Just bought 5 new Discus today, joining to take care of my new kids. I work from home and these guys will be my co-workers. Hope to learn a lot. Came here after watching tons of YouTube content on Discus. Look forward to all your advice.
Bill
Printable View
Just bought 5 new Discus today, joining to take care of my new kids. I work from home and these guys will be my co-workers. Hope to learn a lot. Came here after watching tons of YouTube content on Discus. Look forward to all your advice.
Bill
Welcome bill. Care to tell us about your set up? Tanks size. Routines etc
What type of discus did you get and where from?
Pics ?
Sure! Wrestling with how to upload pictures on the iPhone currently. The site and google drive link doesn’t seem to cut it.
My tank (please don’t judge) 40 gallon breeder, premium gravel bottom, under gravel filter with 4 tubes rolling, top water filter with bio wheel, 4 eco balls, driftwood center, plastic plants, 100w heater moving to a 250w this week, LED blue/white, glad Lids, used smart start bacteria to kick off the new tank, plan on doing 25% changes per week, debating a small RO filter. Want to upgrade to a sump or canister some day, may do some DYI auto change setup.
Do you plan to upgrade that tank? 40 breeder will get outgrown quick.
Also not sure the size of your fish but at any size especially in that tank. Your water change regiment isn't going to cut it at all. Same w the gravel bottom.
Have you read any of the stickies and intro stuff here ? It's the best starting point.
Sorry not trying to jump all over your first post but you want to get started right or there is no going back. I seem to have to be the bad dude lately with pointers but again it's due to wanting to help other discus keepers succeed
It’s ok, you’re the pro I’m the newbie. I do plan to move to a larger tank they are smaller right now and have plenty of space. I assume gravel is frowned upon due to harboring and hiding of garbage? Would that still be the case if my water tests ok and is ultra clear?
I'm far from a pro. Just read and take the advice of the folks here. Most of the time ;)
How small are they. Do you know the source. If you really vac the hell out of the gravel and keep up on water params go for it. Just know you are making life harder for yourself.
It's pretty basic. Discus strongly prefer great water quality as all fish should but they are highly sensitive. Smaller growing discus need a lot of food to grow. Good equals waste poop equals waste. Even if you never kept fish a day in your life you will be hard pressed to not grasp that 25 percent water changes once a week won't handle the mess that will be made in your tank if you feed properly. so you either feed well and don't change water they get sick. You skimp on food but water is good they don't grow again. The plan is to feed and change water so that they are well fed yet kept in great conditions you need to find the balance for you.
First welcome to SD. Second my I recommend getting rid of the gravel and underground filter. Not getting on your case or anything like that, just trying to help you get off on the right foot for keeping discus fish. My main man Phillydubs already gave some solid advise, go for it, enjoy the hobby my man. Keep us all posted on the progress of your fish....
Strongly second that. I actually have a sand bottom although it's much easier to maintain the high water quality needed for any fish with bare bottom. Underwater gravel filter is bad for all fish and that never should have been invented. Get rid of that right away. Then get rid of the gravel. If you still want substrate (like me) then get sand. The grain is much smaller than gravel which means food and waste settles on top rather than falls through the cracks and further pollutes the quarium. Discus are very sensitive to water quality. In my book they are very tough fish but all you have to do is figure out an easy way to do water changes.Quote:
Originally Posted by farebox
One last thing. You can be lazy and still keep discus. You just have to figure out how to do what you need to do and still be lazy. I love the hell out of them but in order to have them I make sure that my water changes are simple as hell! Lots of great methods on here. Keep reading! Mine is simply a cheap but powerful submersible pump off of Amazon and a 30 foot piece of half inch hose that was cheap from Lowes. I plug it in and I watch my TV until it is down to where I want it. Then I hook it up to my sink with the cheap sink adapter I also bought at Lowe's and fill that sucker back up ( don't forget to add in safe). Done.
Yes there is more to it but just by doing that you will be ahead of the ball game without it messing up your normal daily routine.
Thank you all for input and feedback. It's helpful!
I will be ditching the gravel all together and going with sand. I really like the black but I suppose unless I find black sand then it's better than hurting my fish.
On Thanksgiving break I went ahead and set up an automatic water change station in the sump pump closet next to my tank. Using a 20 gallon rubbermaid I have water in, treated, heated, circulated, aerated, skimmed, digital temp, and pumped out with a wand to match the tank temp. That should make life easier. I'll also move to a larger tank eventually away from this 40 breeder.
Here's a couple pics: Attachment 113345
Attachment 113346
Attachment 113347
Attachment 113348
Attachment 113349
Since you have pb strains you want to stay away from black. I too had black gravel and swapped it for white sand. The difference in the appearance of the fish was night and dayQuote:
Originally Posted by Billn911