. However, one of the most beautiful tanks I ever saw was at the Steinhart in San Francisco, and the combination seemed to be just fine. Of course, that tank was a six foot cube, so everyone had plenty of room to maneuver (they had Bolivian rams for the bottom area, too).

But the tank you describe is also pretty good-sized, and with moderate stocking levels it just might work. Bolivian or regular rams would also be good for the bottom. You could also get away with cardinals or rummynose tetras as schooling fish, for a little more activity.

Sounds like a great tank, by the way. Are you going to go for the planted look, or for the natural biotope look with tons of driftwood? The waters that discus inhabit naturally are not densely planted, but do have lots of wood and roots.

[wuicho]

Thanks for the sugestions, what do you guys think about this
Top
5 Marbled hatefish
Middle
4 Apistograma Cacatuoides
5 Discus
Bottom
2 Royal Plecos
1 Elephantnose
4 Corydoras

:)

What about silver dollars?

[Harry Tolen]

The marbled hatchetfish will be fine. In fact, you could have a few more. The A. cacatuoides is not in fact the best apisto for this tank, as they prefer somewhat harder water. Also, they will tend to inhabit the bottom, not the middle. I'd go for German rams instead, as they enjoy the water conditions for discus more than most apistos. The corys will be fine (just don't pick a species like C. barbatus that prefers colder water). As far as the plecos go, I'm not sure how they react to warmer water. I was/am, in fact, thinking of posting a thread to that effect over in Catfish to see what the experts in that area think.

Silver dollars are too large and active to be good companions for discus. If you want schooling fish, try and find something with less than a 2 1/2" maximum length.

Good luck.

[Deb2]

I have kept apistos with discus and they were fine (though not cacatuoides).
I had a common pleco that worked out to be good and 2 rubberlipped plecos that were good. Some people report that plecos would attach to their discus to feed off their slime layer but I have not had this problem. I did have that problem with otocinclus.
Silver dollars would not be a good choice for reasons Harry already said.
I am not sure about the elephant nose either since they emit a low level electric current. I don't know of anyone that has had them in the same tank.
I have also heard that silver hatchet fish were better for the higher temps. that discus need, never tried them though.
I keep angels with discus and find the combination to work well and the tank looks very regal with the kings and queens of the aquarium.

[goldfries]

discus are beautiful even on it's own.

instead of a tank mate, get another discus or 2.

[Tightdog1]

i have seen lots of nice tansk with discus that have neon or cardinal tetras, they give the rank a rely nice look IMO.

[Botch]

I don't know about the royal pleco. I believe this fish needs more of a current than discus. According to Planet Catfish ( http://www.planetcatfish.com/ilibrary/loricari/panaque/151_f.htm ) they are fine at temperatures up to 30 degrees celsius (discus temp), but they grow large (13 1/2") and are territorial, which means one is probably a better idea than two.
Other options: I have always had great success with Ancistrus (bristlenose) in my planted discus tank. I also plan to try regal whiptails.
Zebra plecos should also do well with the high temperatures and especially the lots of meaty foods you feed your discus. I have never tried them with discus and with their price tag probably won't soon!

Cories: Most species are uncomfortable at discus temperatures. Some species are fine, but don't ask me which (corydoras elegans, I have heard, but have no experience with them). It could be a good idea to replace them with zebras.

Elephant nose: I normally prefer to keep fish from one area together, but that is only me. I have, however, never heard of anyone trying the elephant nose and discus together.

Hatchets: Lots of diskus keepers have them without any problems. Good choice. Remember they like to jump.

Cacatuoides: There are probably Apisto's that are more suited, but you should not have any problems with them. Look at some of the other Apisto's and rams as well. And they do keep to the bottom as Harry said.

Possibilities for the middle: Tetras. Cardinals (not neons), black neons, lemon tetras, rummy nose tetras.

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by morleyz
I've seen angels with discus and it has a nice look. Yes, they would...

But, I also heard a "rumor" that Angels can be a carrier of a disease that doesn't effect them, but will harm Discus. The following link says it may not true.

Angels and Discus (http://www.dph.nl/sub-article/cat-01/angels.shtml)

[wuicho]

tank you all for the suggestions, I think I will go only for 1 royal pleco, and maybe I reconcider the apistos for rams. The point is that I want some exotic fish in there to join the Discus, neverless afect the enviormet of an Amazon tank.

[Mad Highlander]

Don't mean to sound sarcastic, but the best fish for a discus tank are other discus.

If you want through in a school of docile tetras and some cories on cleanup, and a couple of ottos.

I read somewhere that the activity of an elephant nose at night would stress out the discus. Just a thought.