adding Cardinal Tetras...

[Bobears]

I have six discus in a 65 and sometimes they seem a little skiddish and overreact to movements in the room. I know they trust me, they'll eat out of my hand and come to the front when I sit by the tank. Anyway, can a small group of cardinals work like a Xanax? I put some danio's in another tank once and it brought the other fish out more. Would you guys suggest me trying this with the discus?

Bobby

[Apistomaster]

It does usually help Discus to have a school of Tetras an warm water Corydoras feel more secure because they do take cues from the other less shy fish to determine if their environment is safer from predators. Even the most domesticated tank raised discus retain some of the caution that wild discus have in abundance. I like having a few Tetras, SA Dwarf Cichlids and warm water catfish with my wild discus for that same reason.

Some floating plants and branches will also help Discus feel more secure.

Use some caution when adding small Tetra to an established Discus tank as the Discus will sometimes regard small Cardinals as food. If your source has very small Cardinals, then consider keeping them separate until they have grown out some and become strong and fat specimens.
Even just a few weeks is often enough to prepare Cardinals for life with Discus.

[artkelli]

Larry

Do you suggest having other schooling fish in with Discus even when growing out smaller Discus? (2 1/2 to 3 inches)

[Apistomaster]

Let me say first of all that there is not need for any other fish besides the discus. Your own efforts at changing water and feeding frequently but only what the discus can eat in 5 minute will suffice.

Having a school of Tetras will make the tank more interesting and the small fish will help find and eat small bits of food discus may overlook so in that respect, they can be both useful and attractive to keep together. Their interactions can add more interest to the tank.

I usually keep a few other fish with any group of young discus I plan to keep as future breeders because I like to. I often have a pair or trio of an Apistogramma species, one small bushynose to help control algae and then a few L134 or similar mainly meat eating pleco or occasionally, I may keep a school of warm water Corydoras like C. sterbai. I find the tanks containing a small mix of fish are actually the easier tanks to keep clean but I also allow a minimum of 10 gallons of water per discus. I begin use that rule of thumb from the beginning so I know I have allowed enough room for full sized growth of the discus. I often have a school of 6 or 8 Tetras, Hatchetfish or pencilfish along with the clean up crew mentioned above.

Not all discus keepers feel the same way and believe it is best to keep discus by themselves.
Both approaches work so I do what I like best. There really is no one perfect way to keep discus which is fortunate as it allows each of us to do as we please. Of course, you must keep in mind the space requirements of the other fish so if you are using the minimum amount of tank space required for only the discus, then don't try adding other fish if this may result in overcrowding.