Anybody else feel discouraged from other people about keeping discus??

[NODAK1979]

We just bought 6 discus from a very reputable source who is a sponsor on this site and couldn't be happier. But if we listened to everybody else, we never would have. That's because bringing up the word "discus" seemed to elicit reactions of horror from people.

For instance...at our local fish store, when we were looking at their discus, he made a point to sigh and say "those are a LOT of work".

Or the other fish stores I would call that would just tell me that they don't carry discus because they're too fragile and a lot of work to keep.

Or, the experienced aquarist my wife works with that thinks my wife is absolutely nuts for even trying to keep discus.


Nobody seems happy at the prospect of having discus. I'll admit it does bother me a little. I'd like to have people seem at least interested or happy for us having such beautiful fish in our aquarium.


We actually had some of the same reactions when we got German Blue Rams. Looking online, it was clear people couldn't keep the things alive. The fish store wouldn't guarantee them. Many fish stores refused to carry them. Yet, we've had 6 of them now for 2 months and none have died. In fact, the aquarist guy my wife works with came over and said they look really healthy.

So does anybody else get these types of reactions?

[brewmaster15]

I chalk it up to sheer ignorance. People fear what they don't understand and others feed that fear with their own Ignorance. Its a vicious cycle that has been a problem with Discus for a long time...

-al

[NODAK1979]

I chalk it up to sheer ignorance. People fear what they don't understand and others feed that fear with their own Ignorance. Its a vicious cycle that has been a problem with Discus for a long time...

-al

I think what it is, is that people have heard horror stories from people who tried to keep these fish but didn't put forth all the effort they should...so the fish either became ill or died. For instance, my wife works with a guy who only replaces water in his tank as it evaporates. It's people like that who have fish die off and then they complain about how "sensitive" the fish are.

[PAR23]

I received pretty much the same reaction/response from others when I first started out. I believe with a good foundation of knowledge along with dedication and commitment, success is achievable. Like Al said, ignorance is the driving force for all the negativity.

Welcome to Simply

[LizStreithorst]

Discus ARE a lot of work, but it depends on what you call work. I milked 30 goats twice a day, bottle fed babies, hauled hay, cleaned barns etc for 20 years before I got into Discus. Changing 30% water daily ain't nothin'.

The average person with an aquarium is better off with fish that can live in horrible water because they just want to look at the pretty fish and not do reasonable maintenance.

Discus ARE tough if you give them the conditions they require. Rams are the canary in the coal mine. If a ram dies it's time to look close, decide what you are doing wrong, and fix it.

[prat]

My family sure think I'm nuts. I've become immune to their eye rolls when I explain that no I can't do this or that because I need to be doing water changes or feedings, or that this fish cost X. I'm happy with the work involved with them. I get a sense of satisfaction from keeping them and the time spent I get to know the individual fish.
There are avid gardeners who put great effort into raising delicate plants. Its the same thing.
We each find our own comfort level between work involved and reward. I think dedication to any hobby is healthy and for me it makes a lot more sense to spend my time and money on discus rather the more accepted female pursuit of mall shopping for more shoes.
Enjoy your discus and be proud that you are succeeding!

[NODAK1979]

My family sure think I'm nuts. I've become immune to their eye rolls when I explain that no I can't do this or that because I need to be doing water changes or feedings, or that this fish cost X. I'm happy with the work involved with them. I get a sense of satisfaction from keeping them and the time spent I get to know the individual fish.
There are avid gardeners who put great effort into raising delicate plants. Its the same thing.
We each find our own comfort level between work involved and reward. I think dedication to any hobby is healthy and for me it makes a lot more sense to spend my time and money on discus rather the more accepted female pursuit of mall shopping for more shoes.
Enjoy your discus and be proud that you are succeeding!

If I wasn't doing a water change, observing the fish or feeding, I'd be watching TV or relaxing on the bed. So yes, I agree that a hobby is healthy and it gives people something to care for. Sometimes it's frustrating...I won't lie. But the enjoyment I get from just looking at the tank pays off.

[Keith Perkins]

On the flip side, think of all the ignorant people you can impress when you "defy the odds" (tongue firmly in cheek) and succeed with them. LFS often do have great difficulty with discus because they treat them like any other fish they have. Central water systems, low temp, gravel bottoms, inadequate WCs, etc. They make more money on the sale of one discus than they do a whole tank of tetras, but still expect to have to invest no extra time in the discus tank, go figure.

Don't get discouraged, just prove them all wrong.

[Lenin]

It's more work than most people are willing to give, usually people starting out that see an aquarium and want one that looks nice in their home and if the get goldfish they can make due without a lot of maintenance and good conditions, then they see a discus and think it's the same thing, specially buying small discus because they don't want to spend $200 at the LFS for an adult.

I know because I was one of them, now I'm doing daily water changes (got a python), make my own mix (thanks Hans used your ground beef/sea food), got better filtration (two eheim 2213 for a 55 gallon), got a good stock of good quality fry (thanks yim11), got my water temperature between 84-85, and still reading to make sure my guys grown up as best as they can, (even if the wife keeps telling me I pay more attention to them than to her).

[dawrtw]

I stayed away from Discus for years, because of such comments. I was not going be a slave to all the work everyone was telling me I would have to do. I finally bit the bullet and gave it a shot. I am happy to announce I have had my Discus for nearly two years now. I have to date only lost two which never started eating from the time I got them. I keep sand, plants, and do water changes far less frequently than most would recomend. I now have a pair who have spawned three times. I finally got them out of the display tank and have eggs as we speak.

Am I an expert? NO!!! Are my fish prize winners? NO!!! Do I show them here and ask for opinions? NO!!! Are they healthy, active and attractive ? YES I get a lot of positive comments and a lot of enjoyment out of my "IMPOSSIBLE TO RAISE" PETS.

Go for it and enjoy them. There are people here who are perfectionist and more power to them because I learn a great deal from them. Without their efforts, I'm sure I would not be doing as well as I do. I know I will never keep fish of the quality they do, and I'm fine with that. Over the years enough has been learned and passed down that even a beginner like me can have some success in keeping such beautiful creatures as the Discus.

Having said all this, I do hope you are reading as much as you can about how to care for the discus. They are more high maintance than your average fish but they are possible to raise with some measure of success.

Good Luck.

[jeepdad]

I know no one else among my circle of work friends who even has an aquarium setup much less trying to raise discus. In the past when I mentioned the price of discus to anyone they thought I was nuts!

Every hobby I am into seems like I'm a lonesome soul on it. I used to be into model railroading (til I got a job on a real railroad!) I enjoy military firearms and all my buddies just have hunting rifles. I have cornsnakes (just 1 right now) and everyone hates them or is afraid of them. I'm trying to play guitar but no one I know plays. I also enjoy working on and restoring Jeeps and Ford pickup trucks, but most of my friends buy new trucks (don't require working on or painting and body work) or just don't like Jeeps!

So the only info or knowledge sharing I get for my hobbies is from magazines or the internet. Simply Discus is great in this regard!

[Chad Hughes]

We just bought 6 discus from a very reputable source who is a sponsor on this site and couldn't be happier.

I think this statement says a lot in regard to keping discus alive and healthy. Most pet stores that I have seen start off with stock that is questionable at best. If you begin with crap you'll end up with crap. Dead crap.

I'm happy to hear that you are enjoying your discus! :D

Best wishes!

[NODAK1979]

I know no one else among my circle of work friends who even has an aquarium setup much less trying to raise discus. In the past when I mentioned the price of discus to anyone they thought I was nuts!

Every hobby I am into seems like I'm a lonesome soul on it. I used to be into model railroading (til I got a job on a real railroad!) I enjoy military firearms and all my buddies just have hunting rifles. I have cornsnakes (just 1 right now) and everyone hates them or is afraid of them. I'm trying to play guitar but no one I know plays. I also enjoy working on and restoring Jeeps and Ford pickup trucks, but most of my friends buy new trucks (don't require working on or painting and body work) or just don't like Jeeps!

So the only info or knowledge sharing I get for my hobbies is from magazines or the internet. Simply Discus is great in this regard!

Other than my wife's friend at work, we're alone as well. It stinks because I'd love to discuss all things aquarium with people at work or with friends...but it's OK. I just go online and use forums like this one. Besides, I know I can learn a lot from people here.

[NODAK1979]

On the flip side, think of all the ignorant people you can impress when you "defy the odds" (tongue firmly in cheek) and succeed with them. LFS often do have great difficulty with discus because they treat them like any other fish they have. Central water systems, low temp, gravel bottoms, inadequate WCs, etc. They make more money on the sale of one discus than they do a whole tank of tetras, but still expect to have to invest no extra time in the discus tank, go figure.

Don't get discouraged, just prove them all wrong.

I will say that we have a sand substrate, and I know many people here would not recommend that. We do our best to siphon the waste off of the bottom but it isn't an exact science obviously.

Other than that....higher temps, more WCs, etc....all comes with the territory of discus and should be the first things people know about keeping them. If a person keeps a discus at 78 degrees, they deserve to lose the money.

[wgtaylor]

But if we listened to everybody else, we never would have. That's because bringing up the word "discus" seemed to elicit reactions of horror from people.

I don't get discouraged with people who never kept discus and think they are difficult. It's a pleasure helping them into the hobby.
To me discouragement is the in your face pampering, extremism and overfeeding from people who promote these difficulties. The hobby can be made quite simple, successful and enjoyable. I'm glad you found discus.

[LizStreithorst]

I have an exellent dog grooming customer who likes fish. Perhaps he thought that he liked me, but when he came to my house to look at my Discus and I introduced him to my real self, he decided otherwise. He said that the maintenence of Discus was the problem. I don't believe him. It would have been nice to have had a local fish budy. Better to find out sooner than later. He's still my best grooming customer. He trusts my taste when it comes to sculpting his poodle.

[Keith Perkins]

A single guy with a poodle??? There's your first warning sign. :)

[strawberryblonde]

If a person keeps a discus at 78 degrees, they deserve to lose the money.

Here's the thing. I've kept discus at 78 degrees and didn't lose him. He was happy in his community tank and grew much larger than I ever expected. I didn't have this forum or any books to guide me. He was just a lonely little fish in a LFS swimming with a bunch of angel fish when I saw him. The owner of the store knew nothing about Discus and had taken him off the hands of a customer who had broken down their tank.

Knowing nothing about raising these fish, I simply used best practices with him...the same practices I used for all the other fish in tank. He wasn't a "difficult" fish at all! Neon tetras are more difficult to keep alive than Discus, imho. =)

On the other hand, in the intervening years since I had that one discus in my tank, I've heard nothing but horror stories about how hard it is to raise/keep discus. I always just smile and nod and then walk away from the discussion knowing what I know to be true.

And yep, it's a bit disheartening to hear all the negativity surrounding the hobby. It's also disheartening to hear an "expert" go all commando on me, get in my face (figuratively online most of the time, but also in one of my LFS) and tell me that I am NOT ready to own even one discus if I'm not willing to follow their "expert" advice.

Discus require some forethought and knowledge, same as nearly any fish that you want to keep in a tank. Goldfish have special needs, betta's have a nice list of requirements, some cichlids require brackish water and will die without it, others are more hardy and can handle basic freshwater, but croak if the temps get too high. German Ram are sensitive by nature and need to be treated properly in order to thrive. And on and on.

What I've learned about fish keeping is to ask questions, digest the replies, balance it against what is generally known about the fish I'm interested in and then to apply it to my tank. I don't do extremes. Not in ANY direction. LOL

My discus are going into a planted community tank with other slow swimming, colorful fish. Some of the fish by nature will occupy the top third of the tank. Some will mostly be bottom dwellers and my discus will fit right smack into the middle of the tank.

So don't let the naysayers and doomsayers get you down OP. Fish keeping is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby and it can be...even with discus! I swear it can! =)

SB

[NODAK1979]

Here's the thing. I've kept discus at 78 degrees and didn't lose him. He was happy in his community tank and grew much larger than I ever expected. I didn't have this forum or any books to guide me. He was just a lonely little fish in a LFS swimming with a bunch of angel fish when I saw him. The owner of the store knew nothing about Discus and had taken him off the hands of a customer who had broken down their tank.

Knowing nothing about raising these fish, I simply used best practices with him...the same practices I used for all the other fish in tank. He wasn't a "difficult" fish at all! Neon tetras are more difficult to keep alive than Discus, imho. =)

On the other hand, in the intervening years since I had that one discus in my tank, I've heard nothing but horror stories about how hard it is to raise/keep discus. I always just smile and nod and then walk away from the discussion knowing what I know to be true.

And yep, it's a bit disheartening to hear all the negativity surrounding the hobby. It's also disheartening to hear an "expert" go all commando on me, get in my face (figuratively online most of the time, but also in one of my LFS) and tell me that I am NOT ready to own even one discus if I'm not willing to follow their "expert" advice.

Discus require some forethought and knowledge, same as nearly any fish that you want to keep in a tank. Goldfish have special needs, betta's have a nice list of requirements, some cichlids require brackish water and will die without it, others are more hardy and can handle basic freshwater, but croak if the temps get too high. German Ram are sensitive by nature and need to be treated properly in order to thrive. And on and on.

What I've learned about fish keeping is to ask questions, digest the replies, balance it against what is generally known about the fish I'm interested in and then to apply it to my tank. I don't do extremes. Not in ANY direction. LOL

My discus are going into a planted community tank with other slow swimming, colorful fish. Some of the fish by nature will occupy the top third of the tank. Some will mostly be bottom dwellers and my discus will fit right smack into the middle of the tank.

So don't let the naysayers and doomsayers get you down OP. Fish keeping is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby and it can be...even with discus! I swear it can! =)

SB

That's a very helpful post, I appreciate it.

I'm looking forward tonight to going home and observing them. They're so zen, they way they slowly glide about...never really any sudden movements. And often, I find it's like they're staring at me. For some reason, it makes me laugh.

[LizStreithorst]

A single guy with a poodle??? There's your first warning sign. :)

Nope, not gay, although I conisdered that posibility. Just too conventional for may taste and I'm too different for his.

Sorry all, this was about Discus, wasn't it?

[moon_knight1971]

I don't see Discus as being any more work than, say, a dog. You have to walk the dog in the morning and in the evening, play with it, feed it so it stays healthy. Same thing with Discus, feed it, clean up after it and it should grow healthy and strong.

[mmorris]

Some of you might want to look into your nearest tropical fish club. They tend to meet once a month, usually with a guest speaker, social time, mini-auction etc. The meetings are good fun.
When I first became attracted to discus, my lfs owner told me to only buy one. If I bought two, one would kill the other. If I bought three, two would kill one, then one would kill the other. If I bought four,...and so on. I said that's OK, I only wanted one! The fish was so unhappy, alone in his 20 gallon. Once I found this forum, I ran out and got five more plus a 55 gallon tank. I've never (well, seldom!) looked back. I still have him. :)

[ericatdallas]

When I started back up in the hobby 6 months ago I really wanted to jump back in with Discus. It was something I really couldn't afford when I was younger. I had the hardest time finding any discus and all the websites I read I got the following advice: not for beginners, lots of water changes, need RO water, etc. The RO water was what I got me, I really didn't want to spend money on the RO filter and $50/fish that might were so fragile that if they died I would be out the cost of the fish and then I would have a RO filter I didn't need. Then there was all the headache of controlling PH, low variability in water temperatures, etc. This site helped discourage me at first but I think it was also this site that helped dispel the myths as well. I did a Google of "Discus myths" and found quite a few resources.

I also like to see things for myself than take things just because someone says it's so. I have to admit, most of the advice on this forum has been spot on. Like everyone discouraged me from the gravel tank and I quicky saw why BB tanks were better for juveniles.

Some things I do that are contrary but may work for me (and not others) is : I don't age my water and I put it directly from tap without a thermometer. Based on some of the "myths" my fish should be stressed and dead by now because the temperature can't fluctuate at all.

I do have to admit though, they are a little harder to keep.

[two utes]

Personnaly, l can't think of a nicer fish that l would like to keep in my tank, and l have never been one to take much note of what people think. Yes, l have lost a few discus along the way ( and l'm sure l will loose a few more), which made me more determined to fine tune my discus keeping skills, hence the reason for me joining this faboulouse forum.
Life is full of challenges....otherwise it would be a tad boreing.
Hope you enjoy your discus :D

[Second Hand Pat]

This thread is a nice read and keeping discus is easier than a reef tank (cheaper too).

[daveo]

Well they are not goldfish, but when keeping discus for a few years the upkeep becomes second nature.
It seems some people just have a green thumb for it. (Not for everybody for sure).

Daveo

[Eddie]

A single guy with a poodle??? There's your first warning sign. :)

LMAO, and getting it scaped too! LOL

[Jennie]

now Keith...my neighbor has pom pom..and believe it or not, quite the ladies man! like a new one every couple days..I call him Hugh Hefner..so your point was?
A single guy with a poodle??? There's your first warning sign. :)

[Larry Bugg]

If you want someone local to talk discus with..............then you have to go out and find them. Martha is right, a local fish club is a great place to start. I got into discus through my local fish club but I met a bunch of discus people through it and then several of us decided to start a regional discus club. You don't have to go to this extreme but I now have a large group of discus friends locally. Of course I do live in a large Metropolitan area but you would be surprised at how many discus lovers that are out there that feel like loners also. This site is another great place to start, make a post asking for people to reply that live near you.

Larry

[Bud]

I think any one who has a caring human nature,has an eye for detail,has a little motivation,can take precautionary measures to make things easier,has takin care of other animals SUCCESSFULLY(dogs,not cats,birds,reptiles,amphibians, most any exotic animals including children lol)can easily handle these fish.I have two well trained jack russels,and that was more work than any anyone could wish for!I think most people are just miserable and would like to see others the same way,so they can sit around and complain with others just like them!Just be happy with your hobby,and if has to be rub it in their face(sorry kids do as I say not as I do)lol

[Keith Perkins]

now Keith...my neighbor has pom pom..and believe it or not, quite the ladies man! like a new one every couple days..I call him Hugh Hefner..so your point was?

When God created Labradors, he was just showing off.

[Darrell Ward]

Yeah, I've heard all the "horror stories" about the difficultly of keeping discus. Such stories are the very reasons I started keeping them years ago. To hear someone tell me, "you just can't keep them damn things alive" was all the motivation I needed to not only keep them, but to breed them as well. I've kept, raised all kinds of fish over the years, from all over the globe, had reef tanks, but none has given me more pleasure than discus. I always keep at least a dozen or so around. Frankly, I really don't care what other people think. :D

[Jhhnn]

The sad truth is that many fishkeepers kill goldfish. Bearing that in mind, keeping discus is clearly beyond the capabilities of many.

I think it's important for potential discus keepers to understand what they're getting into. They are more demanding than many other aquarium fish, but certainly not to the point of being impossible if certain caveats are observed.

Very few LFS really understand discus, at all, and the relatively high price of even youngsters means that much of what's available has received poor care for an extended period of time. I'm of the rather jaundiced opinion that the vast majority of discus available at any time are actually damaged goods, something a novice buyer really can't tell and something that really doesn't matter to many sellers, because the potential buyer is often clueless, just looking to replace the goldfish they killed...

Discus need to come from a reliable source, just for starters. They also need room, lots of food for youngsters, warm temps and good water quality, usually provided by large frequent partial water changes. More than anything else, I think, they require diligence with a setup designed to meet their needs w/o huge fuss on the part of their keepers. They also seem to do best in a stable community, one where new members don't happen often, (if at all) where new members don't just get tossed in on arrival.

It's not like they can make us notice when conditions aren't right, either- they don't bark, or meow, or poop in inappropriate places when their litterbox needs attention- And they can't just find somebody else to take care of 'em. They just get sick, and the fact that they're really pretty tough usually means they're very sick before it's noticed...

[andyl9063]

i was keep community tank fish and they were pretty easy, but you have to at least know what you're doing. I started reading up on discus. Once I start, I knew they were hard work already. I have my wife telling me that everyday. I think the best way to start discus is to get quality discus from breeders like I did on here. You will get quality discus that has not been affected by any disease or mistreatment. Otherwise, it will be a vicious cycle if you start off with bad quality.

[White Worm]

I also think it starts with the source. When you did your research and got quality discus from a supplier here, you did yourself a huge favor. Discus are a bit more finicky when it comes to tropical fish and they do require some special care so if someone thinks they can get one or two from the local fish store, toss them in some water and nothing else, they better think twice. I did it and failed. Once I understood the basics of discus (thanks to SIMPLY) and I finally received quality fish and advice(Thanks Kenny) I was able to keep that first batch of discus for over 4 years. I have kept many discus since 05 when I started and was also able to breed them so I would call that success in my book.

[discuspaul]

What a great thread ! Jolly good reading, as they say across the pond.
Would be helpful if a lot of discus newbies, or discus wannabie's, read this.

[RodneyL001]

This is a good thread, I am glad I never ran into those negative comments. This forum is an excellent place to get the encouragement you need to continue on. I appreciate the advise, although I don't follow everything that is said. I am not in a position to do daily water changes, once a week works out for me, and I don't have a bare bottom tank, I have lots of gravel with plants, but I have a routine that works out well for me.

[NODAK1979]

This is a good thread, I am glad I never ran into those negative comments. This forum is an excellent place to get the encouragement you need to continue on. I appreciate the advise, although I don't follow everything that is said. I am not in a position to do daily water changes, once a week works out for me, and I don't have a bare bottom tank, I have lots of gravel with plants, but I have a routine that works out well for me.

I'm not perfect either and I don't think most people expect it...at least I hope not.

I do water changes usually every 3 days. I have sand in my tank (I HATE the bare look). I even have fake plants because I can't keep real ones alive. LOL. Certainly not the perfect discus keeper...

[leeishom]

i know a guy who has 30 discuses in his 220G, filtered by a sump with plenty of plants; only does 25% PWC a week.

all of them appear healthy and normal. no deaths or sickness yet.

[TURQ64]

I think a case of 'thread drift' has set in!!!!!

[broncofan27]

This thread reminds me of the first time I saw discus and got told how hard they were. Never thought twice about them other than I couldn't stop thinking how awesome they looked. I ended up putting my 150 gallon tank for sale on craigslist and ended up doing a tank swap with bugman here on the forums. He convinced me that I should give them a try and they are not nearly as hard as people make them out to be. I am starting my first tank at the end of this month and can't wait to get started.

[White Worm]

When new to discus... the advice from many of the experienced members to the newcomer is going to follow the best possible course for success even though it may sound a little overboard. Once the individual has some experience, they will adjust according to their own situation. Everyone is free to follow their own schedule but just make sure you keep in mind the basic requirements. Its all good until those less frequent water changes catch up to the health of the discus. A person may never have any problems or they could manifest after months and then the person wonders what went wrong (it happens all the time). It also depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Bare bottom tanks are not required but they are better for growth of young discus. It's just easier to keep them clean because of the type and amount of food that should be fed. Plus, when you get in to breeding, environmental requirements become much more important. There is nothing wrong with a handful of adult discus in a beatifully planted tank.