Mature 90G planted tank...

[Ed13]

Mcjoe: That's Hemianthus Callatrichoides 'cuba'. Very tiny leaves. It could become a trap for any leftover food if I overfeed, but I plan on having some corys to take over the heavy lifting there.

icemanx23: The plants will be fine as long as I acclimate them slowly. 82 F is at the upper range of tolerance for all of the species I have, but I'm experimenting to see what they can handle.

mareshow: Definitely My gouramis are pretty boisterous, too. Always sparring with my angels.

Sharkbait: I want to add a small group of panda corys to the tank as soon as I can, to take care of the mess. I have heard this about otos - I'll keep an eye on them. I love the BN plec anyhow, so another won't hurt my feelings! While the tank was establishing I had the normal algae issues, but since then, I only get BBA if something is imbalanced (too much dissolved organic waste, CO2 unstable, etc) and GSA is minimal. Other algae have disappeared completely. As you apparently know, 'the zone' is hard to find, but once you're there, it's like heaven!

It looks like I'll be pricing out and saving up for a few 4 inch discus, then.

I have been considering red turquoise leopards, as the colors are just amazing, and I love the patterns. Are there any strains I should be particularly wary of?

Those plants will be fine in that temp, even a bit higher too, but play it safe. Now panda cories on the other hand preffer cooler water so 82F is gonna push their comfort zone a bit. They'll live though but at a price, shorter lifespan. Sterbai cory wil handle higher temps better.

As far as what strains, turk discus in my opinion look better or wilds in planted tanks. Leopards will be more than fine. I'd avoid pigeon bloods though

[theblondskeleton]

Wow - thanks, guys! I have to say this is a lot more help in one day than I expected! I really appreciate all the good advice and experience being shared.

I'll definitely stay away from the pigeons in that case. I also find the peppering unappealing, and given the density of the planting in the tank, I want the discus to stand out a bit.

I love the wilds, but I think they may be a little delicate for a noob like me there are plenty of others I like, though. The Blue Diamonds are gorgeous, and pretty much any of the turks.

I won't do that to the corys - I'll find some that can handle the heat.

I'll keep an eye out and continue to refine my options. Thanks a lot, everyone!

[traco]

Sterbai cories can handle the heat, BN plecos also.

[wannafish]

Hello,

I understand your predicament. I too have a planted tank, and
I want nice healthy specimens to put in there also. Mine is 60 gallons.
But my planted setup is not as nice as yours. From what I have
read here at Simply, it all depends on your goal. It seems to me
that you want a quick, yet correct way to reach your goal. If so
then I think you should do what has been suggested and invest
in 4" or adults. But if money is an object. There is nothing wrong
with growing out juvies in BB. I have done both. If you have the
patience, watching juvies grow to be adults can be rewarding.
Then you put them in your planted tank, and know that you have
given them a good home. From what I understand, Discus can
grow to be more than their potential size, when grown in a BB.
I have a couple Discus that I think have stopped growing in
my planted tank. I wish I would have grown them in BB first.
This all comes with learning what's best for having Discus.

Jeff

[rickztahone]

from my experience i have noticed that Blue Diamonds are affected by a planted tank as well. they seem to darken up and/or become more shy. i have no idea why and it might be completely different to everyone else but the BD's that i've seen have been this way.

[Chad Hughes]

Now that's a planted tank! Awesome job!!

You are getting a lot of good advice about the fish here.

Best wishes!

[TankWatcher]

Awsome planted tank!

Ricardo, haha I wish the blue diamond in my planted tank would become more shy LOL. He is a bit of a bully. I've been lucky he has kept his vibrant blue colour, but he is definitely the nastiest of it's occupants.

Albinos look really nice in a planted tank and with your darker tank background, they will stand out nicely. Dark backgrounds can tend to darken some discus, but not albinos.

[Scribbles]

Beautiful planted tank! Can't add anything more to the great info already given.

Chris

[theblondskeleton]

Again, I can't thank you all enough! So, as I have been reading and doing research on the strains, I have come across a few questions that might belong in this thread, but might also belong in another. Mods, if it's out of place here, then please let me know! Thanks!

1 - Is there a good guide to what the strain monikers mean? i.e. red turquoise - does that mean it is a red fish with the turquoise striations whereas a turquoise is a turquoise fish with red striations? What about cobalt, eruption, leopard, etc.? It may just be one of the quirks of the trade, but I'd sure like to know if I'm missing something there. Does each refer to a specific trait, or is it simply the fancy of the strain's creator?

2 - Are White Butterflys a variant of an albino strain? Are they pigeon bloods? Do they have any special needs I should know about?

Again, I'm in absolutely no rush here. I want to do this right by both the plants and the gorgeous fish I intend to keep!

[Eddie]

Here is a good guide to strains/types, by Walter.

http://www.aquariumhobbyist.com/disc...ins/index.html


Also, a white butterfly is a pigeon blood variant.

Eddie

[judy]

It is possible to grow out healthy, good-sized discus in a planted tank, if you are prepared to boost your filtration to triple what the tank would normally receive, gravel vac the substrate daily to remove surface leftovers and fish feces, and to do a 30% water change every few days, amending the water as necessary if your fertilize your tank.
I've grown out my own babies in a planted tank doing just that, cut back to twice a day feeding and regular tank maintenance once they passed 4.5 inches, and they're still growing. Not as fast as they would've if kept in a BB tank and fed six times a day (though that is how I got them to 3.5 inches before moving them.). But my experience has been that they will continue to grow.
Would post a pic, but my aquascaping is pathetic compared to yours...

and definitely lose the gouramis. I'm also leery of otos in a discus tank, and loaches except for the tiny miniature guys, which I have half a dozen of..

[yikesjason]

Hey Sean,
I opened this thread and saw the tank, "I know that tank!" Portland seems to be a little short on discus people. There are more up in Seattle, but not too many here. I am trying to get ready for discus in my planted tank too. But I really look forward to seeing what you do.
I really like this forum. Everyone is very helpful and responsive.

[theblondskeleton]

Hey, Yikesjason!

It's like I'm following you around today... I saw you were just on GPAS, too, hehe. I have to agree - I have been very pleasantly surprised with the volume and quality of response so far. Advice like this tends to make a man want to follow it!

Thanks for the link, Eddie, I'll check that out ASAP!

Judy, I'm glad to hear firsthand that someone was successful at it! So, three questions for you there: did it take longer to grow them out in the planted tank even with the extra filtration, etc? Did they grow to a reasonably full size? I have read from others that the discus raised in a planted tank might be a little timid having gotten used to the cover provided by the plants - do you find this to be true? Sorry about the barrage - I'm needy - but thanks for the help!

[Sharkbait]

You can check out Richard's discus he grew out in a planted tank...don't know where the link is if someone could put it up.

[Eddie]

You can check out Richard's discus he grew out in a planted tank...don't know where the link is if someone could put it up.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=74675

Also, just to note, not many people say that raising young fish in planted tank can't be done, sure it can. It all comes down to tank maintenance practices/upkeep and cleanliness. Regardless of what is in the tank, superior water quality is what makes Discus grow. Oh....and good foods.

All the best,

Eddie