Preparing to place an order

[mcknightdr]

Hello Discus folk,

I am new to this forum and very glad I stumbled across it. I have been the hobby for about 4 years now. I run a 125g planted rainbow tank with corys and shrimp and I also run a 55g barebottom with some Rams and rainbow offspring in there. My typical water change is about 75% on both tanks once a week.

So I am preparing to order between 6 to 8 discus from Hans. I'm having trouble deciding on 3" or 4" discus and I'm having trouble deciding on getting one strain of the Tefe or a couple/few strains with some brilliant turq, santerem, etcetera. My plan so far is to move the residents from the 55g to the larger tank and out the discus in there. It is a standard 4' long 55. It is filtered with the larger eheim 3e, aquaclear 70, and a couple sponge filters.

My issue is that I am not sure my large weekly water change will not be sufficient for the younger fish. 75% with vacuuming and glass wipe down am sponge and filter cleaning if need be VS the daily or every other day water change that I see recommended. 3" or 4"?

My other issue is my mental debate is the one strain vs a couple. I like the wild look of the Tefe, santerem, or alenquer, but I also enjoy the blue striations of the turquoise. I'm not sure what to do.

As I stated before I've never kept discus but I aim to do well especially if I'm about to drop around $400 on fish. Please drop some suggestions on me I'm open to all input. Thank you for your time and I apologize for all the lengthy bull I've laid out here.

[Akili]

I suggest you start by disinfecting whatever tank you going to house your Discus

[mcknightdr]

Dissinfect evrything? Filters, tank, and all? My plan was to move all the inhabitants out and do a thorough cleaning and change the water completely a few times but I was not planning on starting my bio media from scratch. Part of the reason I was ordering Stendker discus was because of the hardiness. If I was going to house Wild discus I would be more apt to start from scratch but it didn't seem necessary for a hardy line bred fish. But I've never kept discus so I'm open to all advice. Thank you for the input.

[Akili]

In order to avoid problems down the road I would start from scratch.Been there and paid the price.Do it you will not regret it.

[DonMD]

I think there is more to consider than simply sterilizing your entire system, which really would mean throwing out everything you've got going. Certainly you always run the risk of infecting your new discus if the fish you now have carry a disease that would harm the discus, but to which they don't seen to suffer. It's definitely possible. I assume that what you've got has value to you, and so you wouldn't want to toss it.

So you have to weigh the cost/benefit ratio. If you spend relatively little on your new discus, and purchase, say, the smaller ones from Hans (great choice, by the way!), and they get sick, you've lost your discus investment. But if they don't get sick, then you're good. I'd also suggest that your current stock is probably not sick themselves, so it may be more likely that they could be compatible with your new discus.

I always use a QT tank when I buy new fish. Right now I've got lots of cories in a QT tank with about 10 of my juvies that I bred. So far, all is good, but it's only been three weeks. If the new fish infected my juvies, then I'd lose them, but as I've got at least 75 more, and the parents on a new huge spawn, I can afford it. But Akili is right to advise caution, and it seems he or she has personal experience in losing fish. So I'd say that you've got to be prepared to lose your investment if you decide to keep your current setup.

The only advice I will give you is that I believe planted tanks can work well with discus when you deliberately understock the discus. We have an informal rule of thumb here of 1 adult discus per 10 gallons. But that assumes very frequent water changes. With your planted tank, you might want to lower the ratio, maybe to 1 adult per 20 gallons? Then perhaps you can get away with your 75% w/c per week. Hopefully others with experience in planted tanks will chime in here.

But it's really up to you to decide how you will perform your fish husbandry. You've made an excellent start with Hans, and with this forum. Good luck, and keep us posted on your plans. -Don

[Filip]

I would go with 4 inch for a newbie.
Even if you screw them up,they will still look decent,unlike juvies.
And I also definitely would start with bleach from scratch only with discus. After 3-4 months when their immune system adopts to your new conditions,then you can introduce other fish or plants.
That's my experience from my personal mistakes.

[discuspaul]

Quite apart from the good advice you've already received here, there is an equally important issue to consider - and that is the number of discus you plan to start with.
6 to 8 - 3" discus will be fine to start with in your 55 gal, and will work temporarily, but you'll need to move them to a larger tank by the time they reach near adult stage - just a couple of months away if you keep those 3" youngsters in a bare-bottom arrangement and commit to large (50% or more), and frequent wcs (no less than 2-3 X weekly, but preferably daily.
Assuming you go this route, you'll need to do it without planting the tank, or adding any tank-mates during the time it takes for them to grow them out properly to that near adult stage (more than 4" - to 5"), and then move them to larger housing.

I believe this has answered your uncertainty as to the amount & frequency of wcs for young fish.
As for your concern over the choices of fish and whether to go with one or more strains, that's strictly up your own preferences. Only you can make that decision to your own satisfaction.

Best of luck to you.

[strawberryblonde]

Ok, so here's what my working plan would like if I were going to be growing out more discus and had a bare bottom 55.

1) Pull out the filters. Bleach the sponge filters, or clean well, then microwave the sponge part only while soaking the plastic parts in bleach solution. Add new air line.

2) Drain and bleach the tank and any equipment to be used in the tank and for cleaning (heaters, nets, scrub brush, hoses for draining, etc). Rinse well several times, then use a double dose of dechlorinator when refilling the tank.

3) Place sponge filters into the tank and turn them on.

4) But 3.5" - 4" discus. If they are going to move to a larger tank then 6 discus for a 75g or 8 discus for a 90g-120g tank. So no less than 6 and no more than 8, depending on what size tank you plan to place them in once they are grown.

5) When the discus arrive, begin doing 90% water changes at least once a day while growing them out. This will also eliminate any ammonia and nitrite issues while your sponge filters are colonizing bacteria.

6) Keep a sharp eye on ammonia/nitrite levels each day and do an extra water change if needed. Also add 1 teaspoon of plain table salt to the tank at each water change to reduce the chances of ammonia poisoning.

7) Feed your new discus 5-6 times per day with high quality, high protein foods. Discus flakes, pellets, frozen beefheart, and freeze dried blackworms are all excellent foods for growing discus.

[Akili]

Ok, so here's what my working plan would like if I were going to be growing out more discus and had a bare bottom 55.

1) Pull out the filters. Bleach the sponge filters, or clean well, then microwave the sponge part only while soaking the plastic parts in bleach solution. Add new air line.

2) Drain and bleach the tank and any equipment to be used in the tank and for cleaning (heaters, nets, scrub brush, hoses for draining, etc). Rinse well several times, then use a double dose of dechlorinator when refilling the tank.

3) Place sponge filters into the tank and turn them on.

4) But 3.5" - 4" discus. If they are going to move to a larger tank then 6 discus for a 75g or 8 discus for a 90g-120g tank. So no less than 6 and no more than 8, depending on what size tank you plan to place them in once they are grown.

5) When the discus arrive, begin doing 90% water changes at least once a day while growing them out. This will also eliminate any ammonia and nitrite issues while your sponge filters are colonizing bacteria.

6) Keep a sharp eye on ammonia/nitrite levels each day and do an extra water change if needed. Also add 1 teaspoon of plain table salt to the tank at each water change to reduce the chances of ammonia poisoning.

7) Feed your new discus 5-6 times per day with high quality, high protein foods. Discus flakes, pellets, frozen beefheart, and freeze dried blackworms are all excellent foods for growing discus.@ mcknightdr Toni has given you a blueprint that you will appreciate some time down the road be restasured

[Akili]

Watch this video it will surely help.

https://youtu.be/VXe3VKh7qF8

[mcknightdr]

Thank very much for all the good advice. It is nice to be in a place where folks will give provide someone with plain, solid, real suggestions and answers to questions. I felt I was an intermediate to advanced hobbyist, but that was until I stepped into the light of the discus. I will tread with caution and head the advice and warnings because I would like to avoid one of those late night grieving sessions over a nice fish that died and could have been prevented if simple steps where taken in the beginning. I will update as things evolve. Once again thank you for your time.

[farebox]

Hey mcknightdr, at the present time I have an 55 gallon, bare bottom tank, running an 55 gal mattenfilter (blue 30ppi) from Swiss Tropicals.com. Also diy 2 ltr K-1 moving bed filter. I got seven discus fish from Hans on 10/06/15. So far all is good, check video: https://youtu.be/fob0VKGmkXE
I do 50% or more water changes daily with 4 x feedings of Al's FDBW, Hans Colbalt flakes, and Al's discusgold pellets. Go for it and good luck, welcome to the SD community.

[brewmaster15]

Hi mcknightdr,
Glad to see you got the posting down now.:)

Asking for information like this is a great first step!

If I may suggest another resource for you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXe3VKh7qF8

it may help get you well grounded.

Good luck,
Al