I am so happy to have found this site. I had just given up on having Discus due to imperfect water parameters (pH, GH, KH), but now I see I can be back in the game!
I have a 225 gallon aquarium (decorated and lightly planted so far.) It's cycling with a school of 15 male Rosy Barbs, 1 Dwarf Gourami, and 8 little Cories. I'd love to set up a community tank including 6 Discus and 6 or 8 Angels. I've seen these two together in LFS, so I know it can be done. I've been advised to put the Discus in first, to give them the territorial edge. I'd also add some tiny, gentle schoolers (cardinal tetras, harlequin razzies) and some very effective algae eaters (bristlenose? or dwarf pleco?--not decided yet.) The Rosies will probably have to go, 'cause they can be a little hyper and they challenge all newcomers. At very most, I'd keep a mixed-gender school of 7.
Any advice? Especially:
* I've read that a water change of 30 percent should be done weekly, but on your site some people are saying daily. I was hoping that a really big tank with only 6 discus needs a little less.
* When bringing Discus home and acclimating them to the new water, how much time do you take? How long do you quarantine the discus before adding them to your main tank?
* How do you feel about getting Discus shipped in from dealers across the country?
* If you quarantine all your fish, why not mix Discus from several sources? Wouldn't that be better in case they breed (diverse gene pool?)
* If the water is clean, why wouldn't a juvie grow beyond 3 inches in such a large tank?
Any other comments are appreciated. Thanks!