I know nothing and need lots of help

[SheldonRaj]

I wrote this Saturday afternoon while waiting for my registration to be validated so I could post:

So I am new at this. My boyfriend and I received a hand-me-down 30 gallon hex tank from my sister last weekend. We set it up, got a new filter and let the tank run most of the week. Last night we went to the specialty fish store to pick out fish. No big deal just to get some colorful guppies and to see what they had. I fell for a beautiful blue discus and had to have it.

Needless to say about two hours later we were on our way home with 4 fancy guppies(less than 1inch), 2 powder blue gouramis(1 ½ inches), 1 Golden Nugget pleco(3 inches), 1 Black Ghost Knife Fish(3-4 inches), 2 Golden Angel Rams(1 inch) and 2 beautiful Discus(about 2 inches)and new heater. I am a little concerned after reading about Discus online all night. We were reassured that all the fish would get along well, there would be no overcrowding, and we needed to keep the water around 80-82F.

We got the temp up and let the bags float for an hour and then started dumping the bags. I am keeping a close eye on everyone but one of our discus(Sheldon- we named him already) stays at the top in the back right under the filter. The other discus(Raj) wont swim to far from Sheldon, about halfway down the tank make around and then return to Sheldon.

I am like a nervous new mom. I was not prepared for this. I just want to have happy, healthy fish. Also, we noticed that while the discus were in the bag (waiting for the tank to heat) they changed color. Is that normal?

Cut to today: The discus(Sheldon and Raj) are becoming a little more adventurous. I still have yet to see either of them (or the angel rams) actually eat. I changed about 4 gallons of water yesterday(very nervously). I added some chlorine out/water conditioner to warm tap water and slowly poured it into the tank half expecting all the fish to float to the top. We have been feeding one frozen cube of Hikai (spelling?) to the tank each night before lights out and I do a pinch(15-20 flakes) of flake food twice a day.

I have been contemplating flushing the gouramis(I know it sounds harsh) or at least giving them away but I haven’t actually seen them nip at anyone. The guppies seem to get close to Sheldon and Raj but it’s hard to tell. I thought about moving the guppies and the gouramis to another tank but we don’t have one.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. I just graduated with my teaching degree and won’t be working full time until school starts in the fall, so until then I have plenty of time to get the fish adjusted – I just need to know how.
Thanks,
Suzie

[Bripie]

Has you're tank been running for 5 weeks or more with a fish in it.You're really running for disaster adding all those fish at once.the best way to grow out Discus is in a bare bottom tank with only the discus they like to be in a group of at least 6 so a 55 galon would be better.Can you tell me about you'r ewater quality is you're water hard or soft well water city water do you treat it pre heat it age it.I hate when petstores let you believe the wrong information Discus require pristine water quality and often water changing.Is mandatory

[SheldonRaj]

Ummm... in my defense I went to the pet store to get some pretty fish, guppies and tetras. Was not expecting all of this. The only thing the guys at the store said was keep water temp about 80F and feed bloodworms and flakes.

I was totally blindsided by all of this but completely committed to taking great care of these guys. I already named them. I will be going tomorrow to pick up some water test strips so I can test out water. The guy at the store did a test of their water and it was about 7.2. I am using Houston(Katy) tap water, warmed, with API tap water conditioner (I can see everyone gasping in disbelief). The water is kind of on the soft side, not as soft as College Station but not hard like most Houston water(for anyone familiar with Texas) I will also be picking up a camera battery so I can take a picture so someone can tell me if they look ok. The fish were only $15 each and I have a feeling that is a cheap price. They look like leopard snakeskins.

I'm sorry, I didn't even know what a discus was when we left the store with them. I feel horrible

[TankWatcher]

Hi SheldonRaj

Welcome to SD. Many of us have been where you are now & received shocking advice from LFS. You're not the 1st & sadly you won't be the last.

I have been contemplating flushing the gouramis(I know it sounds harsh) Please don't do that. Not only sounds harsh, it is harsh.
or at least giving them away :) Now that's more like it. At worst, take them back to the LFS where you bought them.

[KDodds]

I don't know where you are, but most states have laws about retailers and resellers misrepresenting products. In this case, they've sold you a ticking time bomb where you expected a beautiful, relaxing aquascape. That's strictly from a business/legality point of view. I say this because you are perfectly justified in packing up the fish that don't belong and trucking them down to the fish store for a FULL REFUND that does not include "store credit". If I were treated this way by a retailer I would sure as certain march down and demand that refund (waiting for a busy time is an excellent way to go, and don't be afraid to get loud or demand to speak to the owner).

A 30 hex, believe it or not, is actually a very small tank of very poor design for keeping most fish. In your case, you have a couple of fish that, when full grown, could potnetially, and quite literally, fill all of the available space in that tank on their own. That said, if you want to keep the discus, I'd return the 2 powder blue gouramis (bullies, very bad discus tankmates), the gold nugget pleco (there are a number of species very similar in appearance sold under this name, some may be synonyms, at least one gets to over a foot in length), the black ghost knife (gets large, can be boisterous, especially at night, and is highly predatory, guppies don't stand a chance long term), and possibly the 2 rams (might be okay, but why chance it as a beginner). That would leave you with the discus and the guppies, a reasonable first introduction. I'd maybe add a few cories to that, or trade the guppies for tetras, or both. That'd be my first step, anyway.

[poconogal]

Hi Suzie, welcome to SD! Wow, that LFS should be XX$$%#@!!! The first rule is NEVER listen to LFS advice, especially where it concerns Discus. The LFS many times have people working there who know next to nothing about fishkeeping and regarding Discus, you can basically count on zero knowledge at most places. Also, keep in mind that they are in business to sell fish, so if you kill them at home, they already made a sale and then will usually make more sales when you come in to replace what died.

Have you purchased any water test kits? Not the test strips, but actual test kits which are more accurate. With dumping that load of fish in, all at the same time, by now you probably have or are working your way to having sky high ammonia. If you haven't purchased any, right now you need to get an ammonia test kit. You also need a nitrIte test kit and a PH test kit as well.

What temperature are you keeping the tank at? Discus should be kept at 82 or higher.

Do you know anything about the biological filter cycle? In a nutshell, fish produce ammonia, the ammonia then gets converted to nitrite, which is then converted to nitrate. Conversion of ammonia to nitrite is done by bacteria, which develop in response to ammonia being present in the water, then other bacteria develop in response to nitrite being present in the water. Nitrate, the final product of the cycle, is removed by water changes. In the case of Discus, water changes are frequent and larger than what you've done.

Right now you are in the process of cycling your tank, a bad thing to do with Discus in it. Usually, we cycle a tank first, then slowly add fish in. This is important because ammonia is toxic to fish, will burn gills, etc. and can cause death if its high. Nitrite is said to be more toxic than ammonia, and can cause brown blood disease, which will result in death. Nitrate is not usually considered too much a threat, although in high concentrations it too can cause problems, especially to fish that are nitrate sensitive.

What kdodds said above is true. Your tank is much too small for the fish load and type of fish you have, and its really too small to keep Discus, which usually do much better in a group of 5, minimum, as Discus can get aggressive with each other (although they are peaceful with other types of fish). With a group of 5, it serves to spread aggression around. Too much aggression with too few Discus can result in the death of a stressed Discus. A 55 gal. tank would be best, although I've kept 5 in a 45 gal. tank.

I would start with either buying a good beginner's book on starting an aquarium -- one that fully explains the biological filter, or doing a lot of online research regarding that. Next, given the size limits of your tank and compatability issues, I would return many of the fish you purchased. Certainly the Pleco and the Gouramis, and the Knife fish too, if you are determined to keep the Discus. I'd also trade in the Guppies for some Tetras, perhaps some Rummy Nose Tetras or Lemon Tetras. Some Tetras can be fin nippy, so its important to check first before buying.

So, ASAP, get your test kits, test your water and then please come back and post your results and we'll take it from there. I'd also see if the LFS carries anything like StartSmart or Tetra Safe Start. These are products to start up the bio filter immediately. Also, a product like Prime, which can detoxify ammonia and nitrite and help you immensely during the cycling phase.

[zn394]

First of all, take a long, deep breath. As Robyn said, you're not the first to have this happen. You will get through this just fine with the help of the wonderful and knowledgeable people here.

A 30 hex is indeed a smaller tank than you would think - it is tall and has too small a surface area for proper gas exchange. It might be acceptable for the discus alone, but I doubt you would get good growth. Might I suggest (I hate giving advise, but I think you need the help) that you first decide which of the fish you have that you like the most. Since you posted this on a discus forum, I am going to assume those are your favorites. If so, then you should consider doing as KDodds suggested and return the majority of your fish - K's choices were right on. Rams make good tank mates for discus but can be more difficult to keep. One additional note for IF you decide to return them - pickup a Bushynose plecostomus instead of the gold nugget. They stay small and will do wonders for cleanup and mostly algae control. Just don't assume they will get all they need from what you are currently feeding or any algae that might develop. Get some algae wafers and feed those at night after the lights go out. 2 2" discus, a BN pleco, and a few guppies (or tetras) should be fine for a while (but again, what kind of growth you can expect from the discus is questionable).

The most important thing you must do is monitor your water conditions daily! You will need to keep a close eye on the ammonia and nitrite in particular, as any thing much above 0 can be dangerous - 0.25 at the most and even then you have to watch the fish for signs of distress. You can keep these readings down by doing water changes (as much as 50% daily), but the problem with this is it will take longer for the nitrifying bacteria to become established. It can take as long as 6 - 8 weeks for a tank to mature. You also could see what kind of cycling additives are available to kick-start this process. Many are on the market now and they might help you out.

One alternative, and possibly your best, is to return all but the gouramis and guppies. Both of those are very hardy and are excellent fish to help establish the nitrogen cycle.

Keep reading this and other forums, magazines, books, and freshwater fish websites and your knowledge will grow by leaps and bounds! You're gonna be fine.

[mmorris]

I'm sorry, I didn't even know what a discus was when we left the store with them. I feel horrible

Please try not to feel horrible! You're embarking on a wonderful adventure, and you did it by pure luck! My start in discus was very much the same as yours.
Martha

Congratulations on your degree, by the way.

[rickztahone]

this situation unfortunately happens all too often to beginners which usually deters them away from the hobby. you have gotten great advise which i can't add more to because they are all spot on. like Eddie says (high regarded member here) "water is the key". make sure you check your water parameters on a daily basis and also make sure you do not get the test strips since they are not as accurate. massive water changes will help keep all parameters in check but like previously mentioned it will take longer for your beneficial bacteria to colonize. most of us do daily water changes as it is so doing big water changes is probably best and eventually the bacteria will build up. hope all this info helps and hope you are not overwhelmed. please oh please do not flush any fish down the toilet, just return them back to the petstore.

[SheldonRaj]

I am testing the water:

pH : 7.6

ammonia: 1

nitrite: its lighter than .25 but not quite 0

nitrate: darker than zero but no where near as orange as 5.0

how do I fix these things?

[zn394]

Do your daily 15 - 20% water changes (wc's), and keep monitoring those water parameters. What have you decided about keeping all the fish?

Just to maybe cheer you up a bit - really good to see another "Big Bang" fan out there :D.

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

heyy, I would definatly try to remove the guramis. when they get older I find that its not so much that they bully the discus (which they definatly will, they kinda bully everyone) but its that they are always flying around the tank, chasing everyone down. discus like a nice calm relaxed tank. so with all that chasing going down its hard for them to relax, especially if its the discus being picked on. I was in a simmilar spot as you about 6 months ago. but now I have 2 bare bottom tanks, with about 13 discus (as of this coming saturday:D) with all the great equipment and what not. basically I can tell that the discus bug has, or is about to bite your a$$ in a MAJOR way haha. so either bow out gracefully or dive right the hell in there like all of us did at one point! I can tell your really fascinated by these discus, just wait untill you start ordering from some of the sponsors here, and get some A grade fish, and learn what discus are all about. I say you should stick with it. if you got some money and some time, do the research and ask questions, questions, questions! in a few months youll be well on your way to holding your own with all the big boys, and girls here :D:D. just let the discus bug bite you, strap on your seat belt, and just dive right in and go for this ride with us...youll find that SimplyDiscus forum will become your homepage in no time, and you will be glued to this website and your tanks!:) your discus will become your babies :D:D (even more than they are now!) :):)

best of luck, just do lots of research and make educated choices. ask questions and see what 2 to 3 of the more educated, senior members have to say, and take those 3 oppinions and make an educated decision. discus keeping is very simple once you realize what you have to do. just like growing plants, or anything living for that matter. just provide them with what they naturally need (lots of clean water, daily is good...and lots of good, varied foods) and you will be well on your way. alot of people get overwhelmed by all these different things to consider while keeping discus. but they are animals just like you and I, they dont need chemicals or anything really fancy (unless you have some problems) and once you really pinpoint what needs to be done to get the most out of your fish, its just a routine, and its very satisfying.

just remember that the most important things are:

-lots of clean water! (alot of us will do 50-100 percent daily water changes)
-lots of good, varied foods (frozen cubes like bloodworms, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp..and some dry foods, flakes color bits, pellets...things like that)
- ask LOTS of questions, theres no such thing as a stupid question or being too "new" here at simply...everyone is in LINE to help you. not just willing.
-and really just not to be neglectful. if you can just provide those 2 things religiously, then you will have great success in my opinion!:D

sorry for the rant, but I have been close to where you are now, and now ill up to my chin with this hobby! chest deep in it! lol. youll pick it up in no time. since your a teacher, I can tell you WANT to learn, and you will. just stick with it Maam! :D:D

-Jason-

[poconogal]

I am testing the water:

pH : 7.6

ammonia: 1

nitrite: its lighter than .25 but not quite 0

nitrate: darker than zero but no where near as orange as 5.0

how do I fix these things?
Hi Suzie. Are these results with strips or test kits?

Your PH of 7.6 is absolutely fine, no need to mess with it. You should take some tap water and put it in a bucket with an airstone for 24 hours. Then test your PH again to see if its risen. If your PH changes in the 24 hour period, then you'll either have to age your water in a rubbermaid overnight with aeration before changing water, or you can manage it by the size of the water change you make each time. So if you can, put the water in a bucket tonight and then post the results - whether it rose up or stayed the same.

As for the ammonia and nitrite, I would make sure to test your water in the a.m. and in the p.m. I would also test the tap water for the presence of ammonia or nitrite. I'd do daily WCs of 50%, (if you don't have the Python No Spill Clean and Fill, now might be a great time to order one. :D You can check them out online). Match your temps, tap to tank, as closely as you can, and try to produce a minimum amount of bubbles when refilling the tank. I highly recommend adding Prime to the tank before refilling. Prime will detoxify ammonia and nitrite and it also takes care of chlorine and chloramine, which will probably be present in your water, unless you're on a private well like I am. It will tell you the amounts to use on the bottle. Prime will enable your biological filter to develop since it does not remove*** EDIT ammonia or nitrite, but instead converts it to a non-toxic form. The ammonia and nitrite itself will still be available to the bacteria that will colonize your filter bio media. Keep an eye out for any rapid breathing or hanging out at the top of the water.

What kind of filter do you have and what's in it?

Have you decided which fish you will keep?

And don't worry, Discus aren't really hard to keep. Just keep their water clean, feed them a variety of nutritious foods and watch them grow!

Did you choose Sheldon and Raj because you ARE a Big Bang fan? Hubby and I are fans too!

***Front of Prime bottle says "Removes Ammonia" but the description on the side of the bottle says "converts ammonia" but I believe converts is correct since test kits still show ammonia even with Prime being used.

[SheldonRaj]

I did about a 40% water change, tried to take their pictures and did the dishes. I retested the ammonia and it was at .5. I will probably try to do another water change (about the same amount) after dinner. Anything I can do about the pH???

I attached the best pictures of them that I could get. I didn't realize how hard it is to take pictures of fish. The bright ones show their true color and the darker ones are less blurry. Could someone tell if the fish look well?

I am trying to get see if my friend will take the gouramis. They have a small few tanks. One salt water that they are growing sea anenamis(?spelling??).

And yes Jeff, we are huge Big Bang fans. My boyfriend named the pleco Leonard before we even left the store with him.

[SheldonRaj]

if you don't have the Python No Spill Clean and Fill, now might be a great time to order one. :D You can check them out online).

I highly recommend adding Prime to the tank before refilling. Prime will detoxify ammonia and nitrite and it also takes care of chlorine and chloramine,

What kind of filter do you have and what's in it?

Have you decided which fish you will keep?

A what no spill? Is that like the hose? I am using an oversized gallon plastic pitcher. I scoop out the old water and pour it down the kitchen drain. Then after I have dumped as much water as I need, all while letting hot tap run. I adjust the hot and cold water until it is just slightly warmer than the water I justed dumped down the drain and fill the pitcher with tap water. I drop 3-5 drops of the API water conditioner into the pitcher and stir it around. I set the pitcher into the tank and let the water flow out of it instead of pouring. And I repeat filling the pitcher, adding API andf illing the tank until it is all full. This is probably completely wrong.

So, what is this prime stuff and where do I get it?? Petco??

My filter is a Tetra Whisper EX45. Says the box: Multi-Stage Filtration.
1. coarse floss to remove large particles.
2. carbon filtration to remove toxins
3. multi-density floss toremove fine particles
4. Bio-scrubber to remove ammonia and nitrites

[poconogal]

A what no spill? Is that like the hose? I am using an oversized gallon plastic pitcher. I scoop out the old water and pour it down the kitchen drain. Then after I have dumped as much water as I need, all while letting hot tap run. I adjust the hot and cold water until it is just slightly warmer than the water I justed dumped down the drain and fill the pitcher with tap water. I drop 3-5 drops of the API water conditioner into the pitcher and stir it around. I set the pitcher into the tank and let the water flow out of it instead of pouring. And I repeat filling the pitcher, adding API andf illing the tank until it is all full. This is probably completely wrong.

So, what is this prime stuff and where do I get it?? Petco??

My filter is a Tetra Whisper EX45. Says the box: Multi-Stage Filtration.
1. coarse floss to remove large particles.
2. carbon filtration to remove toxins
3. multi-density floss toremove fine particles
4. Bio-scrubber to remove ammonia and nitrites
Yes, the Python is the hose with valve attachment. Gets attached to your faucet and you drain and siphon out debris with it, then you can refill your tank with it, after setting the correct temperature. Saves a lot of bucket hauling.

I've seen Prime at Petsmart. If you see it in a store, you can get a starter bottle, but the best way to buy it though is to search online for the best deal, as it can be a bit pricey, but worth it, IMO. Online will cost much less. Once you have the Prime, if your ammonia is at .5 or 1.0, whatever, you'll be able to use Prime to detoxify and do maybe one or 2 WC a day, not multiple WCs each day.

You probably didn't see what I added to my previous post about your PH of 7.6. Your PH of 7.6 is absolutely fine, no need to mess with it. You should take some tap water and put it in a bucket with an airstone for 24 hours. Then test your PH again to see if its risen. If your PH changes in the 24 hour period, then you'll either have to age your water in a rubbermaid overnight with aeration before changing water, or you can manage it by the size of the water change you make each time. So if you can, put the water in a bucket tonight and then post the results - whether it rose up or stayed the same.

Okay, so your filter has media that is changeable. Is it changeable in stages, or sections, or is it one thing that has floss and carbon, etc. all together?

[SheldonRaj]

The whole carbon floss filter changes. The filters I had growing up you had to dump out the carbon and then add more but this one is different. When I was really little we had one of those below the gravel wavy plastic filter things.

questions:
1. If I get Prime(?seachem's?), how much do I add? Enough for the whole tank or just the amount of water I am changing?

2. Is about $35 good for the Python? $7.50 for 250mL of Prime(it has a red label)?


My tap water(immediately out of the faucet) pH is the same as the aquarium and the water that we had sitting out overnight. So if the pH is stable then I don't need to mess with in, right?

[TankWatcher]

If I get Prime(?seachem's?), how much do I add? Enough for the whole tank or just the amount of water I am changing? According to the instructions on my bottle of Prime, if you add water straight from the tap to the tank (using something like the python) then you need to add enough prime for the total tank volume. If you have the new water stored in a rubbermaid, then only add enough prime for the amount of the water you are changing.

If you end up storing your water in a rubbermaid, then you can get an aquarium pump & a hose to pump the new water into the tank. Although 30g isn't a large tank, if you can avoid buckets then water chages won't seem like so much work.

If your pH is stable, you don't need to mess with it.

Sorry my response was so brief last night, I was in a rush to go out, plus having my own sick fish drama and I knew SD's other members would quickly jump in with great advice.

[zn394]

That is fine for a Python. It is well worth the money since it makes wc's so much easier. So far you are doing exactly what needs to be done in your situation. Keep it up and keep asking questions and you and your fishies will all be fine!

And yeah, Sheldon is my favorite too. That show is hilarious (guess they remind me of me a li'l too much :p).

[poconogal]

The whole carbon floss filter changes. The filters I had growing up you had to dump out the carbon and then add more but this one is different. When I was really little we had one of those below the gravel wavy plastic filter things.

questions:
1. If I get Prime(?seachem's?), how much do I add? Enough for the whole tank or just the amount of water I am changing?

2. Is about $35 good for the Python? $7.50 for 250mL of Prime(it has a red label)?


My tap water(immediately out of the faucet) pH is the same as the aquarium and the water that we had sitting out overnight. So if the pH is stable then I don't need to mess with in, right?
The filters where the whole insert gets removed and changed for a new insert aren't that good. When you remove that insert, you're removing your biological filter and dumping it out. A better filter would be something that has individual media so that you can change different media at different times. With your filter, I'd add an in tank sponge filter which will do a lot for the biological filtration. They're simple to use and run off an air pump. Or you can replace the filter with an Aqua Clear filter, which is a bit harder to clean, but has separate media. Its a very good filter for biological filtration.

The dosage is written on the bottle of Prime. If you are using it to detoxify ammonia and nitrite, then dose for the entire tank. I know one capful treats 50 gals. of water, so in your case probably 3/4 of a capful will do. You may have to adjust the amount according to how much ammonia you want to detoxify.

When you let your water sit overnight, did you have an airstone aerating it? You need to aerate it in order to see if the PH changes. After aerating the water for 24 hours, if the PH still matches your tank and tap PH, you won't have to age your water overnight but can do WCs straight from your tap if you prefer. If the PH does change, you'll either have to age it overnight with an airstone and a heater, or you can do what I do, which is to do 50% WCs each time so that my tank PH remains stable even though my tap PH rises after 24 hours. With a 50% WC, there is no impact on my tank's PH and I use the water straight from the tap. You may have to adjust your WC percentage to suit your tank. Either way, you don't have to mess with your PH. 7.6 is just fine. That's what my PH is.

[zn394]

I just checked the specs and filtration method for the Tetra Whisper EX45 you said you have. It will be fine since the mechanical part (floss) is before the biological part (Bio Scrubber). So you wont lose your nitrifying bacteria when you change the floss cartridge. Just rinse the cartridge for the biological filtering when you chanhe the floss per the instructions that came with the filter.

[poconogal]

So its not a one piece insert? That's much better.

[zn394]

Yeah, it's got like 3 or 4 inserts. Looks like a nice filter, but I think I'm gonna stick with my AquaClears :).

[SheldonRaj]

Newest update: We are currently chasing the gouramis to take them out for the night. I finally caught them nipping at the discus and at each other. Tomorrow my friend is lending me a 10 or 15 gallon tank for the gouramis and the guppies.

We also found a 150 gallon tank from someone at the office(her mother is looking to sell it). If it looks good and is a fair price, we might get it for the discus, then give the 30 gallon back to the gourmais and the guppies. If we get the monster tank, I'm going to need lots of help getting it all set up. I don't know what it was used for or what would be coming with it. Is there anything that would cause the tank to be unuseable with the discus? I know that if it had been a saltwater tank, it can be cleaned and I would have to get a new filter. If it was used for reptiles, would it still be ok if cleaned properly?

Did anyone look at my discus pictures? Are they ok looking?

[calihawker]

You can sterilize just about anything so you should be just fine no matter what was in it. (except maybe nuclear waste:p)

If you decide to get it, there will be plenty of folks here that will help you set it up.;)

Good Luck!

[rickztahone]

Newest update: We are currently chasing the gouramis to take them out for the night. I finally caught them nipping at the discus and at each other. Tomorrow my friend is lending me a 10 or 15 gallon tank for the gouramis and the guppies.

We also found a 150 gallon tank from someone at the office(her mother is looking to sell it). If it looks good and is a fair price, we might get it for the discus, then give the 30 gallon back to the gourmais and the guppies. If we get the monster tank, I'm going to need lots of help getting it all set up. I don't know what it was used for or what would be coming with it. Is there anything that would cause the tank to be unuseable with the discus? I know that if it had been a saltwater tank, it can be cleaned and I would have to get a new filter. If it was used for reptiles, would it still be ok if cleaned properly?

Did anyone look at my discus pictures? Are they ok looking?

was it a saltwater tank or a terrain? if it was terrain, some of those tanks can not hold water and are not meant for aquarium use. if it was a saltwater tank then you are fine, just make sure you clean it well

[poconogal]

Yeah, it's got like 3 or 4 inserts. Looks like a nice filter, but I think I'm gonna stick with my AquaClears :).
For bio and mech filtration, I think they are the best HOB. I used an AC500 (now the 110) since 1993 and only stopped using it to save the space behind the tank when I got a larger setup. My AC500 is still used on QT and its 16 yrs. old. I can fill that thing up almost like a canister filter.

[poconogal]

Newest update: We are currently chasing the gouramis to take them out for the night. I finally caught them nipping at the discus and at each other. Tomorrow my friend is lending me a 10 or 15 gallon tank for the gouramis and the guppies.

We also found a 150 gallon tank from someone at the office(her mother is looking to sell it). If it looks good and is a fair price, we might get it for the discus, then give the 30 gallon back to the gourmais and the guppies. If we get the monster tank, I'm going to need lots of help getting it all set up. I don't know what it was used for or what would be coming with it. Is there anything that would cause the tank to be unuseable with the discus? I know that if it had been a saltwater tank, it can be cleaned and I would have to get a new filter. If it was used for reptiles, would it still be ok if cleaned properly?

Did anyone look at my discus pictures? Are they ok looking?
Hi Suzie. So far your Discus don't look ill, but they do look stressed, bars showing, fins clamped. It could be from ammonia or it could be from being bullied by the Gouramis. I once had a Gourami, one of the dwarf ones who was bullying my angel fish in another tank. I removed him and put him with the Discus figuring that my adults wouldn't be picked on by that little shrimp of a fish. Wrong! Within a day, that little Gourami was charging the length of the tank right at the Discus, who would "run??" away as fast as they could. The Gourami would do it again and again, and I think it was having lots of fun, lol! By the end of the day little Gourami was at the LFS. Gouramis and Tetras, etc. seem fine together though. Do not put one with a Betta though.

If the tank was used for reptiles, it can be sterlized and used for fish, but the only issue I can think of would be if it held a large snake, who may have been striking at the glass. When they hit, its hard, and it could have weakened the silicone seal somewhere. Not that it definately did, but its a possibility. We had a boa constrictor who hit the tank and did damage it. Didn't damage himself though.

Suzie, just a note - when using Prime, you will still get an ammonia reading with a test kit because ammonia is still there, but in a non-toxic form. Are you using test kits or strips?

[KDodds]

A little more info on the new tank would be needed to determine if the stuff coming with it is usable. To add to the caution on terrarium tanks, some people will buy or use leaking tanks as housing for reptiles and such, and small mammals have a habit of stripping silicone, so be careful even if it is a tank meant to hold water.

[shoggoth43]

If it was a salt water aquarium just take a look at the glass. Any coral or anything "crusted" to the glass should come off. If you don't, it will eventually dissolve in your water and increase the hardness of the water. It may not cause problems but it's something you should at least consider. If all the glass is clear, as long as you clean the tank out well with bleach or vinegar you should be fine with a solid (former) salt aquarium.

-
S

[SheldonRaj]

Sheldon was dead this morning, sunk to the bottom. The gouramis were in the water change pitcher on the kitchen counter all night. The ammonia levels were high again so I went and bought the Prime. I just put it in. I don't know if it was the stress or the ammonia that killed Sheldon. And why did he sink? Is that normal for discus?

If we get the 150 gallon tank I'm not sure we will have any discus left to put in there. Are there any good breeders in the Houston area that anyone knows of?

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

suzie, please check your PM. just about everyone here would agree with who I suggested you get your discus from, ok? :)

...can anyone take a guess which sponsor I recommended?!?! :D:D

[calihawker]

suzie, please check your PM. just about everyone here would agree with who I suggested you get your discus from, ok? :)

...can anyone take a guess which sponsor I recommended?!?! :D:D


Can I say Duhhh!

Let's see does it start with a K and end in Y?? Hmmm??


It's so very unfortunate that you started out this process with a bad LFS and I'm real sorry. But hang in there you're in the right place and once you get things set you'll be like the rest of us with display tanks, grow out tanks, breeders. It's called the bug and it's easy to catch.

Good luck!!

[TankWatcher]

Oh, I'm so sorry about Sheldon. You are on the right track now though. The 150G tank is a great idea for your remaining discus.