Discus Tank Plans....need advice
- Thread starter VTwinFanatic
- Start date
moving fish around is no problem...most of my other tanks are under populated....so i'm not worried about over stocking.....and they are juvies....thats my point and its a reason to get another tank...either 55 or 75 depending on cash flow this summer and i'm going to put an rena XP2 canister filter on here so when i do get the 55 i will already have my filtration cycled....
ahhh there we have it...get a larger tank...LOL
a page right out of my book..I started with a 19 gal that I took over..then decided I needed a 50..which turned in to a 75 (too good of a deal to pass on) next I'm thinking over 100 gallon :idea:
a page right out of my book..I started with a 19 gal that I took over..then decided I needed a 50..which turned in to a 75 (too good of a deal to pass on) next I'm thinking over 100 gallon :idea:
Okay, guess I read the thread starter differently and the 3 discus were going to find themselves stuck in a 30 with all the others you mentioned.
My new 90 for discus is showing up in Raleigh on May 6th at the expo show. $150.
You might want to step up the water changes for the discus juvies to every other day until their major growth is done and their immune systems are fully developed.
My new 90 for discus is showing up in Raleigh on May 6th at the expo show. $150.
You might want to step up the water changes for the discus juvies to every other day until their major growth is done and their immune systems are fully developed.
Putting the discus in that tank is not a smart idea. First a 30 is really only big enough for a bonded pair. The fish you have in there currently are not suitable tank mates for the discus. As to the water requirements that have been listed for the discus, BS. They do not NEED soft water, Juvies grow much better in hard water. There are two very big factors with discus, frequent water changes to maintain high water quality, and a warm temp. Many breeders grow their juvies out in hard alkaline water because the finnage is better on fish grown in such conditions. Simply put, SOFT water only comes into play when attempting to spawn the fish. In water with TDS above 220ish you will not get much for a hatch out if anything, idealy you want a TDS down around 100 for a good hatch.
Water changes need to be done daily to every other day with Juvies to maintain good growth, and the water temp should be kept around 88 for juvies until they reach 4.5-5" where you can drop it down to 84-85. You need to do many feedings with young fish as well, on the order of 4-6 daily.
As to juvies having small stomachs, yeah right.... that is not true at all. The frequent feedings are because discus have a high metabolism when they are young, naturally they are "grazers" which feed all day long. Simply put the more you feed them, the faster they grow, but the more water changes that need to be completed.
For your first go around with discus, a 55gal is basically minimum, if you are getting young fish, bare bottom, with a simple sponge filter is what you should go with. Why? Bare bottom is much easier to clean, suck debris off the bottom and wipe the tank down at each WC. Get 6 juvies and start from there. Discus feed much better in groups especially when young.
Here's a link to a home-made food mix I make. I feed only this except with some Tetra Colorbits occassionally or Brine Shrimp. http://www.cichliddomain.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=96&sid=1eba4db50a1decdac89e96c36734249d&no=1#96
Here
Water changes need to be done daily to every other day with Juvies to maintain good growth, and the water temp should be kept around 88 for juvies until they reach 4.5-5" where you can drop it down to 84-85. You need to do many feedings with young fish as well, on the order of 4-6 daily.
As to juvies having small stomachs, yeah right.... that is not true at all. The frequent feedings are because discus have a high metabolism when they are young, naturally they are "grazers" which feed all day long. Simply put the more you feed them, the faster they grow, but the more water changes that need to be completed.
For your first go around with discus, a 55gal is basically minimum, if you are getting young fish, bare bottom, with a simple sponge filter is what you should go with. Why? Bare bottom is much easier to clean, suck debris off the bottom and wipe the tank down at each WC. Get 6 juvies and start from there. Discus feed much better in groups especially when young.
Here's a link to a home-made food mix I make. I feed only this except with some Tetra Colorbits occassionally or Brine Shrimp. http://www.cichliddomain.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=96&sid=1eba4db50a1decdac89e96c36734249d&no=1#96
Here
hey..well i have not kept discus yet but i will be within the next month and i have heard from numorous resources that u simply cannot have one discus..it needs to be in groups ora pair...they stay much healthier like that..i know u really want discus but u should wait till u can get them a bigger home because u cant be hasty with discus...
everywhere that I've read says that they should be either in groups or alone. Typically the less you have the more problems you have w/ pecking order. thats why i was saying only one.
well like i said im not an expert but i have done a lot of research because i am planning on keeping them like urself and everything i have looked intoa nd everyone i have talked to says to keep them in groups or pairs. discus like to shoal and lonliness does kill fish..ive had it happen to me before with other types of schooling fish that i have kept...
I don't know where you read that they should be kept alone, but its simply not true at all. In the wild Discus are shoalers, and pair up during the spawning seasons, but you won't ever find a Loner wild discus. Having a single lone fish in a tank is asking for problems, they become skittish, don't eat well and are constantly stressed, this all leads to health issues.
Read over the article in my signature.
Read over the article in my signature.
