What other cichlids can be mixed with discus?

[Kweenshaker]

I'm just curious as to whether any other cichlids can be mixed with discus....I know about rams and angels (although it seems that many people don't agree with the latter), but can any others mix well with them?

[Ryan]

Most small S.A. fish that enjoy the same water temperature and parameters will do well if the tank is an appropriate size. Some cichlids I've kept with discus:

Flag cichlids (Laetecara sp.)
Rams (blue, gold, and Bolivian)
Uaru (Uaru amphiacanthoides) -- you'd need a really large tank
Keyholes (Cleithracara maronii)
Checkerboards (Dicrossus sp.)

In addition, many of the dwarfs, including the Apistos, work well as long as they are okay with the warmer water. I know that a lot of people have kept A. cacatuoides with discus.

[Kweenshaker]

thanks :)

[PermyPerm]

i keep my one extra male cacatouides with my discus and have had no problems with him bothering them at all.

[Kweenshaker]

i keep my one extra male cacatouides with my discus and have had no problems with him bothering them at all.


ooh, i like those :)

[Moon]

Uaru will make ideal companions for discus. They have similar temperament. The dietary requirements are different. Uaru need lots of green stuff.
Joe

[Ryan]

My Uaru were great until they started spawning. They ripped a quarter-sized black angelfish in half :( If you have a large enough tank though, juvie Uaru are great with angels, discus, keyholes, rams... any other passive S.A. cichlid. They tend to be very shy at first.

Ryan

[goheel]

I have an angel with my discus and they get along fine. Does anyone know if severum is compatible with discus?

[lhforbes12]

Goheel,
I wouldn't advise it, but I have heard of people doing it. I believe they start them when both are young. Sererums can be pretty territorial, especially when breeding. In other words, Severums are typical cichlids.

[Ryan]

I had a huge pair of gold severums (the male was 8" and the female was slightly smaller) who shared a 55 gallon with some adult angels. They spawned right in the middle of the tank, under the brace, and raised wrigglers to free-swimming stage with the angels. There was some chasing, but never a real aggression issue. Of course, the free-swimmers disappeared.

I have mixed gold severums with angels for a long time. I am assuming that under the right circumstances, you could probably keep them with discus. As with most cichlids, I always mixed them when smaller and raised them up with the angels. The only thing that concerns me is their size and appetite. When you start mixing discus with larger cichlids, you run into problems at feeding time and also when the fish get territorial during spawning.

My verdict would be that it's theoretically possible, but I wouldn't try it unless you have ample tank space and you're comfortable enough with both species to test it out and experiment.

Ryan

[JeffreyRichard]

Most of the Apistogramma will do fine with Discus ... A. aggasizzi and A. Borelli have done well for me. Of course the Microgeophagus (Rams) do well.

[Kweenshaker]

thanks all :)