Selecting Discus

[beta]

The King of Aquarium fishes is an easy fish to keep in the home aquarium if some simple tips are followed and proper selection is the first step to success with discus.

Below are some general tips on how to select good discus:
1. The first step is to observe the discus in your dealer’s tank, make sure that they are active, curious and are not hiding in the corners. Discus which are stressed or sick turn dark.(With the exception of Pigeonbloods, Ghosts, Snow Whites and Goldens)
2. Check for sick or dying fishes in the tank, if so then avoid picking fishes from the tank.
3. Presence of medication in the tank might mean the discus are sick, recovering from a disease outbreak or in quarantine.
4. Check for wounds and lesions on the body.
5. Make sure that the gill plates are not short or deformed, they should cover the gills completely. Lookout for heavy breathing too.

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6. The eyes should be clear. Discus with cloudy eyes and chipped eyes should be avoided.

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7. Avoid fishes with deformities of the spine.
8. The discus should swim in an upright position fishes which struggle to do so could be suffering from swim bladder problems or other such ailments.
9. Give a thorough check to see if there any external parasites attached to the body of the discus.
10. Ask the dealer to feed the discus and observe if they are having a healthy appetite. Make sure that the discus were not raised on Tubifex worms as food.
11. Observe the feces of the discus. It should not be stringy or white in colour.
12. Avoid discus with bellies which look thin or sunken, if so this is could be due to long periods of starvations or presence of internal parasites. The same criteria applies to foreheads, a healthy discus would have a broad forehead.

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13. Avoid picking from tanks in which discus have peeling slime coat or the slime coat is absent.
14. Ensure that the eye is not too big in proportion to the body. Large eyes could mean that the discus is stunted.

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15. The discus should have a round shape and should not be triangular or elongated.
16. Lookout for hormone treated fish which have adult coloration in the juvenile stage. Juveniles with coloration on their caudal fins and on the tip of their noses are signs of hormone treatment.
17. Avoid discus which keep their fins clamped or are whitish and frayed.

Some tips which are strain specific:
Blue Diamonds: They shouldn’t show any stress bars on the body or along the eye.
Pigeon Bloods: Avoid Pigeon Bloods with a lot of black specks on the body (peppering) they can be pretty unsightly.
Turquoise: They are generally late colouring. 2 inch juveniles with adult patterns usually mean that they are stunted.

Some more tips after you bring your discus home:
--> Always quarantine your new discus.
--> Avoid Mixing discus which were bought from different sources to avoid disease transfer.
--> Do not feed Tubifex worms!
--> Young discus need to be fed several times a day to maintain good growth.
--> Regular water changes help in keeping your discus healthy.
--> Avoid shotgun treatment for medicating your discus.


Regards
Beta

[Carol_Roberts]

Excellent article Beta! Thank you for posting.

[Ardan]

8) 8) 8)
Very good info! :)

[Traveller]

may i know why hormone treated fish should be avoided ???

[beta]

Hormone treated fishes can become infertile, have poor growth and a lower immunity to diseases :(

This does not refer to colour enhancers :)

[skeletor121]

Why don't you want to have discus that were raised on tubifex worms? I am new to the discus world (don't have any yet) and am looking for all the info I can get. Also, could you post some pics that show us what the fish should look like? You have some great examples of what they should not look like, but I can't compare them to see what they should look like. Thanks for the help.

[skeletor121]

I think I found my own answer to the tubifex question I just posted. I just read that live tubifex worms can carry diseases and tapeworms that can affect the discus. I guess I just needed to read a little more before I posted!

[Carol_Roberts]

. . . . and look in the photo section and breeders section and for sale section to see pictures of nice discus.

[skeletor121]

I know that I could check other areas to find pictures of good fish, but I think it would be helpful and easier to see them side by side. This way the reader could see specific differences, not just the bad. I know it would be easier for me to see the difference in a good fish and bad fish if you took a picture of each, put them side by side, and labeled them, like they did in the beginning of the post, so newbies can see exactly what you are talking about.

[ronrca]

:o Wow! What a beautiful article! Thank you for taking the time Beta!
We appreciate it! ;)

[beta]

You have some great examples of what they should not look like, but I can't compare them to see what they should look like.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//attachments/ur11.jpg

[outlawpc]

Beta. . . an excellent article. The what they should look like is an excellent touch ;)

[DonnaMite]

Good Job! Wish I would have read it BEFORE dropped some bucks at my LFS -- ahhhhhhhhhh well- chaulk it up to "another learning experience".

:) Donna

[Kap]

Thanks for the pointers! I will use it soon as I plan to add some discus to my small collection (AFTER proper quarantine of course!)

[ladyram]

Well I have one discus with black eyes and pinched forehead, however he is very sweet and would like to do something to help him.

He is alert and go after the food just to spit it out immedaitely, eats little, his face looks pretty clear but his body is a little dark.

¿¿Is there something I can do to give this guy a chance??

[Carol_Roberts]

high temps and metronidazole may help

[CARY_GLdiscus]

Nice Post Beta!


I did one like yours long ago But I think Many have forgot!

Takecare
Cary Gld!

[fredd]

hi guys, i inherited 4 discus of about 3-4" and they r football shaped. other than that they r healthy n fat n r even cleaning everywhere as we speak. wot would u guys do? cull or keep? ???

[ladyram]

¿¿do you know how old are them?? many discus when young are a little football shaped and when they grow up they become rounder??

[jules]

I have one football who I keep happily with the rest.

[fredd]

i've had them about 4 months and apart from getting thicker they dont seem to have grown much. they have big eyes too so they r definitely stunted. :(

[ladyram]

Uuuuuhhhh!! I have two guys 1.5" and they have not grown at all neither getting thick, ¿¿can a runt be as small as 1.5"??

[Carol_Roberts]

Yes, they can stop growing at 1.5 inches

[realbetta]

Hi all;
I am new to discus but want to start it right. How should I choose my first discus? What strain? How many should I start with in hope for a breeding pair later? What size? How old?

I have a 55 gal plants tank - and want to add few discus to it. Right now I only care about strain that easy to take care of. I may not have time to check PH or buying RO.
After all my learning, I may either start with a few Red Turquois or Wild Discuss. Could you all help me out.
Thanks

[outlawpc]

Realbetta. . . IMHO I suggest the following:

1. Start with domestic breed not wild. The domestic breed will probably have been raised in water conditions similar to yours.
2. Size: 3 or 4 inches. . . their survival rate will be a bit better. Absolutely nothing below 2.5 inches, unless you are a gambler :-)
3. Purchase 6
4. Discus are pretty dirty fish and a planted 55 gallon aquarium probably is not the best idea. . . actually it really is not a good idea :-( The easiest way to raise healthy discus is in a bare-bottom tank. You could have a few plastic plants and possibly something that resembles a giant root for the fish. Many just keep tanks with nothing in them.
5. Paint the outside bottom of the tank (more on that in other posts) and paint or secure a background to the back of the tank.
6. Don't spend your money on an RO unit at this time. . . you don't need it. If you don't have a pH test kit, check with a LFS and most likely your tap water is the same.
7. Water changes, water changes, water changes. . . every day! 30% on a daily basis. This is probably the most important aspect of keeping discus.
8. Check out all the posts in SimplyDiscus and read everything you can on discus keeping before you put the first one in your tank.

I hope this helps :D

[Carol_Roberts]

Beginners are most successful when they chose healthy discus from a reputable breeder/hobbyist/supplier. Do you have one near you? If so get to know him/her. In addition to discus you will have a mentor to help with questions.

Color and strain doesn't matter that much. Get your discus from someone who specializes in discus and will stand behind the sale.

If you can't find anybody in your area then I would pick one of the folks that have banners on this site.

You want to start with 6 or more discus. 2 to 3 inches is an afordable size, but they need a bare bottom tank to grow out . You would have a better idea of color and pattern if you can afford larger fish. If you want them in a planted tank you should buy discus that are nearly grown. Perhaps someone has a retired pair of turquoise or pigeon blood adults.

[realbetta]

Thank to all of you for excellent advises. I have a little clue now. Glad to found you and this site.

[Haywire]

P.S. Fill out your member information, I checked to see where you were, some people check that and then might be able to pass along local information.

[outlawpc]

Don't forget the member map. . . the pins are cool!

[realbetta]

D;

I am in Houston, TX. One of reason I want Discus because I saw them in a beautiful planted tank at one LFS. Please advise me why it not possible.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Discus are pretty dirty fish and a planted 55 gallon aquarium probably is not the best idea. . . actually it really is not a good idea :-( The easiest way to raise healthy discus is in a bare-bottom tank. You could have a few plastic plants and possibly something that resembles a giant root for the fish. Many just keep tanks with nothing in them.I hope this helps :D

[Carol_Roberts]

You can do adults in a planted tank.

Juveniles do not grow very well because you cannot keep the tank clean enough

[beta]

You can do adults in a planted tank.

Juveniles do not grow very well because you cannot keep the tank clean enough


:thumbsup: I've tried it too many times but juvenile discus never seem to grow fast in a planted tank. Part of the reason could be that in a BB tank there is more attention to cleanliness and waterchange while in aplanted tank it is practically not possible

[realbetta]

To me, I don't think Discus look good in bare tank unless they still in the shop. Is there a setup so we can keep both, I am thinking at least I will keep plants in thin pots. - move plants around while cleaning the gravel. Would that works.

[Carol_Roberts]

Nope.

Buy adults.

Or don't be disappointed when your juveniles stop growing at 3 inches.

[outlawpc]

IMHO if you do decide to keep adults in a planted tank you should keep no more than one per 20 to 25 gallons of water. Yes it is possible. . . However, I would still advise against it IMVHO.

I don't know about the rest of the SimplyDiscus group, but it was hard for me originally to get use to the idea of a bare bottom tank. After long discussions with other individuals who have much experience in this area. . . it finally sunk in that it is to your advantage to keep both either young or adult discus in a bare bottom tank.

So, I kind of did a mental compromise. On my 125 gallon tank, I painted the bottom (outside) with a paint that simulated fine gravel. Then, I purchased a very attractive background that had plants, rocks, wood and things (very pretty and bright). Then after trial an error with drift wood, found some large ceramic pieces that looked just like wood simulating large roots (gave the little guys a place to feel secure when they needed it). I also tried some plastic plants, but in the end removed them from the tank because they complicated the cleaning process.

Keeping the tank clean and water changes on a daily basis have proven to be the key to success for me. I've been keeping tropical fish for 30 years and never had the success I currently enjoy.

Everyone who see's the big tank are always amazed and comment on how beautiful the set-up looks. Without the generally good advice of the SimplyDiscus members and the friends I made through the site, I'm sure things would not have gone as well.

In the end you need to make your own decisions. . . but, you will find that the potential for long term success will be multiplied if you take most of the advice :-)

[DonnaMite]

Jim
Your tank sounds interesting!
Can you post some pictures of it for us? :)

Donna

[outlawpc]

Donna. . . I've been meaning to do that, but every time it comes to mind I get diverted by work, kids, wife, honey-do's or just staring at the fish :-)

I will try to make it a priority (promises, promises :-)

[Shive]

To me, I don't think Discus look good in bare tank unless they still in the shop. Is there a setup so we can keep both, I am thinking at least I will keep plants in thin pots. - move plants around while cleaning the gravel. Would that works.



That might work but it's the gravel that creates the real problem of cleaning the tank. Here is a suggestion. I have a BBT(bare bottom tank) but I like the advantages of plants such as Nitrite disposal and oxygenation of the water plus they give your tank a deeper look! Get 1 or 2 peices of driftwood the kind with slate on the bottom to hold it down. Now get some Java Moss and Java Fern using plastic fishing line tie your Java plants to the drift wood! It will grow and propagate on the drift wood. It has low light and trace element requirments and and grows rather fast! In about 4 weeks you can remove the fishing line and the plants will continue to grow on the drift wood.

So who says you can't have plants and a bare bottom too! ;D

[kpix99]

IME it depends,


On the water You are useing!


The amount of fish per tank!


The foods You are feeding!


The filtration You are useing!


And most of all Your Goals!


I still say More W/C's faster the growth with any fish! it has been proven time and time again!

Cary Gld!

[ppv1951]

thought i would bring this thread back to where it started and thank beta for the great info. thanks beta. good job!

pat.

[cobaltblue]

I have the same thing in my 90g tank, java fern secured to driftwood. It looks great and makes the tank easy to clean still. A great compromise between a planted tank and a bare bottom tank. :)

[Pupongay]

Great article Beta! Thanks for posting. Only thing is that I just recently joined and didn't get the chance to see the pictures :( . If and when you have the time, can you please post again the pictures that go with your article.

Thanks,
Gene

[Mughal]

Yes, I need to se the pics too! Thanks!

[KIWI13]

I have Anubias as plants in my tank and seeing as how they are a plant that needs their roots exposed in order to absorb their nutrients, i keep em unattached and they are heavy enough to stay at the bottom. They are growing extremely well in the tank and the discus love em.

Jason.

I was a strong believer that the planted tank was the ONLY option. Now I see the flaws in my thoughts, i have been keeping discus in a bare bottom for a while now and life couldnt be any easier.Plus the results on the fish are great too.

[ronrca]

Can someone re post the pics? Even if they are not the same ones.

Or if someone could start another thread on this. I think we really need to get an article of the library to help 'educate' on what quality really means and what to look for!

Thanks

[fstop3000]

Thank you for all the great information!!! I have driftwood in my tank with Java fern growing on it. I used thread to attach it to the driftwood. And after some time removed the thread, and the Java fern roots had a hold on the driftwood with their clinging roots. This simple setup fulfills my need to have some decoration in my tank.

Striving to make more and more water changes!

[skittles]

I am so happy to have found this site. I had just given up on having Discus due to imperfect water parameters (pH, GH, KH), but now I see I can be back in the game!

I have a 225 gallon aquarium (decorated and lightly planted so far.) It's cycling with a school of 15 male Rosy Barbs, 1 Dwarf Gourami, and 8 little Cories. I'd love to set up a community tank including 6 Discus and 6 or 8 Angels. I've seen these two together in LFS, so I know it can be done. I've been advised to put the Discus in first, to give them the territorial edge. I'd also add some tiny, gentle schoolers (cardinal tetras, harlequin razzies) and some very effective algae eaters (bristlenose? or dwarf pleco?--not decided yet.) The Rosies will probably have to go, 'cause they can be a little hyper and they challenge all newcomers. At very most, I'd keep a mixed-gender school of 7.

Any advice? Especially:
* I've read that a water change of 30 percent should be done weekly, but on your site some people are saying daily. I was hoping that a really big tank with only 6 discus needs a little less.

* When bringing Discus home and acclimating them to the new water, how much time do you take? How long do you quarantine the discus before adding them to your main tank?

* How do you feel about getting Discus shipped in from dealers across the country?

* If you quarantine all your fish, why not mix Discus from several sources? Wouldn't that be better in case they breed (diverse gene pool?)

* If the water is clean, why wouldn't a juvie grow beyond 3 inches in such a large tank?

Any other comments are appreciated. Thanks!

[Carol_Roberts]

* I've read that a water change of 30 percent should be done weekly, but on your site some people are saying daily. I was hoping that a really big tank with only 6 discus needs a little less.
You can change the water less often if you have a big tank with few fish AND no hiding places for food to rot
* When bringing Discus home and acclimating them to the new water, how much time do you take? How long do you quarantine the discus before adding them to your main tank?
Iif your tank temperature and pH are higher than those of the bag water I put the discus directly in the quarantine tank. New fish should be kept seperate including nets, hoses and your hands for 6 weeks.

* How do you feel about getting Discus shipped in from dealers across the country?
Best way to get quality discus is to buy from someone who specializes in discus. I buy from those with a good reputation on the forums. They know how to ship discus.

* If you quarantine all your fish, why not mix Discus from several sources? Wouldn't that be better in case they breed (diverse gene pool?)
Fish from seperate sources are quarantined seperately. Do not mix frish in the same tank from several sources - you are mixing germs. Most fish do not breed in the quarantine tank and even if they do most discus are so outcrossed it doesn't matter if a brother and sister breed.

* If the water is clean, why wouldn't a juvie grow beyond 3 inches in such a large tank?

Your idea of clean water and a discus's idea of clean water are two different things. Some grow better than others in graveled tanks. . . . . Some grow better than others in bare bottomed tanks too, but the general rule is that juvenile discus grown out in bare bottom tanks are healthier and larger than those grown out in graveled tanks - many are twice as large.

[skittles]

Carol!
Thank you so much for your answers. I am really flip-flopping as to whether I can keep discus happy in my tank or not. I'll do a little more studying, and then I'm sure I'll have more questions for you....

Thanks again!
Skittles

[RCBruce]

I am a newcomer to the forum, so maybe some of my responses will be out of context of current discussion, so please excuse.
I was reading from the first of this thread the discussion of bare bottom versus gravel versus planted. Lord all the information out here gets kinda confusing.:confused:
Even Jack Whatley has changed his advise over the years.:argue:
I have a 55gal tank, (hoping to become a 125 sometime this year) gravel bottom about 1/2 inch thick, plastic plants, real wood. I use only R/O water, stabilized in a barrel with proper ph 6.5 and discus trace elements and circulated constantly.
I have 7 medium sized discus, (4 are recent replacements for the ones I lost during hurricane Katrina, 3 are storm survivors) 2 clown loaches and 1 pleco.
I do a 40% water change twice weekly, vacuming the gravel. I run 2 penguin 330 filters,each has a sponge on one side and tetra 2 stage filter media on the other, with ceramic in the media baskets, and 1 sponge filter in the tank.
I feed Ocean Nutrition formula one, beefheart, brine shrimp, and now experimenting with Hikari red discus.
I've tried several things over the last year; carbon, no carbon, adding tap water, (almost lost fish to this little experiment) less frequent water changes, more frequent water changes.
This seems to be what works for me right now. I'd really like to hear opinions, pro and con. After all, isn't that the reason for being here?
I have more pics posted in the photo section under 'pics of the family'
OK, long winded enough...........for now!;)

[RyanH]

Typically what we recommend here is that when growing out juveniles, it's best to do so in a barebottom tank. This allows you to keep the tank cleaner during the crucial growth months as young Discus are more sensitive to water quality issues.

We will also recommend that beginners to the hobby keep their fish in barebottom tanks until they have gained a solid understanding of how to care for them. The gravel and decorations can be a significant source of problems for the novice and indeed even the experienced hobbyists. This is confirmed by spending 5 minutes reading through the disease section.

Most of the people here will keep the majority of their fish in barebottom tanks as it's just plain easier to care for. I have a 150 gallon "showtank" that I keep wild-caught adult Discus. I keep my plants in pots with a very thin layer of sand along with a large piece of driftwood. The rest of my tanks are barebottom. It has been my experience that Discus just do better in a tank with clean water versus a tank with gravel and decorations.

My advice on carbon: lose it unless you need to remove meds. :)

hth:)
-Ryan

[jake]

Re: to what they should look like-

spend some time on the judging section, there are some really awesome fish there, I started with wild browns, back when the world was young and never saw any like are shown on that section, I amnot a fan of BBs either but there are some on the section that are great looking fish.

I appreciated that section, it puts into words what I have just subjectively looked for in fish without really verbalizing it, its a big help. Very well done section.

jake

[Kobe]

hey...am new to this site and to keeping discus as well....an i got a couple of newbie questions wich i appreciate if someone answers me....


1-what is RO unit...how do i get it.....because my tap water is soo hard 8.5.....and i cant keep spending my money on ph down and dechlorinator.....how do u guys keep the PH low ??


2-i dont fully understand how u quarantine ur tank or fish...whats that supposed to mean?


3-over here there are very poor discus in our LFS i want to contact some good breeders can someone give me a couple of sites....


4-do i need a UV sterilizer?....i got a 75 gallon tank and dont know how many i should keep..i heard from someone the more discus u want 2 keep the more need for the UV sterilizer..


5-as i read that experienced people have problems with planted tanks and graveled ones ..... the more i get scared of not having a planted tank....i think i will start with a BB untill i get used to this whole thing...but what do u guys suggest ?

[Kobe]

btw i got 2 blood parrots,2 oscars and a flower horn in the 75 gallon

[tily124]

this is a worderful source I can learn for my discus. Thank a lot

[fishmama]

This is an excellent section/thread. The photos are particularly helpful.

Thanks All!

[robr0924]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

[geekfacejer]

thanks for the info ;]

[baowow]

thanks. this help a lot.

[Harriett]

hey...am new to this site and to keeping discus as well....an i got a couple of newbie questions wich i appreciate if someone answers me....

WELCOME newbie!!! I thought I'd take a crack at answering some questions for you with my 2 cents:

1-what is RO unit...how do i get it.....because my tap water is soo hard 8.5.....and i cant keep spending my money on ph down and dechlorinator.....how do u guys keep the PH low ??

An RO unit = Reverse Osmosis unit. Research it to get the tech details but basically it removes minerals from the water, leaving it virtually neutral [pH] and very soft. Discus do quite well growing in harder water with pH as high as 8, and some have 8.5 and do fine, for general husbandry, although many lower the numbers artificially for various reasons [more research]. When trying to breed discus, a more acidic and softer water makes a more successful spawn, which is where the RO water comes in--research it!

2-i dont fully understand how u quarantine ur tank or fish...whats that supposed to mean?

The tropical fish industry is a fast and dirty business, on many levels, even in the best of circumstances. To ensure your best chances for success with discus, I would look at 2 things: buy discus from people with KNOWN HIGH standards for experience, care, and sales, i.e. buy healthy fish to start with and avoid costly nightmares. [Look at the sponsor section here for numerous possibilities for buying fish--online and in person, depending on geographics.] 2. Even when buying from reputable sellers [and in my experience, this is backed 100% by the breeders themselves], remember that germs are germs, bugs get around, and to ensure your purchase and the rest of fish you may already own, you would be WISE to completely isolate the new discus from the rest of your fish when you bring them home. I mean COMPLETELY, as in tank, tank filtration and equipment, and YOU--hand washing and meticulous attention to potential for transferring diseases. Many of us actually keep our QT tank[s] in another room with another water faucet source to ensure separation of church and state, so to speak. That way, if something comes up, you can probably contain it and not have a rampant issue among all your tanks. QT for most of us is at least 6 weeks, for some of us longer. Water is changed in this bare bottom tank daily, in high %. Close monitoring of the new discus continues daily.

3-over here there are very poor discus in our LFS i want to contact some good breeders can someone give me a couple of sites....

Again, look to the sponsor section and just ask people for feedback---investigate Simply as a site a bit, it's all here. Most folks who really get into discus keeping often prefer buying from breeders/sponsors than from LFS, though occasionally folks come up with wonderful fish from LFS's.
We lean this way because the discus tend to be higher quality, background is known, price is less inflated, and importantly, it hooks you up with the person who knows discus that can be a resource for you should [when] you have questions or a problem. Many also simply want to support our breeder/importer private businesses and the personal service we receive from them.

4-do i need a UV sterilizer?....i got a 75 gallon tank and dont know how many i should keep..i heard from someone the more discus u want 2 keep the more need for the UV sterilizer..

I have a UV and I've never used it, in 7 years....First, if you rely on a sterilizer to keep the bacteria/bug counts down in your tank, chances are you would be better off doing appropriate tank maintenance instead--the concensus across the board by experienced hobbyists is that NOTHING works better or is as important as frequent large water changes and tank maintenance for success in this hobby. Just gotta do it. Second, if you use a UV consistently, the discus immune system becomes somewhat weakened over time, since it is living in a situation where it is not called on to use it's own. If/when you do import a problem/disease, the discus don't have the natural means to fight it as well.
They more discus you want to keep, the more you must focus on clean water and stable tank parameters, NOT UVs, in my experience.

5-as i read that experienced people have problems with planted tanks and graveled ones ..... the more i get scared of not having a planted tank....i think i will start with a BB until i get used to this whole thing...but what do u guys suggest ?

Many of us successfully keep discus in planted show tanks, but some caveats as one of those people are these:
DO raise them in a BB tank--growing discus babies eat like pigs 5-6 or more times a day and as teenagers/sub adults 3-4 x day--BB gives you the ability to stay on top of the maintenance, whereas a planted substrated tank is terrifically harder to manage with that much organic material running thru it. Save the planted tank for your grown up adult discus who eat less, are stronger, and who do not have such sensitive parameters, in general.
Learn the hobby before approaching a planted tank [hobby in and of itself]. discus are quite challenging to master and well worth it. You will increase your odds of success if you take it a step at a time. So, how about do set up a wonderful planted tank and don't put the discus in until they grow up, later?
There are lots of folks here who know SO MUCH and can be great mentors, but I first encourage you to take on the investigation yourself--read the archives, read the 'stickies' which are loaded with tutorials, etc. Read books, and ask questions....you are more likely to get feedback if you are also trying to educate yourself---there's a lot to know, it's a great hobby, I'm addicted, and I sure wish you the best!
Hope this helps!
Harriett

[glen pratts]

Well I have one discus with black eyes and pinched forehead, however he is very sweet and would like to do something to help him.

He is alert and go after the food just to spit it out immedaitely, eats little, his face looks pretty clear but his body is a little dark.

¿¿Is there something I can do to give this guy a chance??

Ive only been keeping Discus for 2 years, so im not a real expert. However i will try to give you some tips with what i have learnt so far. Here goes it!!

Do small daily water changes about 5% to 10%. Use a thin tube with a clamp to slowly feed the water into the tank. Discus do well with plants as they provide oxigen. Perhaps include some polisperma plants in pots in your tank. Bare bottom tanks are easier to clean and keep your discus healthy. Ive invested in an RO system and get my water to a perfect 6.5PH with ease. The water quality is the key to helping your little mate. I collect water every second day and use an internal filter with peat moss. Ensure to leave the water for 24 hours prior to using it. This will alow the clorine to evaporate. You can speed up the process by adding an airstone. With the airstone i believe that you can use the water 7hours later, i think i read that somewhere. I leave it 24hrs to play it safe. Feed him beaf heart making sure you syphone the bottom 1hr after the feeding. Feeding is also important. I feed four times a day. I start with JBL discus granules. Then 1hr later frozen brine shrimp washed under tap water in a sieve. 1hr or so later frozen discus food by ocean nutritions and then finaly Beef heart or liver cut to little bits and hand fed. I let them swallow before i give them the next bit. A little bit at a time so as not to faul the water. Then after waching TV for a while i syphone the bottom and add clean water. In my opinion the key to healthy and happy discus is dedication. This hobby is very demanding if you want your Discus to look good ! all the best. I am no expert but this seems to work for me!

All the best GLEN from the Rock

[Stasie]

Ok, a question again about bare bottom tanks.. I have a bare bottom tank but I also have 4 plants in pots.. there is gravel in the pots.. is this still considered an issue.. I'm thinking it would be, considering I can't vacume these, but I do have a couple of bushy nose pleco's who enjoy the gravel in there, along with an elephant nose.

[prolude006]

I am really not sure I agree with it being difficult to keep discus in a planted tank. It is just my opinion of course based on my results so far....I am new to the discus keeping part of the hobby but not planted tanks or cichlids for that matter. I jumped into keeping discus after many years of keeping other tropical fish.
So far I have a 75g planted tank with 4wpg and no co2, just dosing liquid ferts.Plants are doing great and starting to carpet the bottom. Low tech, very low budget.

For my discus I started out with a 3" blue cobalt (discus hans)
then I added a 4" red turquoise(discus hans) then a 3" santarem, 3" brilliant turquoise, and a 3" blue diamond (all discus hans).
My blue cobalt is now 5" as well as the red turquoise. I have had the cobalt for 2 months and red turq for 1 month. The other three Ive had for 3 weeks and they have grown probably .5" or so.
I feed them morning before work and then evening when I get home. I use omega one flake food and feed them large quantities of it each feeding.
I change my water 20% once a week as I always have for my planted tanks.
My ph is 7 and my TDS is 200ppm which is high iron in our water, I dont worry about testing anything else, less a problem arises.
My two 5" have spawned two times now in the last 3 weeks of adding the smaller discus and one batch had a few wigglers(exciting). Pair on my first two purchases(lucky I guess).
My lfs has grown 5 8" Hans discus in a 90g planted tank at the store and they look amazing. They do feed frozen foods there though!
This is just my direct observations of keeping discus...and I wouldn't hesitate telling others to try growing discus in planted tanks.:inquisitive:

[Tito]

Hum - I just keep shaking my head....

Only thing I can say is - if you feed right - you will not pollute the water. I stay away from gravel - always have - common sense says most fish will not be able to sift in the nooks and crannies. BUt I always use Sand - yes sand has this great ability to keep all food on it's surface. Since Discus are grazers I never see any food stay on the sand more than five minutes. I feed NLS and in my opinion probably one of the best foods I've come across for all fish. Salt, African and SA. I keep one side of my 125 heavily planted and the other side open. I have 8 juveniles and all but a 1.5" fish are growing rapidly and well. Their colors are coming in too. I also feed Spirulina Bhrine Shrimp and MYSYS shrimp. Frozen of course. So far so good.

[Ceahorse]

You mention to avoid Discus raised on tubefex worms.. As a staple or entirely.. like can i feed my discus them once a day

[prolude006]

freeze dried name brand should be safe every day if you like.

[Jhhnn]

freeze dried name brand should be safe every day if you like.

IIRC, the San Francisco Bay brand of freeze dried tubifex is gamma-irradiated, as well. Which doesn't make it radioactive, at all.

It's dead, Jim- anything that might have survived the freeze drying process wouldn't make it through that... not even virii or encapsulated spores. The only other considerations would be the possibility of heavy metals or other non-volatile chemical pollutants.

[plaza80]

wow I learned a lot by reading this. Thanks.

[H82LOS3]

wow I learned a lot by reading this. Thanks.

LOL yea me too

[Brarryoxill]

Hi,

Need advice from gurus as Im relatively new to discus keeping..... my discus are currently on BH bought packaged from LFS and Hikarai pellets meant for my aro, but my aro is not taking. Is there any thing else that I should be feeding the discus?

Thanks for the advice

[Eddie]

Hi,

Need advice from gurus as Im relatively new to discus keeping..... my discus are currently on BH bought packaged from LFS and Hikarai pellets meant for my aro, but my aro is not taking. Is there any thing else that I should be feeding the discus?

Thanks for the advice

Hey there and welcome to Simply, glad to hear yours are eating pellets. For the most part, I'd say you are good to go. Depending on the make up of the pellet, you may try using a more nutrient/vitamin rich pellet such as Ocean Nutrition Formula One or one of the New Life Spectrum Pellets. Some feed flakes also which are a very good supplement to a discus diet. Ocean Nutrition makes several amazing flakes that discus love, with Prime Reef being used by many. Another thought, if you want to add some worms to their diet, one of the Simply Sponsors sells Freeze Dried Australian Blackworms that are a big hit at the moment. Everybody's fish are devouring them with much gusto.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?f=179

Take care and all the best with your fishes!

Eddie

[jameskturner]

great post. I already knew that you should avoid the chipped eye and triangular body, but I didn't know about the sunken body.

[selvon]

Thanks for the info it really helps :D

[victor_r]

i picked up some pionon blood and two of them have lots of black speckling well i should say more then the other two the article said what not to get and to avoid this what is bad about this

[danny2013]

i picked up some pionon blood and two of them have lots of black speckling well i should say more then the other two the article said what not to get and to avoid this what is bad about this

Nothing is "bad" about this. It is just unattractive. The black spots you see is just peppering. Not harmful to the fish.

[victor_r]

Nothing is "bad" about this. It is just unattractive. The black spots you see is just peppering. Not harmful to the fish.

that is good in a way i mean that they are not sick or anything like that so im usuming that the pepering wont go away they are juvies right know dont really know how old but there about 3" in size know

[thanhthui]

hi

[mou86afa]

wow
what a gr8 info
thanks

[Hopeful]

I have bought a less than perfect discus, it is ok eating but is picked on by the others and has since i got them all. it gets to the point the poor thing wont eat. to busy being chased. It is now seperated from the others with a tank divider and is eating better not hiding but is lonely i think. He sticks his nose through one of the holes i made to see the others.

[tbone83]

yes nice info
its all common sense really!!!
dont do what i did and buy discus from impulse spending, look around and look for peppering on pidgeons u can tell if there got dark fins not clear if no peppering on body yet when juvies

[discus bod]

thanks for the great pics, helps a beginner like me

[yusufm52]

thanks for the advice and nice post.. :)

[tannin]

¿¿do you know how old are them?? many discus when young are a little football shaped and when they grow up they become rounder??

I know this is an old post, but I was wondering at what age/size they should attain the rounder shape?

[Eddie]

I know this is an old post, but I was wondering at what age/size they should attain the rounder shape?

Depends, they should always be somewhat round, even at a young age like 2 months. If they have slow growth or become stunted, they won't never lose the oblong shape.

[GoggleEye]

BETA great write up :o. In Thailand I can guarantee 99 percent of discus has been given Hormones to develop color. Thailand is a huge exporter of Discus. Always ask where the Discus came from and their history.
When looking at discus to purchase. Put your hand above the aquarium and see if they try to hide or looking for food prior to the owner or LFS tries to feed them.

Discus can have intestinal Flag élites, BETA as you mentioned. Discus does not develop their full immune system until they reach 2 inches in diameter not counting the fins. If there is a growth or going to be an issue they will normally never reach 2 inches in body diameter. Always look for white or jelly stringy out of their hole, a lot of times this is miss diagnosed as worms. This is usually a sign of flag élites and very difficult to impossible to cure. By this time there is usually to much intestinal damage for the Discus to fully recover.

I always quarantine new discus for 6 weeks and pick a volunteer from my main aquarium to put with them. Observe the volunteer to see if that discus gets signs of disease or any health issues. If the volunteer gets a disease then treat accordingly. If the volunteer is healthy then it is a safe bet the new Discus are safe to add to the aquarium.

[GoggleEye]

Hi Victor, If you have a dark colored substrate and or a black background that will make the peppering worse. Light Blue back ground or grey back ground and no substrate is always the best with Discus

[discus daddy]

very nice and informative thread. i returned here after so many days. actually i was busy for last 2-3 years.

anyway,i also like to add 1 point here how to identify a good one.

you all know that discus is a master loving fish.so whenever you go towards a discus tank all healthy discus should come towards the upper portion of the tank. where as for sick discus we can't see this.

[helinova]

hm.

[yusufm52]

Great artical here beta, keep it up.

After reading through it, am confused whether my recent purchase is good or bad in terms of shape. some times the fish a elongated and sometimes i think i am wrong and thinking to much about it, frankly me post this, is me thinking about it.. lolz so guys pls just help me out here.
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[Nephewjag]

very useful info. thank you

[Altum Nut]

Great artical here beta, keep it up.

After reading through it, am confused whether my recent purchase is good or bad in terms of shape. some times the fish a elongated and sometimes i think i am wrong and thinking to much about it, frankly me post this, is me thinking about it.. lolz so guys pls just help me out here.
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Just my opinion....
We all went through it. We all started with our first discus purchase...some stunted, some fell sick and later dead and others just turned out fine. We learned along the way and got better at keeping and growing out discus.

You have had these guys for over a month now reading from your posts. You have had issues in the past that appeared to clear. Read, Learn, ask questions and enjoy these guys for what they are and see how they turn out.
They appear fine to me and look much better than before. Keep up the water changes and feed good quality foods and you'll be happy.

The next time around, you will have a better idea on what you're out to achieve.
Good luck with them,
...Ralph

[yusufm52]

Just my opinion....
We all went through it. We all started with our first discus purchase...some stunted, some fell sick and later dead and others just turned out fine. We learned along the way and got better at keeping and growing out discus.

You have had these guys for over a month now reading from your posts. You have had issues in the past that appeared to clear. Read, Learn, ask questions and enjoy these guys for what they are and see how they turn out.
They appear fine to me and look much better than before. Keep up the water changes and feed good quality foods and you'll be happy.

The next time around, you will have a better idea on what you're out to achieve.
Good luck with them,
...Ralph


Thanks Ralph, just asked the question as i wanted to know whether i was properly identifing them, but anyways this is going to be a learning curve so might as well enjoy it.. ;)
my fishes are much better but still are a bit skittish when i do water changes, and look for hiding spaces when some enters the room. is that normal, any idea as to when they might get used to me?

[Cultofthefish]

this info is great! the picks really help.

Cult

[RiceEggsandSpam]

Very helpful information. It is much easier to enter the discus hobby with all this information available with a click of the mouse.

[Juliah09]

Thanks Beta, wish I had read about Discus before buying!!!

[Mr_B]

Thanks for the info, Great stuff here!

[1oscar]

great info thanks for posting

[Tazalanche]

Another wonderful thread. Thank you to all that have contributed to it. It helped a lot when picking out our first discus since returning to the fishkeeping hobby.

That might work but it's the gravel that creates the real problem of cleaning the tank. Here is a suggestion. I have a BBT(bare bottom tank) but I like the advantages of plants such as Nitrite disposal and oxygenation of the water plus they give your tank a deeper look! Get 1 or 2 peices of driftwood the kind with slate on the bottom to hold it down. Now get some Java Moss and Java Fern using plastic fishing line tie your Java plants to the drift wood! It will grow and propagate on the drift wood. It has low light and trace element requirments and and grows rather fast! In about 4 weeks you can remove the fishing line and the plants will continue to grow on the drift wood.

So who says you can't have plants and a bare bottom too! ;DI know it was posted many, many years ago, but I love this idea for a "happy medium". I think I'll try it out in my non-discus tank first so I can keep an eye on the water chemistry as the plants get established. Thank you.

[johnny911]

Thanks

[Erod714]

Thanks for the info

[Aramat]

Thanks for the great info!

[mmdiscus1]

Can someone elaborate one 13-

13. Avoid picking from tanks in which discus have peeling slime coat or the slime coat is absent.

I know slime coat covers fish, but how to know if its absent? Any pictures, someone?

[Skip]

Can someone elaborate one 13-


I know slime coat covers fish, but how to know if its absent? Any pictures, someone?

it looks like its "SKIN" is peeling

[mmdiscus1]

it looks like its "SKIN" is peeling

Thanks. Any pics?

[Skip]

Thanks. Any pics?

nope.

try google.. images.. "discus slime coat peeling"

[BillyTRichVa]

I have a headache from banging my head on my desk for taking so long to find this site. I take my LFS advice way too often even though it sounds wrong or ill advised and against what I learned when I was a young hobbyist. I am so glad I found this site though and look forward to lots more reading in the near future. I'm certain my discus brood will be happier as well!

Regards,
BillyT

[alexsano]

6. The eyes should be clear. Discus with cloudy eyes and chipped eyes should be avoided.

i just got one after reading this post :(

[Mally]

Helpful things to look out for. Thankyou for sharing!

[hunterxzach14z]

Great pics for description. i just hope i can spot it when i pick out my discus. thank you for this :)

[yohcnub]

Thanks a lot for this tread... now I know what to look in sellecting my discus...thanks again..

[scooby68]

As a beginner Discus, I would love to see a normal length gill plate along side the shortened one for comparison.

[Ogi25]

very helpful for beginners :)

[Redmelons]

This is a great thread but can someone post some examples of what a good healthy juvenile shape is .

[lx2077]

Are my discus stunted?

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/11/24/jybu9ete.jpg

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[lx2077]

Here r more pics. Please let me know if they are stunted
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/11/24/upyjuhar.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/11/24/nu7u5uge.jpg

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[lhrocker]

Great info. Getting back into discus after 15 years and there's a ton of info here. Thanx.

[Ell20]

Nice info and pictures to help selecting discus.

[lx2077]

Hey guys can someone take a look at my discus shown above and let me know if they look stunted also healthy thanks guys

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[du3ce]

They look fine to me

samsung galaxy s3

[Nick Klimkowski]

I have always liked this artical as well, very well writen.

[lx2077]

Thanks du3ce...I'm new to the hobby and I'm kind of nervous about growing out my discus wrong and wind up with a stunted fish...I'm in love with this hobby and have no problem sparing ANY expense in the care and needs for my fish

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[BuffaloTodd]

One of my discus hides and seems to be a little dark at the moment. It scares me.

[Jstaabs]

One of my discus hides and seems to be a little dark at the moment. It scares me.

He is a little stressed did you just turn the lights on? Do a water change? Or add a new tank mate?

[smudge]

Thanks for the great info. Its nice to see the pics as well.

[rey29]

Thank you for the info. But stunted discus usually what size? Because i thinm i have like 2.5 inch the eyes are little bit bigger than usual. Do you think it is already stunted?

[eddiecheng]

Thank you for the info. But stunted discus usually what size? Because i thinm i have like 2.5 inch the eyes are little bit bigger than usual. Do you think it is already stunted?

a stunted discus normally 2.5" to 3" with very big eyes. Try to remove it and put in a tank where he can be the leader imho

[MIke D]

Beginners are most successful when they chose healthy discus from a reputable breeder/hobbyist/supplier. Do you have one near you? If so get to know him/her. In addition to discus you will have a mentor to help with questions.

Color and strain doesn't matter that much. Get your discus from someone who specializes in discus and will stand behind the sale.

If you can't find anybody in your area then I would pick one of the folks that have banners on this site.

You want to start with 6 or more discus. 2 to 3 inches is an afordable size, but they need a bare bottom tank to grow out . You would have a better idea of color and pattern if you can afford larger fish. If you want them in a planted tank you should buy discus that are nearly grown. Perhaps someone has a retired pair of turquoise or pigeon blood adults.

Carol has pointed out what my experience has proved to be true. Discus like others of their kind in the same tank. I would NEVER put less than 4 and preferably 6 of them in a tank. You'll notice they usually hang together, at least in a new tank.

Mike

[MIke D]

Great artical here beta, keep it up.

After reading through it, am confused whether my recent purchase is good or bad in terms of shape. some times the fish a elongated and sometimes i think i am wrong and thinking to much about it, frankly me post this, is me thinking about it.. lolz so guys pls just help me out here.
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Your fish all look healthy and fine to me. I'm writing you in May, 2014. How did they do and are any still living?

Mike

PM me..

[brianp69]

Very helpful points. Thanks...

[Discus-Lover]

Good to learn.
Thanks!

[DISCUS STU]

Good piece. Covers all the bases. Hormone treated Cobalts and Blue Diamond Discus also seem to show a very unnatural metallic sheen as juveniles that normally wouldn't be present in fish this size or even full grown fish. Usually juveniles with intense coloration are too good to be true because they are to good to be true. :thumbsup:

[sal3011]

Really Useful..! Every post has something new to learn..! thnx..

[krisrtnz]

cheers great info,
im also one of those paranoid newbies not wanting stunted discus :crazy:, ive just got my fingers crossed with every second day 30% water changes and regular feeding im hoping they will be ok. really want to post a pic to see if everyone thinks they are healthy. but not sure if this is the right place in the forum? :confused:

[DISCUS STU]

It's a nice article and pretty comprehensive. For the beginner it's nice to have all the important points in one place to NOT have to learn these things the hard way.

One of my personal sticking points are juiced (hormone enhanced) Discus, typically juveniles, given hormone to enhance their color and marketability. This is a very disreputable, dishonest, and deliberate practice that not only cheats the unwary, inexperienced buyer, but also seriously affects the health of the fish. When I was a newcomer, and even after I should have known better, I was fooled by fish that were unnaturally colorful for their age and size. This also often accompanies many of the problems mentioned in the article and is related to, and contributing factor to the problems in the article.

This isn't as much of an issue for me at this point. I've gotten better at spotting obviously juiced fish; metallic sheens, cherry red neon eyes, etc. and I also buy from more reliable importers and breeders now, but for the newcomer buying Discus at a local shop and from other less reliable sources, it is still a very common occurrence. If someone has a link about this, please post it.

[terrorsignal]

I plan on ordering from Kenny's Discus for my first ever order. I trust I'll get good fish.

One question I have, for tank lights (haven't decided which lights yet), do I leave them on all of the time? Is there ever a reason to turn them off, or to do "moonlight"?

Also, what about the room they are in? The room I am planning is nice and quiet and dark.

[secuono]

I've seen this chart floating around forever and no update to it nor better pictures to show where this "head line" even is.
Can someone post a whole fish shot and then mark the start and stop point for eye measuring? Where is the actual "head" division from the rest of the fish? Or at least a shot of the head with the start of the pelvic and start of the dorsal fin, then mark it, to get a better sense of where the head points may be?


http://www.myfishforum.com/attachments/discus-forum/4273d1158644811-discussion-desirable-quality-discus-eye-size-comparison.jpg

[blueluv]

Secouno
I'm not sure what you're asking but this pic of the discus eye , shows you the difference between a stunted discus an one that is not.

[Chad L]

That was interesting because I stopped at a fish store in NJ last week to check out there discus and they all had everything you mentioned in your post. I wont say what shop unless anybody is interested so they don't get sick discus

[virusmk]

Hi All

I have one discus with chipped eye and after reading mostly through this tread it made me wonder if he is allright. I have him for a year and i cant tell that he has a sight issues. He eats and swims well and has grown to about 5 inch. Can anyone explain me what could be the issue with chipped eye please.

[nc0gnet0]

Most chipped eyes are merely a cosmetic issue, unless the "chip" is so large it effects the pupil. Generally these fish should be culled as juveniles, but a few always manage to slip through by careless breeders.

As for the cause, it can either be genetic (the reason we want them out of the gene pool) or the effect of a bacterial infection when very young.

-Rick

[jsullins]

Most chipped eyes are merely a cosmetic issue, unless the "chip" is so large it effects the pupil. Generally these fish should be culled as juveniles, but a few always manage to slip through by careless breeders.

As for the cause, it can either be genetic (the reason we want them out of the gene pool) or the effect of a bacterial infection when very young.

-Rick
Rick how soon after a batch of fry hatch does something like this present itself or is it almost immediately noticeable?

[nc0gnet0]

well, depends on the size of the "chip" to be honest. By three inches you should know for sure, some even sooner.

[Rudustin]

Can anyone please explain a chipped eye and post a photo of one?

[DISCUSMOMMA]

I have 4 2"-3" discus, 3 blue diamond babies and
1 white diamond. One of the b.d water baby
Is pecking at the other 2 (b.d =blue diamond)
Not causing damage but worries me.
Also in my 75g I have mated pair if angels
-5-7", bi prob w angels no pecking even when they are
Laying eggs.
What could be causing that one b.d to act like that?

[DISCUSMOMMA]

I have not figured how to put the Pics of my babies
In my profile. My white diamond comes up to
Me when I get home like she's going to give the gossip
In the 75g for the day.

[DISCUSMOMMA]

Sitting jn between my 75 and my 60 tall is my lil sanctuary.
I saw on a post someone called their fish water babies.
That is perfect and I would love a shirt with that on it.

[DISCUSMOMMA]

In my sons 49 long he has sharks , mollies, gouramis,albino plecos ( which ate their 1st set of eggs)
And fire eel who loves to eat night crawlers from my hand.
He will sniff my hand then take the worm.
We can say he's spoiled. Were good w it.��

[DISCUSMOMMA]

My white diamond came from a well known
Store in Dallas. My blue diamonds came from individual
And they are shy(not used to seeing people, but getting used to me)
color is dark. When I give them bloodworm treats they take it
From my fingers (which I wash my hands w aquarium salt before I put my hands jn
Any of my tanks)

[Disgirl]

Hi Karen, welcome to Simply Discus! Always good to have new ladies join in. You will learn a ton of info. here, just sit back and soak it all in. The main things to remember to keep your fish healthy are clean, warm water and excellent foods. If you run into problems ask quick.
Barb

[blueluv]

Can anyone please explain a chipped eye and post a photo of one?

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/06/f52fd2bed874c4e1d2ce6a79b5d176ac.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[duscusnovice]

that is a very detailed anatomy of defects thanks for sharing

[Dahlyvh]

Thanks for sharing, lots of good tips here.

[DanLFC97]

This might be a dumb question, but im thinking of getting discus and a fish store that I bought fish from had ick. I checked the other aquariums and some other aquariums had ick and 2 other aquariums had dead fish in it. But when I checked his Discus aquarium, they were beautiful. They had alot of colour and they didnt seem to be sick. There is another fish store that I like to visit and he has healthy fish and never had any problems with his fish but his discus lack colour and their colour seem to fade in the middle. I know this maybe a dumb question but I really would like to get some beautiful discus.

Any advice?

Thanks

[Altum Nut]

Most often many LFS will be set-up on a central system. If there set-up was not designed to isolate tanks with in the system then all fish will be susceptible to attracting disease from the affected fish/tanks. For this reason alone I would be very careful when buying from LFS.
To answer your question which is not dumb...I would ask how long Discus have been there and if possible take some photos and post them here so we can offer better advise on quality.

...Ralph

[DanLFC97]

These are some of his discus.

http://prntscr.com/9o2hne
http://prntscr.com/9o2i2k

[DanLFC97]

These are sum of his discus.

http://prntscr.com/9o2i2k

[DanLFC97]

He has a pump in each of the Discus tank(Dont know if it is relevant)

By the way, I took some printscreens from his videos of his discus but its not letting me post it.

[discuspaul]

Those discus look reasonably good, Dan, but ask the seller the questions Ralph mentioned above, particularly as to whether or not the discus tank is on a central filtration system, or is a completely stand alone tank, and how long he's had the fish.

Even if the latter is the case (stand alone tank), it's not recommended you buy the fish right away if he hasn't had them long.
Perhaps he might hold some for you for a while, and you can have the opportunity then to observe them a while longer to ensure they don't pick up ick or anything else from his other tanks. Be very cautious here - you wouldn't want to lose those fish shortly after you got them.

[DanLFC97]

Thanks a lot for the advice!

[DanLFC97]

Are 8cm and 10cm discus considered as juvinile? and if so do they need daily water changes in order for them to grow?

[discuspaul]

Strictly speaking I would say they are still juveniles, and not giving them daily wcs runs the risk of them not fully developing properly, and perhaps even stunting.... but primarily not reaching the growth they may have reached with more frequent wcs.

[DanLFC97]

I just got today the 2 adult discus. I put the discus with the plastic bag in the aquarium and then after 15 mins they started doing circles in the bag. When I left them for around 30 mins I put my hand in the grab the fish and it went crazy, jumping in and out of the water. Now they are lying on the side, from time to time going upwards and they go back down. I put a little bit teaspoon of salt in order to help them for the stress and I turned the lights off. Im lost, are these signs of death? because I am totally lost.

[rickztahone]

I just got today the 2 adult discus. I put the discus with the plastic bag in the aquarium and then after 15 mins they started doing circles in the bag. When I left them for around 30 mins I put my hand in the grab the fish and it went crazy, jumping in and out of the water. Now they are lying on the side, from time to time going upwards and they go back down. I put a little bit teaspoon of salt in order to help them for the stress and I turned the lights off. Im lost, are these signs of death? because I am totally lost.

This is probably not the best place to have this discussion, but I will answer your question here just in case you do not follow up in another thread.

You want to turn off your lights while the fish acclimate. Many times, the discus will go crazy when introduced to a new tank. You want to leave it alone and not feed it anything for the first day. Keep and eye on it but don't spook it by going to check it every few minutes. Soon (hopefully) it will recover from its dashing back and forth and it will settle.

[DanLFC97]

Sorry for posting here, but I was panicing. At the moment one I hanging on the plants and the other is swimming normally. I forgot to switch off the lights while acclimating them. Should I give them water changes everyday and put a bit of salt so they recover? Because one of them is hanging in a plant.

[rickztahone]

Sorry for posting here, but I was panicing. At the moment one I hanging on the plants and the other is swimming normally. I forgot to switch off the lights while acclimating them. Should I give them water changes everyday and put a bit of salt so they recover? Because one of them is hanging in a plant.

The one in the plant is still adjusting I'm sure. Is it breathing rapidly? Is it dark? Do you have pictures? Turn off the lights but you can start feeding lightly now and you do want to siphon out any uneaten food after 15 minutes and do daily water changes as well. They will get used to the water changes and it is better that they get used to them now.

[DanLFC97]

It's breathing normally and it isnt turning dark. I havent given them any food. and I removed a bit of water and poured in some hot water, because the temperature was a little bit colder then 29 degrees.

[DanLFC97]

And the one which is swimming, is looking up. Should I be worried?

[rickztahone]

It's breathing normally and it isnt turning dark. I havent given them any food. and I removed a bit of water and poured in some hot water, because the temperature was a little bit colder then 29 degrees.
Keep them in 28C water. No need to be higher and don't ever pour really hot water directly to the tank. It is better to float a 2L bottle of water to bring temp up than direct pour.


And the one which is swimming, is looking up. Should I be worried?

It is looking up all the time? If so, that sounds like a swim bladder issue. A pic or video will help greatly. Would you like to start a new thread about this? I can move all of this info over there for you?

[DanLFC97]

I lowered it to 28 degrees. I hope I didnt harm them because I poured hot water when I was doing acclimitisation. I cant take photos because its night time at the moment and even for myself its a struggle to see where they are. One of them seems to be ok, the other sometimes looks up and sometimes looks down. Now its on its side. If it isnt a problem for you, can we stay talking on this thread?

[rickztahone]

I lowered it to 28 degrees. I hope I didnt harm them because I poured hot water when I was doing acclimitisation. I cant take photos because its night time at the moment and even for myself its a struggle to see where they are. One of them seems to be ok, the other sometimes looks up and sometimes looks down. Now its on its side. If it isnt a problem for you, can we stay talking on this thread?

Yes, that is fine, no worries. When you get the lights on tomorrow, try to take a video or picture of them. We can all try to help you here with your discus. May I ask, from where did you purchase these discus?

[DanLFC97]

I purchased them from my local fish store. Once I got fish from him and they had white spots on them and it killed all my fish. I checked his discus and they were all swimming normally in the middle and they were alert. He told me that the discus were there for 1 month and they looked healthy.

[rickztahone]

I purchased them from my local fish store. Once I got fish from him and they had white spots on them and it killed all my fish. I checked his discus and they were all swimming normally in the middle and they were alert. He told me that the discus were there for 1 month and they looked healthy.

(in red) Are you saying that you once got discus from him in the past and they all died? Or are you saying that this group of 2 discus killed off all the fish you had in your tank previously?

[DanLFC97]

No no, I got two blue acaras that had white spots and I didnt have any discus at that time. Today was the first time that I purschased discus

[rickztahone]

No no, I got two blue acaras that had white spots and I didnt have any discus at that time. Today was the first time that I purschased discus

Oh I see. Well I went back a page and saw that you were concerned about white spots on other fish but not the discus. Truth be told, I would have advised you to simply stay away, but now that point is moot, so lets move on.

For now, simply observe the discus. Turn the lights on tomorrow and see how they are swimming. Make sure they aren't dark and that they are not losing their slime coat. Check their eyes to make sure they aren't cloudy. Are the discus skinny in the abdomen area or in the forehead area? Does it look pinched?

pictures would go a long way here to see how they are in your tank. If you need help posting pictures, simply let me know.

[DanLFC97]

They dont look skinny, its abdomen and its forehead are quite big. If I send you pictures I need to use the flash. If its ok to use flash on the fish I will send you pictures right away.

[DanLFC97]

Is it ok I use flash? If I can I will send you the pictures right away. By the way thanks a lot for helping me, I really appreciate it :)

[rickztahone]

Is it ok I use flash? If I can I will send you the pictures right away. By the way thanks a lot for helping me, I really appreciate it :)

Not a problem, and yes, send the pics with or without flash, it doesn't matter. It is better than nothing.

[DanLFC97]

I will send the pictures tomorrow. At the moment, one of them has adjusted and swimming normally the other one, is stil on its side, breathing normally and sometimes turning. Tomorrow I will feed them and I will send you the pictures. Thanks a alot for your help I really appreciate it.

[DanLFC97]

They both recovered and they are swimming. I have checked on them and now one of their skin is peeling and they have cloudy eyes.(I didnt get it like that from the store)
I also gave them a small amount of food and they didnt eat it.

Here is a picture of it.
http://prntscr.com/9si7f4

[Second Hand Pat]

Dan, please check your ammonia/nitrites? Guessing with the addition of the discus your tank is having a mini-cycle. If you have measurable ammonia/nitrites best to do a water change.

[DanLFC97]

Pat, I've finished my water change now and added 5 teaspoons of salt(1tsp/10g). Do they have any disease? What should I do so they can recover?

Thanks

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Dan, how large was your water change? Also please measure your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates later in the day and post the results here.
Pat

[DanLFC97]

The water change was about 35%. I took a printscreen of the results so that I wont give you inaccurate data.

http://prntscr.com/9slyve

[Second Hand Pat]

So the first row is nitrates and four row nitrites?

[DanLFC97]

The first row is nitrate, the second row is nitrite, the next three are GH, DT, TH, the row with different shades of green is the carbonate hardness and the row below it is the ph. The last row is the chlorine.

[rickztahone]

Sorry, I cannot see the results here at work since the pics are blocked. Mind saying what they are?

Also, if you are going through a mini-cycle you are going to have to do larger water changes than the 35% you did. More along the lines of daily 80% at least for the next week or so. This will allow the filter to colonize good bacteria for your tank.

[Second Hand Pat]

Ok, so ammonia is not measured and nitrite appear to be zero. Nitrates appear a bit high so suggest making your water changes larger if possible. Perhaps 50% or better.

[DanLFC97]

And should I keep adding salt? Do you think they will recover?

[Second Hand Pat]

You can stop the salt. Let's see what a couple of days of large water changes do.
Pat

[rickztahone]

You can stop the salt. Let's see what a couple of days of large water changes do.
Pat

Agreed. The cloudy eyes are a concern but the water changes may clear this up in a few days. They must be larger water changes though. Do you age your water? Sorry if I asked that already and can't remember.

[DanLFC97]

No I dont age my water, should I?. Do they look in a bad condition, because im panicing abit. Thanks for helping me guys I really appreciate it.

[rickztahone]

No I dont age my water, should I?. Do they look in a bad condition, because im panicing abit. Thanks for helping me guys I really appreciate it.

I can't see the pictures, but maybe Pat can?

People age their water when their pH is not stable. You can check it yourself by simply getting some water and pour it in a small container. Test the pH. use an airstone in the container and test after 24hrs. If it has gone up or down dramatically, then your pH is not stable, which means you would benefit from aging your water which stabilizes it.

[DanLFC97]

This might be a stupid question, but how do I age my water?

[Second Hand Pat]

Ricardo, can you see this?

93515

[rickztahone]

This might be a stupid question, but how do I age my water?

Simply place a large amount of water (in order to have enough to do a major water change) in a barrel, typically a 55g barrel:
http://www.lexingtoncontainercompany.com/files/QuickSiteImages/30_35_gallon_poly_closed_top.jpg

Then just drop a heater and an air stone in there and 24hrs later that water is aged and ready to use.

[rickztahone]

Ricardo, can you see this?

93515

Yeah, I see the picture now. Great looking discus btw OP. Loss of slime coat isn't too terrible but they do look really stressed. Keep up with the water changes and keep checking your water parameters and keep posting them here.

[DanLFC97]

Can slime coat be peeled on the tail? Because the tail look like it was peeling also and I thought it was fin rot, but I doubt it because, they were quarantined for a month.

[rickztahone]

Can slime coat be peeled on the tail? Because the tail look like it was peeling also and I thought it was fin rot, but I doubt it because, they were quarantined for a month.

They could possibly be ammonia burns. This can happen during shipping at times. Maybe this is what you are seeing?

[DanLFC97]

I dont know if they are burns, I hope it isnt a case of fin rot, it shouldnt though because they were quarantined for a month and they looked health in his tanks. If I see its tail I will get take a picture and post it. Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it. I will update you!
Thanks again :)

[rickztahone]

I dont know if they are burns, I hope it isnt a case of fin rot, it shouldnt though because they were quarantined for a month and they looked health in his tanks. If I see its tail I will get take a picture and post it. Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it. I will update you!
Thanks again :)

No problem. Remember, clean water is the key here.

[DanLFC97]

I checked my discus again and the other one was in this condition.

http://prntscr.com/9szr2f

Is it a parasitic or disease problem?

[DanLFC97]

I checked the other one and its tail, are these white spots?

http://prntscr.com/9t0x4h

[DanLFC97]

Are these white spots?

http://prntscr.com/9t25wu

[rickztahone]

Pat, would you mind posting the pictures again for me? I am at work :/

[DanLFC97]

I took another picture.(Different from the others)

http://prntscr.com/9t2fkg

[Second Hand Pat]

Will shortly Ricardo, at the vets.
Pat

[rickztahone]

Will shortly Ricardo, at the vets.
Pat

No problem Pat. I hope everything is ok? Let me know via text ;)

[Second Hand Pat]

93544

[Second Hand Pat]

93545

[rickztahone]

Ok, this is what I think may be happening. I am assuming you just did a water change today or yesterday? To me, this looks like micro bubbles. You get these a lot during these months because of the cold. Basically, there are a lot of bubbles all through the tank. These are not good for your discus. It stresses them out and they lose their slime coat. The bubbles seem to have simply attached to the slime coat and that is what you are seeing. The solution is rather easy actually. Simply age your water for 24hrs and your problem will go away. The water of course would have to be heated and have air running through it.

[DanLFC97]

Yes today I made a water change of 50%. And should I be worried about the tail of this discus?

http://prntscr.com/9szr2f

[rickztahone]

Yes today I made a water change of 50%. And should I be worried about the tail of this discus?

http://prntscr.com/9szr2f

The tail will grow back if you keep with the water changes, but you will need to age your water as suggested. A little bit of regular salt will help with the fins as well.

[DanLFC97]

Thanks alot and thanks for helping me while you are at work.

This forum is awesome!

[rickztahone]

Thanks alot and thanks for helping me while you are at work.

This forum is awesome!

Not a problem. I actually am on the forum the most whilst at work. Luckily for me, this is our down time here at work.

[DanLFC97]

Update: Slime coat and fins are recovering. The only thing that is worrying me a small spot. I dont know if is a piece of the slime coat or something else.

http://prntscr.com/9ti87j
http://prntscr.com/9tiab5

[DanLFC97]

Also the fish haven't ate anything since I put them in the tank. I am giving them a little bit of bloodworms and they ignore it.

[rickztahone]

Also the fish haven't ate anything since I put them in the tank. I am giving them a little bit of bloodworms and they ignore it.

That isn't a good sign. Discus will typically always go for the bloodworms. Have they eaten since you posted this last?

[DanLFC97]

That isn't a good sign. Discus will typically always go for the bloodworms. Have they eaten since you posted this last?


Last Sunday, they ate a small amount. Since then they are still eating small amounts, but they are not touching the food as soon as I put it in the aquarum they are eating it when it sinks and comes near them.

[rickztahone]

Last Sunday, they ate a small amount. Since then they are still eating small amounts, but they are not touching the food as soon as I put it in the aquarum they are eating it when it sinks and comes near them.

That is better than nothing. Keep doing what you are doing. If I were you, I would remove the substrate you currently have. However, if you choose to do this, you will have to do it in a certain fashion. If you decide to do it, shoot me a pm and I will tell you how to properly do it.

[Mablibu81]

94673

So this is my first discus and after reading little I'm still a bit sketchy on the eye thing. Plus I would like to know what strain of snakeskin this is, as it came from the LFS. Thank you for the help.

[Ananth28]

To me, I don't think Discus look good in bare tank unless they still in the shop. Is there a setup so we can keep both, I am thinking at least I will keep plants in thin pots. - move plants around while cleaning the gravel. Would that works.



That might work but it's the gravel that creates the real problem of cleaning the tank. Here is a suggestion. I have a BBT(bare bottom tank) but I like the advantages of plants such as Nitrite disposal and oxygenation of the water plus they give your tank a deeper look! Get 1 or 2 peices of driftwood the kind with slate on the bottom to hold it down. Now get some Java Moss and Java Fern using plastic fishing line tie your Java plants to the drift wood! It will grow and propagate on the drift wood. It has low light and trace element requirments and and grows rather fast! In about 4 weeks you can remove the fishing line and the plants will continue to grow on the drift wood.

So who says you can't have plants and a bare bottom too! ;D

Very nice idea. I am also considering keeping floati g plants which are proven ammonia and nitrates feeders

I was referring to floating plants, thus keeping bottom bare as well as reducing nitrates

[LizStreithorst]

This thread is old but I agree with you about the gravel. It's way hard to keep clean enough for Discus.

[Li-T]

Thank you, I need that information. Now I will definitely choose healthy discus.

[jonnoya]

Great info Beta. Never saw this anywhere before.
Looking forward for more tips.

[seanyuki]

Generally...... following are when selecting Discus:
1. Eye
2. Finage
3. Gill
4. Forehead
5. Body
6. Color
7. Behaviour
8. Size
9. Swimming Posture
10. Discus’s Poop .
11. All Discus In the Tank




Great info Beta. Never saw this anywhere before.
Looking forward for more tips.