Discus order problem

[Endeavour]

Hello, I have been working on setting another discus tank up after a small break, I have an order of seven 2.5" discus coming at the end of the month. I may have ordered before my tank stand was physically in my possession, well the stand is delayed until sometime in September. As of right now I only have a 20g quarantine tank ready to go but i'm really not sure how long I could actually keep them there, if at all? I can do 2 x 100% WC's a day until their permanent home is ready. Any suggestions are welcome.

[BMXfetish]

No problem... and you don't need to go so crazy with the water changes.

[peewee1]

At 2.5 inches you should be okay in the 20G. Bare tank, filtration, and some water change each day would work for you in the short term.

[Endeavour]

The tank will be bare bottom with a oversized filter with 2 airstones. Will 100% wc a day be sufficient if feeding 3 times a day? How long is the max I can keep them here? If my 75g isn't ready and delayed again in worse case.

[peewee1]

No one will have an exact answer for you. I took this from "The Discus Guy" article.

"... successful breeders vary widely in the amount of their discus’ water that they change. Some breeders change their discus’ water 100% only once a week. Others change their discus’ water 25% three times a week. Others change 50% of their discus water twice a week. So you don’t need to worry about following a strict, set regimen. Instead, just keep in mind that changing your discus’ water removes harmful toxins and other impurities. Change your discus’ water frequently if you can. But if you can’t change it frequently, just make sure you change it at least once a week."

For the time being I am pushing the limits with a 30g and 6 fish. Three at 6 inches and 3 at 4 inches. I change 100% every six days at the rate of 5 gallons per day. Like you this is temporary until I get a breeding tank going which will leave me 4 in a 30 gallon which will be okay.

[FishFanMan]

Wow, 7 in a 20 seems too small. I would never keep 3 or 4 2.5 inch in a 10 gallon. Can you maybe get a 40 breeder off of CL?

[peewee1]

This from Stendker would suggest that you can keep a minimum of 1 fish per 4.7 gallons. I would like to know what size he is referring to and what the maximum number of fish per 4.7 gallons he thinks is correct. Also nothing mention by him about water change ratios.

Jorg Stendker the following question was asked:

Q. “What is , for you, the Discus of the future?”

A. “A fish that is easy to keep and feed, a strong immune system and a long life expectancy requiring no medication throughout it’s lifespan”

Stendker Discus Information

Minimum Population in Tank – 10
Minimum water capacity per 10 – 180 Litres
Ideal water Temperature – 28c – 30c (36c is fatal)
Total hardness – (TH) 15
Carbonate hardness – (CH) 8
PH value 7
Conductivity – 800

[danotaylor]

The Stendker site suggest 1 wc of 10-20% per week, or 30% every 2 weeks...
I copied this off the Stendker site FAQ's;
How often should I change the water and how much?
This depends to a large extent on how many fish you keep and how much you feed. The water should be changed at the latest when the nitrate level rises above 100 mg, the pH value drops below 6 or when the fish feel uncomfortable. Generally you should change 10-20 % of the water every week or 30 % of the water every two weeks.

when I asked Hans about this info he said "well 2 per week is better". If only that we're true, Lol

[jeep]

I don't care what anyone says. I learned from the experts and I stick by it. 10g per adult with 50% WC every day or every other day.

I don't want my discus living in a toilet

[peewee1]

I don't care what anyone says. I learned from the experts and I stick by it. 10g per adult with 50% WC every day or every other day.

I don't want my discus living in a toilet

I feel you, Salty. I would however include Stendker in that "expert" group. So many variable are at hand for any hard/fast rule of thumb to go by. The water change and fish per gallon ratios have to be different for each situation. I can accomplish 2 fish per 10 gallons at 100% water change per week with no problems, but others may not. Stendker seems to advocate 2 fish per 9.5 gallons with water changes of average 15% per week average. The differences opinion from hobbyist to hobbyist are so vast on this subject. The way, I added the "Salty" because you are the authority, for me, on treatment of illnesses which almost always include some measure of salt. Salt is my go to sick fish treatment.

[danotaylor]

What retailers say and what hobbyist have found necessary are very different. I wrote what I wrote not as a suggestion, but because I think it's a joke. Retailers either don't know what's best, or play down what is really required to sell their products. I have had conversation with both Kenny and Dennis and they truthfully tell it how it is. Pretty much everyone here that has had issues has had them because of water quality weaking immunity and then their discus get sick...me included...
To me the experts aren't always those selling discus, though there is a small few, but those who have successfully kept the same individual fish for years without problems...like Al, Brian, Pat, Liz and so on...
Haha, end of rant, lol ;D

[Endeavour]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I don't have a choice but to put them in the tank I have. I measured the tank and holds about 30g, not the 20g i thought it did. It's not much better but it will have to work for a month, any suggestions to keep the water quality as good as possible?

[danotaylor]

7 x 2.5" fish in a 20g is easily done. Just take a look at the grow out contest threads. Pretty much everyone that participated kept their juvies in 10-20g tanks way past 2.5". If you tank filtration is properly cycled and you change 75% of the water daily with heated aged water you will be fine, even feeding 3-4 times a day.

[Endeavour]

Ok, thank you. I was worried I might mess up their growth, first time growing discus out and don't want to mess anything up. I'll keep with 100% WC a day.

[danotaylor]

Cool, just make sure you heat and age the water with an air stone for 24 hours before doing your 100% changes.