What display tank size do discus look best in?

[Mxx]

Technical matters aside, what size of a planted tank do you think discus actually look best in?

I was thinking about doing a 2 or three meter long 200-300 gallon tank with about a dozen discus, but the more I think about it the more I wonder if the tank might actually look quite out of scale and just make the discus appear tiny.

It's not that I want a huge number of discus necessarily as I don't think that looks quite ideal either, I just want to achieve what seems to look most in proportion with the size of the fish. So if adult discus are between 6 and 8 inches, what size tank might you think say six of them would look best in while not looking either too 'lost' or at all crowded or cramped.

Would a 60x24x24 135 gallon densely planted tank actually be more appropriately in keeping with the scale of adult discus?? Thanks! ~

[Jennie]

yes, would look better.

[discuspaul]

I think six adult fish would 'proportionately' look best in a 100 g. to 120 g. tank.
As a little aside, I know one can find 7" or 8" adult discus, but the most readily available, good looking adults of attractive strains you will suitably locate for such a tank will be, and I think should be, around the 6" size, IMO.

[DiscusFreakaZoid]

200-300 gallon tank for 12 adult discus wouldnt be so bad if the back was heavily planted with logs and rocks.. If you get 12 healthy adult discus swimming to the front of the tank when it comes to feeding time no fish would get Lost even in a 200-300. i think its very pleasant watching discus swim around in a large tank as opposed to a discus stationed in one area by a heater or a cone. I think the best part of discus is there graceful swimming which can be displayed in a large tank with decor. IMO i think its boring watching discus in a empty barebottom tank just staring at a heater/cone or swimming in free space. Its much more visually pleasing watching a nice group of discus swimming around plants, rocks, and logs in a large tank simulating there natural enivironment. there personalitys will show more in a nicely decorated tank with obstacles to swim around and explore provided they are getting clean water. imo there is no interaction in a BB tank with there enivironment. ALot more interaction with there environment with a planted bio-type tank.

[limpert]

a quadrillion gallon

[Mxx]

a quadrillion gallon

Great, fortunately had a spare one of those lying around unused!

[jcardona1]

i think its very pleasant watching discus swim around in a large tank as opposed to a discus stationed in one area by a heater or a cone. I think the best part of discus is there graceful swimming which can be displayed in a large tank with decor. IMO i think its boring watching discus in a empty barebottom tank just staring at a heater/cone or swimming in free space.

I agree!!

[Mxx]

200-300 gallon tank for 12 adult discus wouldnt be so bad if the back was heavily planted with logs and rocks.. If you get 12 healthy adult discus swimming to the front of the tank when it comes to feeding time no fish would get Lost even in a 200-300. i think its very pleasant watching discus swim around in a large tank as opposed to a discus stationed in one area by a heater or a cone. I think the best part of discus is there graceful swimming which can be displayed in a large tank with decor. IMO i think its boring watching discus in a empty barebottom tank just staring at a heater/cone or swimming in free space. Its much more visually pleasing watching a nice group of discus swimming around plants, rocks, and logs in a large tank simulating there natural enivironment. there personalitys will show more in a nicely decorated tank with obstacles to swim around and explore provided they are getting clean water. imo there is no interaction in a BB tank with there enivironment. ALot more interaction with there environment with a planted bio-type tank.

I like the sound of that and agree. Except I didn't they would get lost, I thought they might just 'look' lost in it if the tank is so much bigger than they are. So a nine foot 300 gallon might look a bit big if i wanted the tank to appear to have a reasonable stocking density. Perhaps I should aim for a 72"x24"x24" planted display tank with 8-10 adult discus and a dozen Congo Tetra dither fish in that case.

[Jennie]

I have a 70 L x 20D x 22H that wouldn't be the best for planted and swim area and I think a bit deeper would be best for your needs, since you want to do planted..Discus freak is correct

[Mxx]

I have a 70 L x 20D x 22H that wouldn't be the best for planted and swim area and I think a bit deeper would be best for your needs, since you want to do planted..Discus freak is correct

As a display I think that 36" deep would look ideal on a 36-42" base, so that it'd be at eye level whether you're sitting or standing. However, to be practical about maintenance it would probably be best to keep the bottom within arm's reach which limits it to about 24-27" if the tank has any width to it.I'd prefer to not have to don a snorkel for aquascaping purposes.

Tanks do get exponentially more expensive due to the increasing thickness of glass required for taller tanks. So I'm not sure if the significant jump in cost from a 24" tall tank to a 27" tall tank would even be worth it. I could do 30" wide instead of 24" wide easily though, if the extra width would help make the tank's planting look better and as long as I'd still be seeing my discus instead of having them hanging out too far in the back the entire time!...

[Jennie]

If you can get that at eye level it's worth it and yes 3 inches makes a huge difference..

[Dave B]

Bigger is always bigger. If you love discus and have space, get the biggest tank you can fit.

Simple can go a really long way:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/Img2004/View/567.jpg

I have ten adults in a 120 and while it's wide open and could fit another ten if I really wanted, I feel like they're trapped in a tiny cage. If I had room for an 8-10 foot tank, they'd be in that, no question.

[Mxx]

Bigger is always bigger. If you love discus and have space, get the biggest tank you can fit.

Simple can go a really long way:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/Img2004/View/567.jpg

I have ten adults in a 120 and while it's wide open and could fit another ten if I really wanted, I feel like they're trapped in a tiny cage. If I had room for an 8-10 foot tank, they'd be in that, no question.

That's a gorgeous tank! I love the contrasts of the white sand, the dark background, the vivid green, and the iridescence of the fish which the surroundings really make stand out. Sticking to just the large swordplants located sort of in 'islands' gives the composition a lot of strength as well.

The photos is also a very good reference for how the discus compare within the size of the tank. In compositional terms I guess the discus stocking looks a little on the low side even. So if I had just eight then a 120 gallon might look rather too large. Hmm... Wait a sec, I just noticed the photo trademark and realized that's likely not your 120 that you were talking about? Do you know the dimensions of the tank in that photo and if those are fully grown adult discus?

[jcardona1]

Do you know the dimensions of the tank in that photo and if those are fully grown adult discus?

That's from ADG's gallery. Doesn't show any specs though. Going off looks alone, I'd estimate it to be a 240g 8x2x2...

[RICK007]

I think thats a 300g

[rich815]

........IMO i think its boring watching discus in a empty barebottom tank just staring at a heater/cone or swimming in free space. Its much more visually pleasing watching a nice group of discus swimming around plants, rocks, and logs in a large tank simulating there natural enivironment. there personalitys will show more in a nicely decorated tank with obstacles to swim around and explore provided they are getting clean water. imo there is no interaction in a BB tank with there enivironment......

Big +1!!!

[Dave B]

That's a gorgeous tank! I love the contrasts of the white sand, the dark background, the vivid green, and the iridescence of the fish which the surroundings really make stand out. Sticking to just the large swordplants located sort of in 'islands' gives the composition a lot of strength as well.

The photos is also a very good reference for how the discus compare within the size of the tank. In compositional terms I guess the discus stocking looks a little on the low side even. So if I had just eight then a 120 gallon might look rather too large. Hmm... Wait a sec, I just noticed the photo trademark and realized that's likely not your 120 that you were talking about? Do you know the dimensions of the tank in that photo and if those are fully grown adult discus?

That's Heiko's Lesson (http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004.cgi?&Scale=514&op=showcase&category=0&vol=3&id=141) by Jeff Senske. It's a 375. 96x30x30. I'd imagine those are close to fully grown.

[Jaws]

They would look good in a frying pan with a little lemon juice sprinkled on them. What do you think?

[YSS]

Yea, not a fan of a tank with fish, sponge filter, and heaters. I have a 265G and I love it. It's 84 (L) by 24 (D) by 30 (H). I would love if my tanks was a foot longer, a foot deeper, and and a foot taller. Don't think your discus will look tiny. Mine don't. If you can get a big tank (space and money), get the biggest one you can.

Here is a short video of my tank:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkSe14waWCs

[ExReefer]

I think the six foot tanks offer the best look and are still pretty well in reach cost wise. I'm looking to upgrade from 75G to 125G or 150G. The extra two feet will be nice.

[Mxx]

That's Heiko's Lesson (http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004.cgi?&Scale=514&op=showcase&category=0&vol=3&id=141) by Jeff Senske. It's a 375. 96x30x30. I'd imagine those are close to fully grown.

I suppose in looking at that picture that those ten discus would look perfectly comfortable as well in a tank which was 3/4 of each of those dimensions & hence about half that volume, which would be a lot easier to achieve in any case.

[Dave B]

Oh, certainly.

A much more attainable/affordable tank that still gives the 8 foot wide swimming space would be a 240 (8x2x2). Fits more spaces properly too.

Really it all depends on the space and your budget. Get whatever you can afford that fits the room the best. My discus are in a 4x2x2, not because that's an optimal Discus tank (not that that there's anything wrong with it either), but because the wall it's on in this room dictates it. I have a 7 footer downstairs but that's not in the public display space. And to me, these are public display fish to show off to everyone who comes over.

[Mxx]

Oh, certainly.

A much more attainable/affordable tank that still gives the 8 foot wide swimming space would be a 240 (8x2x2). Fits more spaces properly too.

Really it all depends on the space and your budget. Get whatever you can afford that fits the room the best. My discus are in a 4x2x2, not because that's an optimal Discus tank (not that that there's anything wrong with it either), but because the wall it's on in this room dictates it. I have a 7 footer downstairs but that's not in the public display space. And to me, these are public display fish to show off to everyone who comes over.

Thanks, and how many adult discus do you have in your 110? And do you think that 'looks right' in proportion to their size and the number of fish you have, or does it look at all tight in your own view?

In any case, the 3D Amazon background that I'm looking at is 6.5', which may nevertheless be the determining factor. And that may also result in me keeping a few more discus than had been originally planned to appear appropriately stocked, but which is just fine.

[R1_Ridah]

I had an opportunity to see a 1500 gallon "PLANTED" Discus tank. Let me tell you, seeing them swim around in a shoal as someone pointed out is amazing. Just a calmness to them. This was an all wild tank as well so it was a scene that looked to be just out of the amazon...Currently I have a 180 with about 20 Discus...lol... ya, ya I know.... Reason why I'm upgrading to a 420 in about a month. It's fun to see them swim from on side of the tank to the other, even if they are a bit restricted in my 180.

Here's a full tank shot to give you an idea on a tank with about 20 discus and a 3D background that takes up some space from the width. However, just towards the bottom where the roots extend out. The Discus are all about 6"..

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j328/R1_Ridah/Red%20Covers%20Full%20Tank%20Shot/IMG_0194JPG2.jpg

[sergioya72]

wow what a beautiful tank

[Dave B]

Thanks, and how many adult discus do you have in your 110? And do you think that 'looks right' in proportion to their size and the number of fish you have, or does it look at all tight in your own view?

Hard to say. Lately I've been keeping my tanks light (after years and years of overcrowding) and sometimes it looks just right, sometimes it looks too crowded, and other times, like whenever I look at Joey's picture above, it seems empty. I have 9 adults and two smaller guys in there now. I think it really depends on where they are. Right now everyone but one is on one half. It looks empty. But if the other side also had 10 discus on it, that'd look ridiculous.