Pros/Cons Your input needed

[angel12]

Set up 40 Gall tank Ph7.2 Kh 1 Gh3 all readings 0 inc nitrate... well planted.... in the tank now are 10 cardinal tetras and 2 Golden Plecs


1. stocking the Tank with 6 juveniles 2.5-3" and growing them out
I dont realy have the time to feed these youngsters also the issue of getting the food out of the substrate might be a problem... ?

2. introducing 2 maybe 4 adults (dont know if this is possible but I cant have 3 can I ?) This way my tank is fully stocked and up and running I will only have to feed them 2 times a day also I wll be able to keep the Substrate cleaner... Only thing is i will loose my cardinals :(

I have learnt so much from this board the most important being Patience

Your feed back would help me in deciding what is going to be the best way Forward In an Ideal world I would prefer to keep juveniles but I feel the frequancy of feeding and the Bioload may be an hinderance.. where as the Adult system would be Fine but there is the adjustment for them of moving to a new tank and they may be set in there ways somewhat ...


:)

[DarkDiscus]

My personal opinion would be 2-4 adults. If you can get a pair (breeding or not) that get along, that would be great, but 2-4 adult fish that have been raised together would likely get along. I presently have 4 semi-adults that were raised together in a 46 and they get along very well even when 2 of them spawn.

John

[Carol_Roberts]

I agree with John

[angel12]

Thank You for you replies ... my Question then is relating to Adult discus what kind of problems might I experience .... Is it true that adult discus are more particular in there feeding habbits and may take some time to come round ....
if u work on the ratio of 10 Galls per fish and remebering that I already have some fish in there do you think that 4 adults (obviously I would like to keep 4 but dont want to overload the Tank would be to much or am I safer sticking to 2 Adults and maybe a couple of rams ....?
:)

[Carol_Roberts]

I'd try 2 adults and a couple of rams. IF the discus are healthy they should settle in and eat whatever foods they are accustomed to eating.

[Tony]

stick with what Carol suggest on 2 adult fish. It is quite heavily loaded already.

Main problem of adult fish is price. If anything goes wrong with 1 good adult, it is about the same price of 6 juvenile. Aggresion control could be a problem. You do have plenty of dither fish.

The good side is adult discus takes a lot more punishment than young fish.

new tanks, new to discus, the odds that something goes wrong is not negligible. (sorry to say that)

Try to introduce the adults in 1 go instead of getting 1 from different places...

[Carol_Roberts]

Yes, get two discus that have already been kept together if possible.

[angel12]

.I agree with the cost in the UK adult Discus from Reputable breeders are in the region of $120-150 depending on the strain so with 2 thats like $300 bucks (not exaclty small change) That is why I have asked so much advice .. In my own defence I am Posting on here so that I can reduce the Potential problems That I might have ... Im not saying Im not going to have them But thanks to the superb advice I have been given so far on this forum I am at least aware of the issues unlike People who buy These fish and just put them in a tank without first idea ....

Im going to go with Carols advice and purchase 2 Adults hopefully that have been kept together ... if not then ill get both at the same time and also purchase a couple of Rams ill add them first I think so as not to overload the Filter ......

Once Again many many thanks

:)