Adding Discus

[Condor]

Hi everybody,

I am planning on getting some more discus soon, and wondered what the best way to do it would be. My current setup is a 75 gallon barebottom with driftwood. It holds two young adult discus, four cory's, and a pair of blue rams.
-Filtration: Fluval 204 and a Penguin 170.
-Temperature:84 F
-Water: tap (ph 7.4)
I have two twenty gallon H quarantine tanks available. My plan is to buy 4 Juveniles and grow them out in a twenty gallon, then add them to the 75 when they matured a little bit. I was also hoping to get another adult discus in a trade (one from the same batch that my current two are from).
My concern is that this hodgepodge of discus will upset the balance in my tank. What is the best way to introduce these new fish to the main tank? I do not think that my current two are a pair, but I cant really tell. Will adding Juvi's with adult discus slow their growth? Will aggression break out towards the new fish? At what point would I be able to add the new adult, or would that even be a good idea? Thanks for your input. By the way, I havent been around much lately. My screen name changed (used to be DaveyJ./D.Jones) Thanks again for your help.

Adrian

[RyanH]

It is much easier to buy your fish as a group and introduce them all together. It is also easier to have them roughly the same size as the fish already in the tank. I would find a reputable dealer who has what you want and buy them all at once.

... and don't forget to quarantine!! Six weeks minimum. All separate equipment and in a different room if possible.

hth
-Ryan

[Greg Richardson]

Adrian. Unless you get lucky the smaller ones once introduced to 75 tank will get picked on by the bigger ones relentlessly. I know another tank with all that goes with it is expensive but you might consider a 55 for your juvies and get group of 6 instead and then add to your 75 tank fish that are more in line size wise to the current ones. You can have smaller ones but you must be sure they can hold their own otherwise stress lowers their ability to fight off disease imo.

[Condor]

Thanks, guys. I was kind of afraid of that. Gonna have to put my thinking cap on for this one.

Adrian

[funkyfish]

ime i have not had any probs with putting smaller fish with my bigger fish
but i would not put babies in with adults .if ur adults are 6-7 inchs the smallest I would put in there is 4 inchs and even then u mite have probs
good luck

[Carol_Roberts]

IF the two discus you have now get along really good you can put them in a 29 and buy 6 youngster to grow out in the barebottom 75. (Get the 29 filter started in the 75 gallon and move it with the two young adults)

[Condor]

Thanks Carol and Funkyfish, I may be able to get a 29, and they do get along pretty well....

[wvt9527]

I personnaly have 3" up to 7 1/2" discus in the same tank.
The 7 1/2" keeps the 4-5" discus from picking on the 3" ones.

It really all depends on the attitude of the discus you have.