Question on BBT's

[lastflea]

Very recently converted to planning my first discus with a BB. I'll be putting 12 3" juveniles in eventually, but wondering if a couple pieces bog wood and potted plants will effect their growth? I'd be running the tank a month or so, fully cycled before any discus go in. Also, maybe a few other, compatible fish? Also, my tank is 630l (166usg). Is this too big for juveniles, or is there no such thing as too big?

[SNap0283]

They may feel a bit lost in such a big tank but they should grow into it quickly. I would actually suggest adding some things in the tank to help them feel comfortable in such a large space. Make sure any wood you use is sterilized. I would be careful of cross contamination of using plants, and absolutely would not recommend other fish for the same reason. It sounds like this is your first discus tank and adding either of those adds complexity that you don't want when you first start with discus. After a few months when you feel comfortable you could look into adding other things with proper QT protocol.

[lastflea]

Thanks SNap. So basically KISS, till I see good growth and colour in my discus?

Would adding a small number of fish, potted plants and wood, before adding the discus be a better idea? My thinking is rather than following QT, I could add these and wait 6 weeks. If no signs of illness with the fish, then safe to add the discus? I realise juvenile discus are less immune than adults and other fish, but would this follow best practise to some degree?

[Filip]

There are experiences and evidence that discus eat and grow more when packed together in smaller water volumes but I don't think that's an detrimental factor . At least not at 3 inch size .
Margin of error for maintaining water quallity is also wider and more forgiving with larger tank volumens and lighter bioloads .

Yes you can put driftwood with plants attached without any harm , as long as you don't let the dirt to collect underneath.

Its best to start with discus only untill they grow to 5-6 inch and add other fish later when they will be more forgiving to other fish potential parasites and bacteria .

Good Luck Rob , and please keep us updated with photos of your new discus .

[Filip]

Thanks SNap. So basically KISS, till I see good growth and colour in my discus?

Would adding a small number of fish, potted plants and wood, before adding the discus be a better idea? My thinking is rather than following QT, I could add these and wait 6 weeks. If no signs of illness with the fish, then safe to add the discus? I realise juvenile discus are less immune than adults and other fish, but would this follow best practise to some degree?

Discus (and all other fish too) need time to recover from the transfer , adjust to new water parameters and new enviroment . During this initial period they barely eat , are very stressed and their immune systems are very low and thats not the best time to test their imunnity .
So whatever way you decide to go , you will still need a QT tank if you are about to do the things" by the book ".

[lastflea]

Discus (and all other fish too) need time to recover from the transfer , adjust to new water parameters and new enviroment . During this initial period they barely eat , are very stressed and their immune systems are very low and thats not the best time to test their imunnity .
So whatever way you decide to go , you will still need a QT tank if you are about to do the things" by the book ".

Hey Filip. This makes a lot of sense to me. So QT in my water parameters in a smaller tank of say 120l ? Get them used to that as a tight and safe unit. Then into the display tank after 6 weeks? QT to run with sponge filter and daily water changes, then add the other fish to the QT after the discus have been moved out. Maybe a month gap between that, so discus have had 2.5 months in the display, before new arrivals arrive?

My tank isn't even cycled yet. Test kits and ammonia are in the post, but now there's the tricky aspect of convincing a certain lady that "we really do need another tank, but just a small one".

I was going to broach that subject once everything was up and running, as a hospital tank. Wish me luck..... :eek:

[Willie]

12 X 3" fish will do fine in the 120L, which would also be much easier for large water changes. You can move them to the larger tank once they get comfortable, which translates to them

1. coming to the front of the tank,
2. swimming in the top third of the water column, and
3. eating voraciously as soon as food is added.

Obviously no fin clamping or loss of color. My recommendation is to make discus your first priority, which translates to adding plants and driftwood only after they get comfortable. If you would like to add dither fish, I would quarantine these and add them AFTER the discus get comfortable.

Willie

[lastflea]

12 X 3" fish will do fine in the 120L, which would also be much easier for large water changes. You can move them to the larger tank once they get comfortable, which translates to them

1. coming to the front of the tank,
2. swimming in the top third of the water column, and
3. eating voraciously as soon as food is added.

Obviously no fin clamping or loss of color. My recommendation is to make discus your first priority, which translates to adding plants and driftwood only after they get comfortable. If you would like to add dither fish, I would quarantine these and add them AFTER the discus get comfortable.

Willie

Understood. Thanks Willie :)

Rob

[Filip]

Just want to add here that with 12 -3 inch discus in a 30 gallon tank fed 3-5 times a day you better be determined to do daily 90% WCs and start with cycled filter or good botteled bacteria culture .
Its a huge bioload and not forgiving if you skip your daily large WCs (preferably with aged water).

[lastflea]

Just want to add here that with 12 -3 inch discus in a 30 gallon tank fed 3-5 times a day you better be determined to do daily 90% WCs and start with cycled filter or good botteled bacteria culture .
Its a huge bioload and not forgiving if you skip your daily large WCs (preferably with aged water).

Thanks Filip. My grow tank will be in the garage, and I have a bit of space in there for something a little bigger. Perhaps 55g. Will certainly be using cycled filtration and was planning on 50% water changes daily. I'm considering a 264g water storage to accommodate aged water for both tanks. Not taking any chances, and really don't want a crash on my first run.