Discus in a 30g tank

[steve p]

I called into a fish shop today that i've not been in before. The shop specialize in discus, I got talking to the owner about a 30g long tank that i have lying around she said that i could keep a pair of discus in it with maybe a school of tetra. She also said that it is not necessary to add peat to the filter as a buffer if my ph is between 7-7.5. Im not sure what to make of her comments as they contridict what i've heard from other people but she is the owner of a wall to wall discus shop. Can anyone shed some light on this as i have a soft spot for discus but dont want to shell out for another tank right now.

Steve.

 

[severum mama]

I really don't think that sounds like a good idea. It could work if you had an actual "pair" as opposed to just 2 discus living together, but it would be very difficult to establish a pair without a much larger tank full of discus waiting for 2 of them to pair off IMO. Either that or you could buy a proven pair, but it would certainly cost you.

Unless discus are paired off, they tend to not do so well in 2's. I keep 4 in a 55 and that's really pushing it IMO. Sorry to be the wet blanket.

 

[Nolapete]

You can't argue with success. Her discus are probably much stronger than the "babied" discus you hear so much about. I'll continue to stick with my experience that discus are NOT the fragile fish most people make them out to be. This thinking stems from that discus have always been higher priced than most other community freshwater fish.

I have successfully kept them in community tanks. When challenged, in my experience, they become more active feeders. It is when they don't have to work for their food that they become lazy, finicky, and listless. My bright eyed discus were always first in line when it was feeding time. They would bully the smaller fish away from the food.

Granted, you don't want to keep discus with aggressive cichlids or other fish that might feed on their slime cost (adult algae eaters i.e.), but they can go with angels or festivum with no problem. Small, schooling, non-fin nippers, are also great.

Now note that keeping them successfully and breeding them are two completely different things altogether. Breeding them requires the conditions that most people say is required to keep them.

 

[steve p]

Thanks for the replies, I can get a proven pair of discus from this shop for £70. The only thing that concerns me is tank size and water quality. Im not looking to breed them i just find their colours amazing. If i do decide to get a pair what is the best way to set the tank up ie gravel or sand?

 

[Nolapete]

As first discus, I'd discourage you from buying a proven pair. Put your money in two or three smaller discus. They'll be easier to take care of and you'll have them to enjoy much longer.

 

[steve p]

As first discus, I'd discourage you from buying a proven pair. Put your money in two or three smaller discus. They'll be easier to take care of and you'll have them to enjoy much longer.

If i get 2 or 3 smaller discus and add them together wont there be problems with aggression?

 

[severum mama]

When challenged, in my experience, they become more active feeders. It is when they don't have to work for their food that they become lazy, finicky, and listless.

This has not been my personal experience with discus at all. Subadult or adult fish are more hardy than people give them credit for. Juveniles are in fact very delicate and leave little room for error. They are easily stressed, very susceptible to disease, and can sometimes go on hunger strikes when stressed that actually lead to death. I've lost a couple of juvenile discus that way. Once they reach about 4 inches or so, they are not so delicate.

You can't argue with success. Her discus are probably much stronger than the "babied" discus you hear so much about.

How is it possible to know this? She could be losing discus left and right and placing weekly orders to replace them. I'm not saying this is true, only that we aren't able to know for sure.

 

[kjr928]

I know someone who has 2 wild discus in a 30g. It took them a long time to adjust (they came out of a 55g). He has to make huge water changes numerous times a week. So it can be done but be prepared for a lot of work keeping the water quality high.

 

[steve p]

This has not been my personal experience with discus at all. Subadult or adult fish are more hardy than people give them credit for. Juveniles are in fact very delicate and leave little room for error. They are easily stressed, very susceptible to disease, and can sometimes go on hunger strikes when stressed that actually lead to death. I've lost a couple of juvenile discus that way. Once they reach about 4 inches or so, they are not so delicate.


How is it possible to know this? She could be losing discus left and right and placing weekly orders to replace them. I'm not saying this is true, only that we aren't able to know for sure.

Surely if she was losing discus all the time she would be out of buisness by now, the shop looked like it had been up and running for some time. If a 30g is not big enough then what is the minimum size that they would be ok in.

Steve.

 

[Squawkbert]

...she said that i could keep a pair of discus in it with maybe a school of tetra. She also said that it is not necessary to add peat to the filter as a buffer if my ph is between 7-7.5.

Translation:

I need you to get in here and buy some stuff, I have rent due next week!