How many in 50 gallon tank

[torch]

How many Discus for a 50 gallon tank. This will their permanent home. Here are some info:

- 50 Gallon 36x15x20 high
- Aquaclear 70 power filter with cermanic bio media and sponge
- BB, just few anubias plant with medium size wood drift
- 18 Watts Coralife 5500k lighting
- Currently I have Six Discus in it, they are young ones about 2 to 3 inch.


Since they will have to be permanet home, I won't be upgrading my tank size, do you think I can house 8 discus? I want to get two more Discus, but I don't want to stress them by overcrowding. My bio filtration will handle more fish.

[Luis138]

I am new to discus but from what I understand the rule of thumb is 1 adult discus per gallon of water. So you can fit 5.

Someone more experienced, please correct me if I am wrong.

Luis

[mikel]

I have 7 in a breeder tank of 40 gallons. I change 40% water everyday, with an emperor bio-wheel. If you want to crowd them, then water change must be intense. If you are willing to do intense waterchange, i dont see why you cant have 8. feed them well, water cahnge often and they grow like crazy. mike

[aquagal]

The rule of thumb is 10gal/adult discus...that would be 5. As was already said, if you increase water changes you could add more...not sure that I would...

[Fishdude461]

I wouldn't get any more fish for sure. They will be crowded when they put a few more inches on. 8 fish in there would deff be too many if that is going to be their home for life.

[torch]

ok, just want to confirm.

[Armandi_Fishcarer]

Hi torch

6 is an excellent number in that size tank, although if you are going too keep up your w/c on a regular basis, you can easily put 8.

Having the above stated in mind. Heavy feeding=More frequent w/c

Size of fish when adults may be reduced in some, as space & if low feeding is made.

Regards Armandi ;)

[torch]

I will keep up with water change. Eight is max I was planning to put in there. Right now, they have alot of swimming room and they move everywhere.

[torch]

Anyone else kept 8 discus in 50 gallon?

[phat nguyen]

Hello everyone,
I am currently having 20 Discus in my 55 gal tank.9 of them are about 4 inch and the rest are juvies.I am changing the water at least 3 times every day( mostly after each feeding).
The water parameter is good, ph is about 6.4-6.6.Filtration include 1 double sponge and 1 fluval405.Water look pretty good to me.I am not adding any more discus to this tank.About to set up another 55 gal and 35 in another room.These tanks will be devoted to all DISEASE-FREE home bred fish from CliffDiscus.
I am looking to your opinion on my tanks.Thanks.

Perry Nguyen

[Don Trinko]

Clean water is the secret. You have a high bioload. It can be done but if you get lazy on WC and tank cleaning you are more likely to have a problem than someone with a lighter load. Don t.

[lonetraveler]

Clean water is the secret. You have a high bioload. It can be done but if you get lazy on WC and tank cleaning you are more likely to have a problem than someone with a lighter load. Don t.

Can put more if you use more filtration? Say he had 2 Ehiem 2026's on that 50. Would that make it easier to deal with?

[judy]

I have eight discus in a heavily-planted 78 gallon (there were ten, but two are now in their own breeding tank). There are two large Aquaclear HOBs, a Tetratec 300 HOB, a large sponge filter, and a 50% WC once a week.
Everyone's healthy, and they don't even squabble.

[Elite Aquaria]

I would agree with most of the comments above. As Don pointed out water quality is the key. I have raised 10 to adults in a 40 breeder which is 47 gallons of water. The tank was bare bottom and I did bi-daily water changes on some days and other days I gave them daily water changes. The fish are now looking fine to me what do you think...;)

[Diboroan]

Supreme fish!

[Elite Aquaria]

Thanks...

[torch]

I'll do the deed. Will add two more discus to eight in my 50 gallon. Young ones for now, so I'll have 8 growing discus in this tank. When they pair up and I'll separate them. Right now about two bags of cermentic bio media in my AquaClear 70 at bottom and huge sponge ( used previously as sponge filter with air pump ) on top layer. There is a prefilter in the intake of the Aquaclear so it won't clog up my biomedia.