New discus owner in need of help

[Trashcore]

Recently bought 2 discus for my 55 gallon and very excited. Have a buddy who wants to sell me another one for a real good price. First off it's bigger than my 2 juvies, and I won't be buying another 2 for a month or so. Just haven't found any I like. Would adding a slightly bigger and having 3 be bad idea. My thinking is the bigger one wouldn't feel threatened by the smaller 2 so he wouldn't bully them. Thanks in advance.

[Bill63SG]

Adding in discus piece-meal with out quarantining them is a recipe for disaster.I've also found when your keeping less then five,ther will always be a bully,and not enough other discus to spread it around.The bigger one not feeling threatened and not picking on the little ones?That's not how it was on my play-ground lol.

[Trashcore]

I realize that but I have a ton of driftwood and my buddy wouldn't sell me an unhealthy discus he has had it for a few months. But could this work.

[DonMD]

Sure, it could work. And sure, it might not work at all. All the advice here on this forum is based on years of experience. Quarantine your fish. Avoid small groups, unless you have a mating pair. Do lots of water changes. But whatever advice someone gives you, someone else may say the opposite.

There's only one way for you to find out! Good luck.

[Trashcore]

Okeey dokey thanks I'll try it and see what happens.

[manitu]

Okeey dokey thanks I'll try it and see what happens.

bad idea as its relevant if youre buddy had it for a month or 2 years never just add fish from a different source you are asking for trouble here
QT is a musst !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BETTER SAVE THAN SORRY

[Trashcore]

Enlighten me on quarteening them I'm very curious why one would qt a healthy fish? I thought qt was mainly for fish u couldnt be certain it was healthy and disease free. And I only have 2 tanks a 55 gallon and 29 gallon planted shrimp only tank. What's the practical way of qting fish

[ShinShin]

A really bad idea. The larger fish will aggresively dominate the 2 younger fish possibly causing stress related disease/death. All the driftwood in the world will not make a difference. It is a total myth that rearranging or adding structure peices to a tank will elimenate discus aggression. Your 2 smaller fish will suffer and never reach their full potential. This will most likely happen to the weaker of the 2 discus you have right now anyway. 2 small discus is never a good idea, as is 3. 5-6 would be a minimum number in my experience. Buyin 2 here, 1 there, and 2 more later on is asking for possible complications. One is better off saving their money and buying 5-6 all at once from the same place. Trust that info.

As far as QT, a perfectly healthy looking discus may not be perfectly healthy or may be a carrier of a disease. Read up on qt practices of experienced discus keepers and follow suit for a better discus experience.

Mat

[Trashcore]

Well I should have went with my gut instinct to just try it and see what happens. Fish don't read the books. Also I was referring to visual barriers with the driftwood worse comes to worse I'll buy a divider or I will sell it and get a few smaller ones. I have been keeping fish for 10 years and have had all sorts of combos that shouldn't work according to the books thanks for the advice though.

[ShinShin]

Nothing I have told you came from a book. It came from years of experience. Remember one thing about gut feelings: We only remember the gut feelings that were right, never the many that were wrong.

Mat

[Bill63SG]

Good luck!

[Skip]

Okeey dokey thanks I'll try it and see what happens.

post any problems in the Disease/Medication section.. hope you are right and the others here are wrong..

[Trashcore]

Turns out my buddy is terrible at size he is just a hair bigger than my red turquoise and he is getting along great! Thanks for the wonderful comment about the disease section. My buddy works at my Lfs I think I should be set.

[ShinShin]

LOL. You asked for advice. Experienced discus keepers have told you their experience which is totally opposite of what you WANT to do, so you are going to go with your "gut" feeling which you state you should have done in the first place because fish don't read books.

Your attitude and inexperience will cause you much trouble and money, but it is your time and money. I totally understood your "visuals" concept. It won't work. The discus won't harrass the others because they feel intimidated, the larger, stronger will bully to show dominance. It is inherent and totally unavoidable in this situation. That is what discus do.

Good luck.

[Discus-Hans]

LOL. You asked for advice. Experienced discus keepers have told you their experience which is totally opposite of what you WANT to do, so you are going to go with your "gut" feeling which you state you should have done in the first place because fish don't read books.

Your attitude and inexperience will cause you much trouble and money, but it is your time and money. I totally understood your "visuals" concept. It won't work. The discus won't harrass the others because they feel intimidated, the larger, stronger will bully to show dominance. It is inherent and totally unavoidable in this situation. That is what discus do.

Good luck.

Little side not here:

It's a lot cheaper to learn from mistakes other people made before you, as creating your own, good luck,

Hans