How Hard Is It To Raise Young Discus?

[moon_knight1971]

I was at a LFS who breeds and sells Angelfish, Rams and Discus. I went there specifically for a couple of Angelfish and Rams which I did buy. BUT as she was showing me the baby rams and angelfish I came across a tank of 1 month old baby turquiose discus. I asked her how much they were and she said $10 each. The parents were in the tank next to them and looked healthy and round and of good size. I was thinking of setting up a 20 or 30 gallon tank and getting a 10 of them to see if I could grow them out. I wanted to ask for advice here before I pull the trigger and buy them. My thoughts are that I would keep them in a bare bottom tank at 86 degrees in tap water treated with Safe/Prime. Water changes every day. My only issue is with foods. What do they eat when they are that small? Are my ideas about how to raise them correct?

[wendy9722]

I personally dont think that its easy. But you keep up with the food and wc's and your water is of quality you should be good. Oh and aging water is a must. I learned that very well on my own. If they are also smaller than 2" I wouldnt do it unless you plan spending a lot of time with them.
I had 6 of them in a 10gal and they was at 2" and everyone said on here that it is too small for them. IMO after my experiences I would use at least a 40gal with them.
Now mind you I am not a expert myself. I'm still in the learning process too. So I figured that I would share my experience.

Wendy

[hedut]

is easy , just provide good water and good food and temp not less than 86F you should be all set but just more work and the good thing is if you could grow your own 7"+ discus than you proud (this just me)

[moon_knight1971]

so I have an automatic feeder. they babies are nickle or quarter sized right now. will they eat flake? I can set it to feed them several times while I am at work and of course I will feed them before I go to work and when I get home. Frozen Bloodworms ok? Live brine shrimp?

[hedut]

I would not give smaller fish pelet or flake but this just me. I usually feed the BH or FBW until around 3" and train them pelet or flake

[Skip]

ok.. my experience..as a newbie..
i started off with juvies in a 30 gallon.. they were about 2".. i lost 4 due to ammonia (un-cycled tank once tank was cycled.. i grew them out pretty good.. then put them in a 55.. but now i only have 5 left.. lost 2 more.. over the next couple of months..

then in sept. or so.. i bought 30 plus 1.5 or less.. put them in a 30g.. water changes everyday.. then after a few weeks. split them up into 30 and 29g.. i did notice that the small the fish the more likely they are to death... for what ever reason.. they are very unforgiving due to water parameters..
i know have 11-12 in each tank now. i separated them out by size..
what i learned now..
they take lots of attention... and can die quick.. some grow really fast.. others really slow..
even in same tank.. i understand why discus are not cheap like guppies.. there is LOTS of time and effort.. just to get one good looking fish.. i was naive to think that all fish would grow big and strong!! DUH>> WRONG!!
i probably won't buy anymore fish less then 4" from now on.. i would rather someone else go thru the time and trouble.. of the fish i have left.. i think about 7 are good keepers... the rest.. i will need to get rid of.. the bigger the better.. growing out discus needs lots of space for tanks.. i live in a small apartment.. so i can't expand as i would like..

HOWEVER!! this experience has made me a better discus care giver.. from making their own food, WC, Behavior.. so their are PROS & CONS..

best of luck on what you chose.. i will update my pictures.. to show the growth of my fish.. its been several weeks.. a few of them i am pretty proud of

[moon_knight1971]

So what food alternatives can I offer them while I am at work for 8 hours? Should I just pass on them until they are of larger size? I want them to grow healthy but I also have to pay the bills lol

[wendy9722]

Skip the blood worms and go with Al's fdblackworms. Has a lot more nutrients in it.

Wendy

[moon_knight1971]

ok.. my experience..as a newbie..
i started off with juvies in a 30 gallon.. they were about 2".. i lost 4 due to ammonia (un-cycled tank once tank was cycled.. i grew them out pretty good.. then put them in a 55.. but now i only have 5 left.. lost 2 more.. over the next couple of months..

then in sept. or so.. i bought 30 plus 1.5 or less.. put them in a 30g.. water changes everyday.. then after a few weeks. split them up into 30 and 29g.. i did notice that the small the fish the more likely they are to death... for what ever reason.. they are very unforgiving due to water parameters..
i know have 11-12 in each tank now. i separated them out by size..
what i learned now..
they take lots of attention... and can die quick.. some grow really fast.. others really slow..
even in same tank.. i understand why discus are not cheap like guppies.. there is LOTS of time and effort.. just to get one good looking fish.. i was naive to think that all fish would grow big and strong!! DUH>> WRONG!!
i probably won't buy anymore fish less then 4" from now on.. i would rather someone else go thru the time and trouble.. of the fish i have left.. i think about 7 are good keepers... the rest.. i will need to get rid of.. the bigger the better.. growing out discus needs lots of space for tanks.. i live in a small apartment.. so i can't expand as i would like..

HOWEVER!! this experience has made me a better discus care giver.. from making their own food, WC, Behavior.. so their are PROS & CONS..

best of luck on what you chose.. i will update my pictures.. to show the growth of my fish.. its been several weeks.. a few of them i am pretty proud of

I'm in an apartment too and am running a 30 gallon hex for 2 angelfish and 3 rams, a 40 gallon for the 5 3.5/4 inch discus I got from Kenny and am going to set up a 90 gallon plexi next week that I am going to move Kenny's 5 discus into. I might set up 2 more tanks after that because I'm obsessed lol. I basically gave up my dining room for space for these fish.

[Skip]

i live 3 min from work.. so i come home for lunch most days.. so i feed them at 7am, noon, 5pm and after water change.. on weekends.. every 2-3 hrs.. they eat.. pellets, flake, frozen bw/mysis/brine, live brine/blackworms and freeze dried bloodworms/blackworms plus a beefheart and eddies seafood mix!.. they eat whatever i give them ))

just remember. if you buy 10.. 2 will grow very fast.. 3 will stay small and 5 will grow normal.. (this is my guess

[moon_knight1971]

Skip the blood worms and go with Al's fdblackworms. Has a lot more nutrients in it.

Wendy

Is this available online or would this be a brand I can get at my LFS like Hikari?

[Skip]

the blackworms are Freeze Dried from Brewmaster15 the Admin of SD.. you can find his website at aquariumsuppliers.com. i think.. my fish liked them too.. and will probably be buying more soon.... since i ran out

[Altum Nut]

Your the man Skip!
Here you go. http://www.aquaticsuppliers.com/
We here in Canada call it Fish-Crack.

...Ralph

[Skip]

Your the man Skip!
Here you go. http://www.aquaticsuppliers.com/
We here in Canada call it Fish-Crack.

...Ralph

[Dudley Eirich]

i live 3 min from work.. so i come home for lunch most days.. so i feed them at 7am, noon, 5pm and after water change.. on weekends.. every 2-3 hrs.. they eat.. pellets, flake, frozen bw/mysis/brine, live brine/blackworms and freeze dried bloodworms/blackworms plus a beefheart and eddies seafood mix!.. they eat whatever i give them ))

just remember. if you buy 10.. 2 will grow very fast.. 3 will stay small and 5 will grow normal.. (this is my guess

I've grown out quite a few discus from nickel/quarter size and I agree. There are always some really good eaters who are very healthy who will grow rapidly. Most grow pretty normally. A few are either somewhat sickly (and die or are stunted) or else they are picky eaters and are stunted. They are a lot of work. I feed mostly beef heart and supplement with flake and frozen brine shrimp. However, it is fun to grow them out and see the various developmental stages and color changes. There are many challenges and some disappointments but many rewards. Whether you decide to grow out fry, grow out juveniles or buy adults, it all depends on what you want to get out of the overall experience with discus.