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SimpleLogic
07-26-2016, 01:07 AM
Hello All,

Never in a million years would I imagine myself on a Discus forum but here I am. So about 6 months ago I tore down my 12 gallon nano reef tank I had in my dorm room. It has been running for a year but because of the layout of the apartment it was a pain doing maintenence and I was not making enough money to maintain it properly. I figured that I would go into freshwater in the hopes of things being a little easier. I ended up however moving into a new house that allows me to keep larger fish tanks and I got a new job that pays well so I went out and bought a 40 Breeder to house something...

Seriously considering getting a pair of maroon clownfish(they are my favorite) but I wanted to see if Discus may be something I would be interested in. I have been doing research here and there but it does not seem like people have the answer to my specific questions...

Basically I want to do a pair of discus in this 40B by themselves with maybe some small schooling fish like cardinals. I would like to maybe breed them and I think that would be really cool but it does not seem like based on my reading that discus would be able to defend a spawn from schooling fish if I decide to add them.

Questions!

1)WOuld the 40B be ok for just a pair? I get confused doing research because websites say keep them in schools of 5-6 but people also keep them in pairs so would keeping them as a pair be ok? I would probably do the growout method and grow a group of juveniles until I get a pair. I know traditionally people use 20H and 29 for a pair so I figure a 40B should be ok?

2)DO you think a breeding pair would be able to raise some fry in a 40B with some small schooling fish? IF not thats fine ill ditch the school but I wanted to ask. I am not really looking to raise a ton of fry but seeing the cool breeding behavior would be nice.

3)Would you consider Discus personable? Now I know everybody here loves Discus and will probably be really bias but I really want an honest opinion. I don't want fish that go darting all over the place every time I enter the room or approach the tank.

4) Could I do a thin layer of black sand and minimal decor for the tank? I know people do the bare bottom thing for ease but I really would like some decor. Maybe just one piece of driftwood covered in some easy to grow plants. I am not looking for the fully planted look per-se. Has anyone bred discus in a fully planted tank out of curiosity?

I think that is all the questions I have for now. Thanks in advance guys!

Second Hand Pat
07-26-2016, 06:24 AM
Hi Reggie and welcome to Simply. Before you jump into discus I would suggest doing enough research to see if discus are right for you. You say you are considering growing out a group of juvies so you can get a pair. However you will need a tank larger then a 40 breeder to do this properly. Something like a 55 or 75. Then you mention getting a pair and raising some fry. It takes time, dedication, tank space etc to properly raise out fry to be nice adults so you are looking at way more then a simple 40 breeder. Maybe best to look at getting a 75 and have a nice group of adults.

To address your questions;

1. A pair will do fine in a 40 breeder.

2. If they should spawn and get to the wiggler stage schooling fish would most likely eat the wigglers.

3. Discus are very personable once they feel secure in their environment. However discus are known to be skittish when sick, insecure, water parameters are off etc.

4. You can have decor in your tank but if you wish to have the discus spawn and raise fry then bare bottom is best.

Here are a couple places to start your research; read this thread http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?86009-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Getting-Started-with-Discus and watch the video below.
Pat


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

Larry Bugg
07-26-2016, 07:49 AM
I think you are moving way toooooo fast. Before thinking about breeding discus you should be very proficient at taking care of discus. Pat answered your questions well but I will elaborate a little. A pair in a 40 would be fine but it would indeed need to be a proven pair. Like a lot of cichlids, discus need to be kept in groups of 6 or more to avoid aggression. With a proven pair the aggression is negated most of the time, but not always. As Pat said, a 40 is not large enough to grow out a group of juvies to end up with a proven pair. So you get a proven pair and they spawn, then what? Are you going to be able to set up an area for hatching baby brine shrimp to feed them for the first couple of weeks? Discus do produce a slime that the fry eat from but in our tanks the whole spawn survives, unlike in the wild, and they do not produce enough slime for this amount of fry. You will have to supplement with bbs. So they quickly outgrow the 40, do you have room for a couple of 75's for the fry to be moved into? A spawn will be from 60 to 200 fry, they require a lot of space. Have you considered what it takes to care for them. To properly care for the fry you will need to do at a minimum of a 100% water change per day. Hate to sound so discouraging but I just don't think you have really thought this through and I would hate for your first experience with discus to be a bad one.

SimpleLogic
07-26-2016, 09:09 AM
Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I should have started by saying that breeding discus is not the main reason for me keeping them. I would love to see the behavior but i'm really more interested in having a pair of fish in a really nice setup. Thanks Pat for the info I have seen that video as well as the other two Joey has made on breeding discus which is the reason I am not pressed to go all out into breeding discus. I know most people who are not planning to breed thier discus keep them in the traditional group of 6 but i'm more so interested in just keeping a nice pair which I really do not see people do. Since I can't grow out discus in the 40B I suppose I can get a stock tank until they pair off. Thanks again for the replies guys.

MD.David
07-27-2016, 06:41 PM
Try breeding them, you will soon realize why they call them "the king of the aquarium".
One of the most challenging and satisfying tasks (if you can achieve it), however most (if not all ) people that try to breed and even people that take it to a very serious level find it extremely difficult, and that's with lots of experience, dedication, commitment and work.
However, there are many that have achieved what some (to most) say is virtually impossible.
A very healthy, large sized adult discusis incredible expensive, that's because of the work that was put in to make it that way.
Not only can breeding be very rewarding but ultimately humbling, as your fry approach 4 weeks and in 3 days your large spawn of 160 fry all die.
Enjoy the hobby, research as much as you can, keep the water 10x cleaner then you think it should be, and then you might be ready to spawn a pair after a year of research.
Best of luck mate and cheers,

Welcome to SD!
:)

Kyla
07-28-2016, 07:33 AM
i had a pair living in a 65g tank - not for breeding but just because they were so happy together. they were very friendly and always greeted me at the glass. i did have some tetras in with them but i eventually moved all the other fish out (incl plecos) because dad would get aggressive and chase the fish while protecting his fry and i felt it was too stressful for the other fish.

William1
07-28-2016, 11:29 AM
I would suggest you don't be intimidated about keeping discus. They can be very easy to keep. And they are very cool. I like your plan. I think the key is to start off with quality, healthy fish. Please reread the last sentence. Next, keep the water clean, watch your tank, keep tweaking it till you get it right, and then be vigilant in your tank maintenance routine. In reality, they are hardy cichlid fish that have inherent survival instincts. They want to live and be happy as much as you and I. Be nice to your fish and you will be rewarded. A proven pair from an outfit like Chicago Discus is around five hundred bucks. Maybe you could consider that route. Best of luck. Cheers, BK