Well.. I guess it's time for the alternate view hey?...I'm currently raising 7 discus in a 155 G with 6 GB rams.. a dozen or so tetras, a dozen pygmy cory's. AND more plants that ya can shake a stick at!... I'm a great proponent of the Walstad method of tank maintenance perhaps cuz I'm lazy or maybe because I do believe you can achieve a nice balance in the environment. I do NO WATER CHANGES other than a periodic (bi-weekly) vacuum of the substrate and evaporation replenishment. Probably 10% per week total water exchange. I bought my brood at the age of 2 months so they have now just turned one year and 2 weeks old.. Spawn occurred 2/11/11. One is now approaching 5 inches SL.. there are a few that aren't quite as large and a few runts but that's to be expected I think. Now here is where I get on my soap box.
As fish keepers we are taking these fish out of an environment where they are free to roam without constraint.. We now house them in a glass enclosure. Don't ya think we should do all that is humanly possible (other than taking them back to the wild) to ensure their time in captivity is as natural to it's native state?... Some folks ask me about the density of my plantings.. Vals and Amz swords.. some crypts.. etc... I ask them why they think the Discus evolved to the physical shape they display?.. They are used to swimming thru thick vegetation hence their slim/narrow profile.
All my fish see "pop" approaching the tank with food container in hand and EQUALLY await feeding time.. 5-6 times a day!.. The smallest of the group has no hesitation challenging the Big Boy for that morsel floating down between them. I feel that providing them with as natural a habitat as I can, I'm excluded myself from the dynamics of the group and they've formed their natural chain of command.
I considered submitting my fish to a "critique" site (which I'm sure your well aware of).. but after reading a number of elitist comment on the quality of the PHOTO"s.. I sat back and said to myself.. I think my fish are perfect... They like me. The world is good....<Grin> I don't need any validation from ANYONE else about my fish..
Now since they've reached a year of age, they are starting to show some dom/sub behavior.. I think that's to be expected as they approach sexual maturity. This behavior ONLY happens when they're not feeding!.. At chow time, they're all in it together.
So there is a planted tank/discus keeper's perspective. Bill in Va.