Discus in 120g...how many?

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pzuzu

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Sep 23, 2005
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Hey...just about to start setting up a 120g tank. I always wanted a cichlid tank, but after going to the Georgia Aquarium and seeing their discus exhibit tank, I've changed my mind. I found discus to be more beautiful than I ever expected from pictures online, especially since I had never seen them in person. None of the fish stores near me carry them, but I found one independently owned store that could get some for me. I'd like to get this tank as close to the one I saw at the GA Aquarium, though on a smaller level. They had discus with angels and a school of red (lamp) eye tetras. Just wondering if anyone could give me a good suggestion on numbers, however. In a 120g tank, what combination of discus, angels, and red eye tetras would suit it best? I'd definately like more discus than angels, and a nice school of red eyes.

Also, if anyone has experience with discus and plants, will this plant package work? http://www.azgardens.com/habitats_discus.php

It's the 100-125g package.

And if anybody has any other ideas for fish stock that goes along with these three types of fish AND the plants, please recommend some (preferably something that could live outside of a school, as I don't want to take away the numbers from the other three).

Any other bits of advice would be helpful from experienced discus keepers, especially any information I might not come across during research.

As for lighting, the link above says 1.5w/g. I was thinking about doing 3w/g...or should I stick with a lower amount? I've read time and again discus don't like it too bright.

And one last question...can I mix different discus together? I was hoping to have maybe 2-3 different kinds.

Thanks in advance!
Fernando
 

tuco

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Jan 6, 2007
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If you are only putting discus in, I would go with no more than 10. I have heard that in a large tank, you should put no more than 1 adult discus per 10 U.S. gallons. That seems to be a bit cramped, so I would devote 12 or so for each fish.
Since you would like a mixture, I would cut back the number to 7 or 8 discus fish and add around 15 tetras. I'm not sure if the angelfish would get along with the discus, but that is something that you'd have to find out.
If they would get along well, I would put in two.
 

Ghost_knife

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Nov 17, 2005
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with discus, in 100G tank I had 5, so that work out to 20G per fish, the least you should ever go is 15.
 

wataugachicken

The Dancing Banana
Jul 14, 2005
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Charlotte, NC
a LOT of people have had very bad experiences with azgardens. . . might be best to look around locally, or see if you can special order some plants through your LFS. dead fish, wilted dying plants, terrible customer service.
 

pzuzu

AC Members
Sep 23, 2005
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That is an amzing picture...what size tank is that? And for the first time I actually find neon tetras intriguing...I guess I had never seen them in that kind of setup and in such large numbers...wow. How do they survive with discus and especially angels? I would have thought for sure angels would destroy them.

As for Angels and Discus toget, at the GA Aqu. they kept the discus with angels...but of course, it was a much larger tank... but not extremely large. It was one of their smaller exhibits.

How about lighting? Anybody got any advice for how much lighting I should have? I wouldn't ask as I'm pretty experienced with planted tanks...but I don't want to stress the discus. I once read they don't like it bright, and I'm just wondering what's too bright? Will 2.5w/g work be too bright?


Thanks again for the help!
Fernando
 

Mgamer20o0

BobsTropicalPlants.com
Staff member
Jun 4, 2003
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www.bobstropicalplants.com
there are a couple people around here that has a planted discus tank. i put the link from the topic. it was one of tom barr's tank. its a 1600 gal tank.

36 gaint Discus 9-10" dinner plates
60 Rose line barbs
64 Altum angels
350 Guppies
200 spotted rare hatchets
1000 cardinals
100 Apistos
Rare plecos and others
1000 amano Shrimp
24 Botia striata
200 Pencils
 
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