How long can I temporarily keep 5 discus in a 33 gallon?

[Elcomico]

I currently have 33 gallon thank in wich I'd like to house discuss. After reading many many info on the internet I believe a group of 5 fish would be wise.

I undersand a 33 gallon is much too small for full grown discuss. I'll be gettin a 90 gallon in the next year. Is 12 months to long to keep 5 small discuss in order to avoir problems?

thanks

[Giniel]

Hi, I would have to ask how much and what type of filtration are you going to use? How big are the discus right now? How often are you going to do water changes?

I personally have a 75 gallon tank with 12 discus in it , too many but I have 3 sponge filters and a canister filter and change 50% to 75% of water every day and they are fine and growing.

It really depends on how much time and effort you will put into it.Most on here will tell you that is too many fish for that size tank. If I were you I would watch for too much bullying as they might feel a little cramped . Typically it is one discus to 10 gallons of water.

HTH
Debbie

[Eddie]

I have 6 discus in a 29 gallon and the seams are popping on my tank. I need a bigger tank now. My fish 2.5-3" in size. These are in other than ideal conditions. I use a penguin 170 with efisubstrate inside it with a Bio sponge filter #7. I do about a 75% WC daily so the fish are still growing but I'm in dyer need of a bigger tank. I don't think I would go a year with my tank. If anything, I'll get another 29 and split the group if I have to. HTH

Eddie

[Cosmo]

Keep the tank BB, use lots of bio filtration, regular WC's, and regular filter cleaning and you may be ok.. would be better obviously if you could get a hold of a 55 until your 90 arrives as they will become more and more cramped in th 33 as they grow. Also, the water quality will become more and more difficult to maintain at optimal levels as they grow and excrete and expire more wastes into the water.. Splitting them into two groups would be problematic as Discus tend to do better in groups of six or more .. a group of three would be dangerous, a group of two potentially deadly for the weakest of the fish in each group.

hth
Jim

[Eddie]

Yeah, splitting them up may be a mistake but the guys are just growing fast. I will have to break down and buy a tank here in the Azores which will cost at least $350. Thats about a 55 gallon. That is absurd but my fish need it. Thanks Jim

PS. Sorry Elco for jumping in on your thread. :o

Eddie

[jeep]

Eddie, feeling creative???


http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_acrylic_aquarium.php

[discusfire4]

I have a 500g with 46 discus. Two large cannisters with bio filter beds on them. I change 50 gallons every other day and mine are growing fast. Three pairs laid night before last.

[Eddie]

Thanks for the URL jeep but I've got to check it out at home. At work now and that site seems to be banned or inaccessible. :mad:

[Le Imports]

Yeah, splitting them up may be a mistake but the guys are just growing fast. I will have to break down and buy a tank here in the Azores which will cost at least $350. Thats about a 55 gallon. That is absurd but my fish need it. Thanks Jim

PS. Sorry Elco for jumping in on your thread. :o

Eddie

Have you tried fish clubs in your area?
$350 seems a bit absurd, 55gallon in my area can run as low as $70 for a new all glass.

[Howie_W]

I currently have 33 gallon thank in wich I'd like to house discuss. After reading many many info on the internet I believe a group of 5 fish would be wise.

I undersand a 33 gallon is much too small for full grown discuss. I'll be gettin a 90 gallon in the next year. Is 12 months to long to keep 5 small discuss in order to avoir problems?

thanks

The smaller the tank, the harder it is to maintain the water quality required for the fish to grow properly and remain healthy. I wouldn't start out with anything smaller than a 55 gallon.


Howie

[Eddie]

Have you tried fish clubs in your area?
$350 seems a bit absurd, 55gallon in my area can run as low as $70 for a new all glass.

No fish clubs, but pardon my french damn! I could 5, 55 gallon tanks for the price of one here in the azores. I have no other options and a mans gotta do what mans gotta do. My fish get mad love. :)

Eddie

[alpine]

Elcomico, I just bought my first discus last week. Had this Great idea I was going to keep 6 juveniles 2.5 inches in one of the 29 gallons and 6 more in the other and then transfer them to a 55 gallon as they got older.....Well...Wrong..it did not take long for me as a Newby keeper to realize that things were not going to work ...I started to worry about water quality even with my 50% daily water change... the fish acted crowded..I started worrying about their ability to grow in that tank..I found out my 50 Aquaclear is too small for that tank..I started worrying about fouling of the water with the frozen foods... Yesterday five days after getting they went in the 55 gallon and they sure look more comfortable.I have more peace of mind. I plan to buy two 75. The juvenile groups I will buy from now on will go at least in a 55 , best a 75 gallon tank. I will keep my 29 gallon tanks and use them if I ever get lucky to get a couple of breeding pairs.

Even being as new as I am keeping discus or any other fish , I will never recommend and always try to steer anyone from having so many juveniles in such a small tank, rergarless of the amount of filtration present.

Just sharing my experience(which is really very limited)

roberto.

[korbi_doc]

:D :D Basshead, don't know whats available in the Azores, but there are some large 50g+ plastic tubs, some even in a translucent material that would sit on a table & hold fish. I bought one just for emergencies, fortunately haven' t had to use it. Put the eggcrate plastic covers (for fluorescent lights) on top to cover, makes an easy barebottom "tank"! Also are there any farm supply places there? They would have stock tanks, make easy "tanks" to raise babies. "tanks" do not have to be "glass see thru" to raise healthy fish, check their bulletin boards, may get 2nd hand, used but good, newspapers used tanks?? Just some thoughts, $350 seems exhorbitant, good luck, Dottie :idea:

[Eddie]

Thanks for all the great info Dottie. Actually this island is a farm. Every single person on this island raises cows or horses, sheep, everything. There literally cows running through the major roads everywhere. It's quite dangerous. I don't think the supplies for farm animals is advanced as you may be used to. It's pretty close to 3rd world country over here. They do have electricity and water but that seems like about it. The majority of anything people get here is from the base. I would like to look into those containers but I think I'm going to break out the bucks on a big tank. I would probably end up spending it on some other thing that I don't need. :)