discus quality of life

[Orange Crush]

From a lot of the research I have been doing over the past week or so since I joined this forum it seems to me there are two general ways to have an aquarium set up for the discus:

1)Bare bottom tank with either no plants or a few potted plants and/or wood with light colored backround

2) A planted aquarium with substrate like gravel or sand, blackwater from peat or mopani wood and a darker backround simulating the blackwater conditions that the discus come from

The 1st option seems to make the discus less peppered and therefore more attractive and makes cleanup easier. The 2nd option is much more similar to what the discus conditions are like in the wild and I would think they would be less stressed in this set up.

It seems to me that the 1st option benefits the owner and the 2nd option would make the discus more happy.
Is this accurate? What are your thoughts on the matter because I really care more about the fish than any extra work I might have to do.

[Sean Buehrle]

From a lot of the research I have been doing over the past week or so since I joined this forum it seems to me there are two general ways to have an aquarium set up for the discus:

1)Bare bottom tank with either no plants or a few potted plants and/or wood with light colored backround

2) A planted aquarium with substrate like gravel or sand, blackwater from peat or mopani wood and a darker backround simulating the blackwater conditions that the discus come from

The 1st option seems to make the discus less peppered and therefore more attractive and makes cleanup easier. The 2nd option is much more similar to what the discus conditions are like in the wild and I would think they would be less stressed in this set up.

It seems to me that the 1st option benefits the owner and the 2nd option would make the discus more happy.
Is this accurate? What are your thoughts on the matter because I really care more about the fish than any extra work I might have to do.

No I don't think so.

Number 1 I don't think fish are happy like a dog, if I thought that I wouldn't be able to eat fish sticks.
For them to be happy they would need to have emotions, they don't.

The best possible thing you can do for a fish is give them great water.

Actually it is probably more the other way around, I wish like heck I could keep these fish happy and healthy in a kick butt planted aquarium, in most cases that ain't happening. You can see the effects of keeping discus in planted aquariums all over this website. That's not to say people ain't doing it though, some people are just good at it.

These fish require kick a$$ water to live healthy existences.

[Discus Origins]

My personal opinion, any domestic strains look wierd and out of place in a biotope/planted/substrate tank. They were all most likely raised in BB tanks, never seen substrate or plants and will more likely be stressed more in a planted tank than BB tank.

If you were to keep wilds then a biotope tank would be less stressful for them as that was the environment they have known their whole life.

[Skip]

Researching only one week?!.. Pffft! People research 20 yrs and still learn new things...

Discus want clean water.. Put that in whatever tank type u want... Thats up to u..

Ps... Dom. Strains have been breed out of amazon biotope for so long.. U might jus stress them if u do..

[phinkin]

Discus don't seem to interact with the substrate too much. So I think for discus, substrate is for the fish keeper's aesthetic taste.

For quality of life, water changes are high on the list. Period. My water changes are automated - about 20 to 30 gallons per day in about 130 gallons of total water.

A place to hide may also help for stressful times.

Blackwater conditions help me keep water parameters stable more to a discus' liking. I have recently used beech leaves from a tree in the yard. Very effective. Otherwise peat is good. Either way you peer at brown water.


Jim

[Altum Nut]

Hey OC,

It's basically a personal preference.
Keep in mind your second option should apply to wilds. Domestics have no clue on wild biotype.
You can still enjoy many other stains of discus which do not pepper like PB discus.
Healthy discus stress only during new transport and acclimatizing period. They will eventually settle in so long as conditions are kept prestine.
Both options can be successful and really depends on the effort you put into it.

Just my two cents...but I like to be able to see what needs cleaning during my regular water changes which is why I go BB on all my tanks.

Not sure if my thought was of any help,
...Ralph

[Skip]

Wait till u see how much poo will collect in a bb in s
Jus one day..... Then see if u want a substrate..

[rebus20]

I have been trying to decide the same thing. I have my 4 discus in a small 20gal bb tank but I have a 60gal planted tank I want to move them to and plan to do so in the next week. The bb is so much easier to clean but the gravel looks better. I cant keep them both because the wife is on my case about getting rid of the smaller one. I plan to move my 4 to the big tank but then I am going this weekend to get 2 more so I will have to quarantine them for a while so it looks like I will make her unhappy for a little longer

[TURQ64]

Our sponsors love all the gravel bottom folks..They keep buying, and keep losing fish, but they sure love the gravel and plants!

[Stag]

2Cents:

I recommend any new discus owner start with a BB(Bare Bottom) setup. Give it a while(a few months). After seeing all that poop and food build up if you still want sand, plants, wood and bubbling treasure troves.... Go for it!

[Stag]

Our sponsors love all the gravel bottom folks..They keep buying, and keep losing fish, but they sure love the gravel and plants!

Do you think our SD sponsors would sponsor my new "Discus specialty gravel" online store!?

[Second Hand Pat]

This is the way I see it..learn to care for the discus in a BB and keep them healthy for several months, then decide.

[nc0gnet0]

I beleive fish in general prefer some structure, but structure doesn't need substrate. You can suspend driftwood from the top of the tank downwards and still have a BB tank.

Rick

[Chicago Discus]

wow orange crush poked a nerve with you guys LOL

[Larry Bugg]

I'm with Mark on this one. Domestics are many generations removed from the biotope and are probably just as confortable in the bare bottom tank. On the other hand, Wilds have known nothing but the biotope their entire lives. IMO to give them the best opportunity to live happily and to their potential they shoud be in the biotope tank.