First ever discus fish to buy

[Gav63]

Hi all I have just signed up as this forum was recommended to me by uarujoey (the king of diy) and I have been reading up and looking on whats the best first discus to buy. Any help would be appreciated

[MKD]

You can check out Sponsors section, there are ton of pics that can help you.

[MKD]

Here are couple links, check them out

Sponsors
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?82-The-Marketplace

Guide gwtting started with discus
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?86009-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Getting-Started-with-Discus


Introduction
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?46-Member-Introductions

Become premiun member
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?104050

[discuspaul]

Hi all I have just signed up as this forum was recommended to me by uarujoey (the king of diy) and I have been reading up and looking on whats the best first discus to buy. Any help would be appreciated

A big welcome to the forum.

Best first discus to buy ? :

It's highly recommended that first-time discus-keepers should first do some homework on discus, then buy the largest, most mature discus they can afford ( hopefully not less than around 3"), from a reputable supplier of good quality discus, and proceed to grow them out in a bare-bottom tank.

As for the strain &/or coloration of discus to get, that's your personal preference - suggest you have a look through the photos in the attached link to get an idea of what you might like.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?71055-Strain-List-for-Beginners-(pictures)

Best of luck to you.

[Gav63]

Thanks all. Anything over 3" really. OK I will keep that in mind. I have done LOADS of homework and spoke to many people. I'd like 2 to start off with. So will get looking. Thanks again

[discuspaul]

Just keep in mind that getting only 2, 3, or 4 discus may not be a good idea -discus are social fish that do best in larger groups of at least 5 in number, as being Cichlids they tend to spend significant time establishing their pecking order.
Keeping 5 or more spreads out and dissipates that aggression, whereas keeping less than that number may result in more serious, longer-lasting aggression between an alpha and the other 1, 2, or 3, which may suffer badly from it.

[Gav63]

OK thanks I will get 5 then. Will they pair off if in a group? As I'd like to try breeding

[Woodduck]

Baby steps my friend...

[RogueDiscus]

Hi GAV,
The advice you get here may seem very conservative, but it's the result of the many years of experience from long-time members. One thing I don't think anyone has said yet is the larger size discus that would be best should have close to 10 gallons of tank per fish, and then you need to plan to change their water frequently. Keep reading and asking questions. Get your tank set up, plan to get 5 or 6 quality fish from a sponsor, the larger the better, and get used to keeping them. The breeding will come!

[DISCUS STU]

All good advice above re keeping. In regard to strains for a beginner, Pigeon Bloods and Red Turquoise may be a little easier to keep for many first timers.

[rickztahone]

Hello and welcome to SimplyDiscus, the best site on discus rearing ;)

I know you said you've done a lot of homework, but we have compiled some good reading material for those that would like to get a little more info on these magnificent fish.

Please read at your leisure and ask us any questions you may have. I will echo the advice of others here and say that getting a group less than 5 is probably not ideal. Conversely, getting a tank less than 55g is also not advisable, with a 75g being much better.

If you can not afford full grown discus, 4" discus should be just fine, just know that they would require more feeding and in turn, more water changes in order to grow them to their full potential.

Happy reading :)

1. Intro to Discus


The following link will help to introduce you to the basics of discus keeping and is a nice guide written by one of our moderators.

Beginner's Guide to Getting Started with Discus (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?86009-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Getting-Started-with-Discus)

There are many threads at the top of the Discus Basics for Beginners section as stickies Discus Basics for Beginners (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?48-Discus-Basics-for-Beginners) and can be read at any time.

2. Setting Up Your First Discus Tank


Now that you have a little foundation this next thread will introduce you to setting up a discus tank. While this thread recommends a 55 gallon, many here feel that a 75 is a better starting size when the discus are adults

How do I set up my first discus tank (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?28937-How-do-I-set-up-my-first-discus-tank)

If you feel that you want to do something different tank wise this list of questions in this thread will give you food for thought.

Tank Setup Questionnaire (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?94348-Tank-Setup-Questionaire)

Here are some useful links on tank maintenance.

The ease of cleaning bare bottom tanks (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?35043-The ease of cleaning bare bottom tanks)
Prefilter Sponge (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?27064-Prefilter-Sponge)

3. Selecting and Buying Discus


What not to buy (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?46982-What-not-to-buy)
Selecting Discus (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?33300-Selecting-Discus)
Strain List for Beginners (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?71055-Strain-List-for-Beginners-%28pictures%29)

If you are looking for quality discus please consider browsing our sponsors SimplyDiscus-Sponsors (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?42-SimplyDiscus-Sponsors)

4. Helpful videos:


Watch "How to keep discus" (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?120715-How-to-keep-discus) A video showcasing our site owner Al Sabetta at the American Cichlid Association meeting in Springfield Mass

[Gav63]

Thanks all you have been most helpful