Discus color and planted tanks

[TomFromStLouis]

Every time I see a picture of a planted tank with some San Merahs or Tangerines or similar 'recent' variety with hot colors, they really pop out visually and jar the overall look. Karen Randell has made this comment more than once when judging AGA contest tanks and I think she is right. The Amano discus tanks I have seen use wilds or blue somethings, apparently always one variety per tank afaik.

Yet I am really attracted to discus with colors much like you see in salt water tanks. But they don't blend in with the natural planted look. But I am really attracted to colorful discus....

Maybe I am answering my own question, but I would welcome your thoughts on what varieties of discus work best in planted tanks yet offer some vivid coloration. I suppose you would state my goal as creating a soothing majestic aquascape of interest and beauty.

The second part of my aesthetic question for a planted discus show tank is similar: would you stay with one variety of fish or mix in a few different colors (maybe some blue diamonds and red turks or something)? I realize the answer to both of these questions is purely personal aesthetic opinion, so please discuss your reasons to help me clarify my thinking.

[ChloroPhil]

Tom,

You can use any strain of discus effectively in a planted aquascape as long as you keep the overall color scheme/feel the same. Most planted aquaria have a majority of green plants causing the brighter "hot" colors to stand out. For tanks with a majority of green..like mine...it is better to stick with fish that are mostly cool colored; your Greens, Blues, and basic Browns.

However, with recent advances in aquarium horticulture it's very possible to create an aquascape with a majority of red/red-brown colors which would allow for use of Red discus. It would be best to stay away from bright green plants in an aquascape like this for the same reason it's not advisable to use a red fish in a green tank. Dark plant such as Anubias or the green Crypt species will grow well in shaded areas and will create a subdued green accent that won't clash with the red much.

Here's a list of good plants for a red strain tank:

Ammania gracillis
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia arcuata
Ludwigia brevipes
Echinodorus "rubin"
Echinodorus "ozelot"
Echinodorus horemanii
Echinodorus "oriental"
Rotala rotundifolia "indica"
Rotala macrandra
Rotala "magenta"
Proscerpina palustris "Mash Mermaid Weed"
Alternanthera reineckii "Red Temple"
Hygrophila polysperma v. Tropic Sunset
Eusteralis stellata
Barclaya longifolia
Cryptocoryne wendtii v. red and tropica
Didplis diandra
Nymphaea zhenkeri "Red Tiger"



If you're interested in going with a more Yellow base fish bright greens and pinks with a little red accent will work best.

HTH,
Phil

[FischAutoTechGarten]

This is simply a matter of taste....I prefer keeping a large group of similarly colored fish, rather than individuals of different color. The pleasing effect of 6 to 8 Blue Turquoise Discus schooling together in a large planted tank is pretty tough to beat!!

[ronrca]

I agree with Peter! I like the similar colored discus in a planted however I really like the colors that stand out like orange and red. Taste is taste I guess!

[ChloroPhil]

Oh yeah..I forgot to answer the second part. I completely agree with Ron and Pete, one strain per type of fish is the only way to go. Too many different colors swimming around is more jarring to the eye than just about anything. I feel that a single large group of fish is much more pleasing to the eye than multiple smaller groups, even if the overall numbers are the same.