New to Discus

[STHH]

Hello all, i am new to Discus fishes, and i just got these 4 3inches fishes to keep in my very old and established 3ft tank that already had some spawning cories.

They are already happily swimming around looking for food every where.

Can someone tell me what are the colouration of these fishes, as i am not too familiar with discus yet?

I am planning to feed them tetrabits complete and frozen bloodworm sparingly. Will this be a sufficient diet for these juveniles to grow well?

I usually change 70% of tank water weekly, together with my goldfish tank, will this be too much for the discus?

Thank you

http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/trelch/P7112975_zpsf345f34a.jpg

[blueluv]

Welcome to SD

The tetra complete will be ok for your pigeons but it will turn your yellow discus orange. IMO I would stay away from blood worms and you need a better variety for your discus. Check out the sponsor section, they sell food for your discus. You can try kens fish, Hans , bill at inland empire and Al's section-aquatic suppliers. What are your goals with your discus? A good number to start with discus is 6 as they are a schooling type of fish.

[STHH]

Thanks Chris, so i have pigeons and yellow discus. I am so clueless about this.
My aim with the discus is just to keep them to their full potential, and they will be healthy and grow up well. Not a breeder or for show.

I am feeding the discus with the frozen bloodworms only couple times a week to give them more variety, cos the LFS told me they are feed on those. These discus are also snacking on the tiny bit size food which i am giving to my 10 tetras. Will try to look for 2 more juveniles of the same size to put in the tank, but is worried about overstocking in my 3ft tank.
I don't think i can get those fish food you mention in my location, but will try to look for more alternatives.

Have been reading up on the forum posts to get myself more informed, and it seems that these discus fishes have the same water change requirements as my goldfish, which is lots of large water changes, if possible, daily.

The other thing I am worried about is the PH. As my planted tank has been around for about 8 years, the PH is rather low, sometimes at 5.0 Is this going to be ok for the discus, or do i have to buff it up?

[Crunchy]

Nice discus.

Young fish less than 4 inch need to be fed 4-5 times daily and tetrabits will turn the yellow ones orange. Can try other foods like Tropical, ocean nutrition and many of the sponsors beefheart flakes. Feed very very little but more often. Maybe just 1-2 pinch each time. Water changes are ideally at least every other day or 3 times a week at about 40-50% because of the heavy feeding. This regiment is not for show quality, for pro breeders usually feed beefheart 6 times a day with daily water change of 90%.

The names are not standard for your type of fish because they are tank breeds, probably red checkerboard and yellow diamond or something, and they have ancestors of the pigeon blood type.

[STHH]

Thanks Crunchy. I will try to look up on those red checkerboard and yellow diamond to see what the fish will look like when they grow up.

Currently, my cleaning crew of cories and snails finishes up everything that is not eaten up by the discus. Will do more water changes esp during this growing period.

[Trubble]

STHH,

Welcome to Simply.

May I ask where you're from?

[STHH]

Thanks for the welcome, Trubble. I am from Singapore.

[STHH]

I am planning to make my first batch of beef heart. Will be looking for recipe in the forum, hopefully this will ween the discus off the frozen bloodworm.
I have been handfeeding them bloodworms because they seems to pull it into inaccessible planted corners. They are still snatching those bloodworms from my fingers, such brave fishes.
The cleaning crew of cories are overeating due the leftovers of tetrabits complete left untouched by the discus, on top of their usual diet of sinking cory food. As the cories has been with me for more than 5 years, i am worried for their health and their very fat stomach.

Here's a question. Any of you have Discus and Cories? Will the cories eat beefheart leftovers and be ok?

[Trier20]

I am planning to make my first batch of beef heart. Will be looking for recipe in the forum, hopefully this will ween the discus off the frozen bloodworm.
I have been handfeeding them bloodworms because they seems to pull it into inaccessible planted corners. They are still snatching those bloodworms from my fingers, such brave fishes.
The cleaning crew of cories are overeating due the leftovers of tetrabits complete left untouched by the discus, on top of their usual diet of sinking cory food. As the cories has been with me for more than 5 years, i am worried for their health and their very fat stomach.

Here's a question. Any of you have Discus and Cories? Will the cories eat beefheart leftovers and be ok?

There are many good recipes on here. And yes the cories will clean up the some of the left overs.

Welcome to SD!

[STHH]

Thanks Brandon.

[tonytheboss1]

:bandana: Welcome! Do take time to familiarize yourself w/ the wealth of info the forum has to offer. Love your fish, great start!! From what I'm gathering your tank is already somewhat busy what w/ cories, tetras, snails & now discus. Be aware that the strain on your filtration system is gonna be increased substantially. Your increased nitrates can only be combated w/ larger & more frequent W/C's.
As to diet, variety is good. You don't have to go crazy like me but here's some ideas....
_From prev. post_

You'll need a bit more than just that. There are a number of different things you can choose to diversify your discus' diet. Mine is a bit extreme (OCD) but the choices are many. Food varies every couple a days - live blackworms, Hans frozen beef mix, San Fran Bay Frozen Bloodworms, Mysis Shrimp, Ocean Nutrition Discus Flakes, Als Austrailian freeze dried blackworms, O.S.I. Spirulina Flakes, NLS Discus Formula pellets & Dainichi Cichlid - Color FX + Vita-Chem once a week. "T"

As stated above, discus are shoaling fish & 6 is usually a good group for comfort. In your case, not sure if additions are a good idea. Depends on total load you presently have if subtractions will be necessary. Good luck. "T"

[Crunchy]

If you are in singapore there are many available foods such as Hikari discus bio gold and ocean nutrition. Can even order freeze dried blackworms from australia. Be careful about feeding beefheart, you will have to do daily water changes because they tend to cloud the water and bring up nitrates.

Can check out petmart and freshnmarine. Singapore's good discus breeder is chai discus.

[STHH]

Thanks Tony the boss, thanks Crunchy.
My Discus has officially survived 1 week in the tank :o

The good good news is despite all the heavy feeding of 4 times a day, the nitrate level is still 0. Maybe it's all the hungry plants that i have. But i have been changing water twice a week. Have not started the beef heart feeding yet, as i am not sure how that will disrupt the water quality, will try with small strips of chicken heart first, lol.
So far they get 2 meals of bloodworm, 2 meals of tetrabits a day, and they are still hungry, and eating cory food as well as tiny food for my cardinals.
I am planning to starve them once a week for them to clear their system and to keep them hungry for more food.
Indeed, i am always careful about not overloading the tanks with too many fishes, and may just keep the numbers of Discus to these 4. Problem is that the cories have been mulitplying in this tank.

There are 2 filters in the tank, and this tank is known to keep fishes alive even when there is a power failure, due the the established bacteria culture in the substrate.

And yes, Crunchy, i do go to petmart regularly to get feed for my dog and goldfish. Will look out for those food that you mentioned. Great information!
I am wondering if i should look for dried beefheart flakes or something, and if these foul water less.

So far the only concern i have is still the PH. I read that Jack Wattley mentioned in his articles in TFH that he keeps his fishes at ph 5.0, and that keeps the bacteria away. My tank often goes to that PH level too, as it is an old planted tank. So far, it has been alright with my cardinals and cories, but I hope the Discus are ok in such PH.

[STHH]

I don't suppose anyone can tell if i have males or females fishes, just trying my luck.

[Eddie]

I don't suppose anyone can tell if i have males or females fishes, just trying my luck.

Definitely not at that age/size. The only definitive way to know, is to verify which is female and which is male when the fish are spawning.

[STHH]

Here's some updated pictures of the discus.
They have started their beefheart diet a few days ago, and i have to change water more often now, so often that my cories have started spawning, twice.

The most dominant yellow. Don't know why it is developing peppering. Does yellow have pigeon blood in them or should i be worried?
The ammonia, nitrites and even nitrates are still 0.
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/trelch/P7183149_zpsd26d8db3.jpg

The other yellow seems to remain yellow without these peppering.
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/trelch/P7193165_zps6598979f.jpg

The Checkerboard with bluish fins
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/trelch/P7193158_zpsc3d839c1.jpg

The checkerboard without blusih fins
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/trelch/P7183130_zps0dbe79c9.jpg

Also bought a new fish.
Is this a Red turq?
It is being chased around and hides around my tiger lily all much of the time.
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/trelch/P7173047_zps2d7bf916.jpg

[Eddie]

Yes, the yellow is pigeon based. Could be dark from the surroundings. What color is the substrate? And yes, that is a Red Turq you posted in the last picture.