Geophagus for discus tank?

[Elliots]

Ryan, you are correct. Jurupari were classified as Geophagus but not any more. They certainly are earth eaters. I do not know why they were reclassified nor do I care. The Juruparis I have seen for sale at various LFS for the last few years were all called Geophagus. I also do not know what Discus species I have. I call them Stendkers and the wilds I call by where they came from. What species is a Stendker or a Tefe? My Jurupari do not really out compete my Discus for food and they all get along.

[Ryan]

A lot of cichlid exporters have outdated/mislabeled names for fish. Things go by a certain name for a few decades and then they stick. Most Satanoperca are still labeled as Geophagus, just as many pet stores sell Geophagus surinamensis even though they're really G. altifrons or G. abalios most of the time.

Either way, they're all related: Geophagus, 'Geophagus' (the yet-to-be-formally-classified brasiliensis and sp. Red Bahia types), Satanoperca, Biotodoma, Acarichthys, Retroculus, Gymnogeophagus... and if we're going by cichlids that are equipped with gills designed for sifting/earth-eating behavior alone, that should also include Mikrogeophagus (the rams) and Apistogramma.

A little off-topic, but it's a wide world of cichlids out there and they're fun to get into.

As for the discus... tank-bred strains, unless you can trace them back to wilds, are probably hybrids. True wild discus from Lake Tefe (the greens) are classified as Symphysodon tarzoo. This works the same for severums. Several species in the Heros genus (H. efasciatus, H. notatus, H. appendiculatus, H. sp. 'rotkeil', H. sp. 'Inirida', and so on) will readily hybridize with one another, meaning that common green and gold severums seen in LFS can be any mix of those. We call them H. efasciatus in the hobby but it's unlikely they've been kept pure over the last several decades in the aquarium trade, especially considering that years ago they were probably all considered one single species.

[Chicago Discus]

Now that im planning to go with pool filter sand, i wanna get some geophagus group for shifting the sand.
Which ones do u recommend?
Also would they upright the plants such as stem plants or dwarf sagittaria?

I wouldn't recommend any geos in a discus tank they will stress your discus out and definitely out compete them for food. I know your tank is one of the nicest planted tanks I have seen in a while but I would get some very cool pots for your plants and go bare bottom for a while…………Josie

[Wildcaught dutchman]

@dkeef:Another suggestion for a discustank is the Guianacara owroewefi Grand Lassaut.It is a quiet fish and not that busy so your discus can eat what they want.I have a group of 6 in my tank and it is superb.Like these fishes very much.

Here a photo of one of them:

[IMG][/IMG]

[dkeef]

I wouldn't recommend any geos in a discus tank they will stress your discus out and definitely out compete them for food. I know your tank is one of the nicest planted tanks I have seen in a while but I would get some very cool pots for your plants and go bare bottom for a while…………Josie

Josie i know barebottom is way to go but i just hate the plant pot look on bb.
So my best compromise is sand with plants.
But at least now ill be able to siphon sand top and keep substrate clean.
The gravel i have just leaches too much junk.
I may skip geos and get some more cories to keep bottom clean.

[plecocicho]

Althogh retroculus look like eartheater made for rapids are not related to other geophagini (eartheater group). They belong to a more basel group of cichlids.

[Skip]

if you go with PFS.. then just add a THINNER layer.. then no need to shift the sand.. 1/2" or less..

[dkeef]

if you go with PFS.. then just add a THINNER layer.. then no need to shift the sand.. 1/2" or less..

well because of plants i would need at least 2-3" in the back. but plan on 1" in front. but from what i understand, the poop stays above sand anyway...

[du3ce]

I I just bought a pair of g. el norte they dont pay the:discus no mind nor do the discus

[nikond70s]

geo's are cool. your tank is def big enough for geo's. but i dont like them cuz they go crazy shifting the sand. they would create mountains in the tank. and it makes the tank look ugly and that bugs me.

[MKD]

wait until they pair up/breeding, they'll dig a big hole to bottom. They'll won't let anyone get close to their nest and take over 1/3 of your tank for themself.