Advice on starting a discus tank

[nquince79]

Ok so I have been keeping freshwater fish for 13 years now(I'm 15 now) and I might get a 60 gallon for Christmas and I love discus so I want to try. How would I got about doing that? I have heard so much different stuff I don't know what is true. I'm looking to get discus from Hans discus at about 2.5 or 3 inches can I put them in a planted tank for show or should I start BB? What should I feed them? Right now I have new life spectrum cichlid formula and ocean nutrition veggie flakes. I'm going to get frozen hikari bloodworms and possibly make beef heart food. How do I make that? Anything else I need or am forgetting to learn about discus? Any advice or help is appreciated. Why do they put discus in BB tanks wouldn't they look better in a planted tank?

[Crystalwaters]

I would start here http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?48-Discus-Basics-for-Beginners and http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?33-Foods-and-Nutrition the stickies there will probably provide you with all the information you need:) Helped me out a lot. Best of luck with your future discus adventure!

[camuth8]

Yep. The stickies are a beginner's friend. :)

[Larry Grenier]

Wow, you started when you were 2; that may be a record!

[nquince79]

I read the beginners guide to discus on here. Very informative I learned a lot. I still how 2 questions. Why is I recommended to do a BB tank won't they look better in a planted one? And are 2.5 to 3 inch fish still juvies? What should I feed them and how often? And how often should I do WCs.

[nquince79]

Yea I did my first fish was a black moor.

[Dogvet06]

BB as you grow them because they need to be fed 3-5 times daily as Juvies which dirties the tank and makes daily water changes (50-80%) beneficial to them. yes 2.5-3 inch is a Juvie. There are many foods that should be offered like freeze dried black worms, brine shrimp (frozen, live, freeze dried), flake, pellet, beef heart mix. Once the discus are adults then you can add the substrate and plants as it appeals to you. You can grow them out in a planted tank but it is more of a challange and usually leads to failure, so this is why BB is recommended.

[nquince79]

Thank you now I understand more. I would get the adults but they are too expensive for me. So I have to get the juvies and grow them. I have heard freeze dried food is bad for them because it expands in their stomachs and causes them to bloat and die. Is this true? And how do you make that beef heart mix I have heard of it but don't know how to make it.

[discuspaul]

It seems you have read my Beginner's Guide to Getting Started with Discus. Good.
If you can't afford adult, or near adult discus (4" and larger) then you need to grow out smaller discus in a bare-bottom tank, with daily water changes, and several feedings a day until they grow out to about 4" before you even think about placing them in a planted environment - that's the only way to keep them alive, healthy, and growing out properly. Otherwise, you will likely experience problems and disappointment.

Freeze-dried blackworms from CT Discus here in the Sponsors section is a good food, and will not bloat the discus.
You can also feed frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, ot frozen krill. Also good quality flakes such as Omega One or NLS, Discus Bio-Gold Pellets, Color granules, or Tropical crisps.
You should be able to find some recipes for beef heart mixes here in the Beginner's section, or you could google beef heart mix recipes for discus. I believe my Guide contains a link for beef heart recipes.
Hope this helps you get started.

[nquince79]

I did read your beginners guide it was very well written and I learned a lot. So an adult discus is about 4 inches? And by multiple feedings for juveniles do you feed them something different every time or like a staple and a treat like every third feeding or something like that? Can you get away with three feedings for juveniles?

[discuspaul]

No, a 4" discus is generally a 'near adult' - i.e. an older, more mature juvenile with a reasonably well-developed immune system.
Adults are usually in the 5" or larger range.
Feeding juveniles is not complicated - it just needs to be done at least 3 X a day, but preferably 4,5, or more times.
You can rotate the food types, or random feed different foods, or feed the same of one type of food throughout each day, whatever seems to suit, and whatever the juvies will go for.
A lot of high protein foods are good, but so is a wide variety - to include protein, veggies, grains/ fibres, vitamins, and fats.

[nquince79]

Ok doesn't seem extremely difficult just if u put the effort in. Although I might only be able to feed three times because I have football and school but I can find the time. With water changes If I used a python water changing kit can I pump water straight into the tank then add conditioner or would that kill the fish? Should I get like a 40 gallon Rubbermaid pump water into there condition it then pump it into the tank? I am just trying to get everything down so I don't make a mistake. I am going to get fish from a reasonable place( discus Hans USA) I heard they were good so I would want to take good care of them.

[Dogvet06]

Depends...most age their water. Check your water parameters from the tap and test them after they have been aerated and heated for 24 hrs. If there is little to no change u can go straight from tap. I age my water even though there isnt much change b/c i like to have the water in my aging barrels the same temp as the tank as this puts lets stress on them during the water change. I have a 55 gallon barrel that i have a heater in and an air pump with stone to age my water.

[nquince79]

Ok thank you. Can you put a bunch of different varities in or do they have to be same species? And do you have to add all fish at once or can you add them like 2 at a time?

[discuspaul]

If you use the python with water straight from the tap, you can put your conditioner into the tank just before filling, or as the tank is filling. Some even add it just after the wc fill.

dogvet06 does his wcs a quite suitable way, if that suits you.

Mixing different strains &/or colorations of discus, or matching with the same strain is simply a matter of personal preference. Just go with what you like - the fish don't care.

If you're getting Hans discus, it would be best to get them all at once, (it'll save you extra shipping charges too) but you can do it in batches if you wish - but get them all from the same source - Hans.

[camuth8]

Just what Paul said. Always put your conditioner into the tank before filling it up.

There are a few different ways to do your water changes, and aging is usually the most successful.

It doesn't matter what strains of Discus you get as long as you're happy. :) I like different strains together because it lights up the tank a bit more.

And yes, try to get your Discus from the same source and all at once.

[nquince79]

Ok I was probably going to add different strains my favorite from Hans is the blue diamond and especially the silver pigeon blood. But what is aged water and I don't have enough money to get three heaters ( 2 for the tank 1 for aging water will it stress out the fish too much to add it at a different temperature will it cause peppering or anything?

[joeandmeagan]

Aged water means keeping it for 24 hrs. In a holding tank of some sort. The main reason some of us do this is your ph can naturally rise over 24 hr time frame. Mine jumps quite a bit and I didn't realize it before I killed some of my first discus. If u want to avoid the extra holding tank u have to test ur ph from the tap and 24 hrs later while aerating it to see if it changes. Discus like stable ph.

[nquince79]

Ok I will have to check. What causes peppering on pigeon bloods?

[Jeff O]

Hi there!
I started discus two years ago (14) and since then I’ve been able to successfully breed raise and sell my own discus. I’m glad that most of your questions have already been answered and you got a chance to read the beginners guide! When I started discus I had no idea what I was getting myself into I lost half of them to ph shock and the rest where growth stunted. Its important to realize if you lose your first batch of discus it’s not the end of the world you live and you learn from your mistakes! I’m sure you have heard this before but its import to remember it. Lots of people like to age their water. This is something that is up to you, In my experience I’ve been able to raise and breed my discus without doing this, however I find it very important to do daily water changes, it's important that you don't get lazy with this! MAKE it a part of your daily life style!. Discus are usually a quick growing fish when they receive proper care (daily wc's proper diet). Getting to your question: There are several reasons any pigeon blood strained discus will pepper, Water condition is the biggest in my opinion, (it can also be substrate background color ect.) Bottom line, treat these beautiful fish well and they will reward you! Best of luck :)