Stocking Suggestions

[SejRamkas]

Here's the deal. I have a 55 gallon tank with 4 3.5 to 4.5 inch discus. I have one dominant one that rules the tank and two that are handling it ok, but one who is not. I also have a 20 gallon QT tank. I know discus are best kept in groups of 6 or more, so I recently set out to find 2 more to round out my tank. I live in an area with no discus selection and also couldnt bear paying the price of shipping (or worrying about them surviving the cold.

I am on a trip to Atlanta to visit my girlfriend, and in stopping buy an aquarium store here I aquired 2 2.5 inch discus. I couldnt pass up on the price for how great they looked.

Here is my real question:
1) Would I be better off keeping the 2 smaller ones in my QT tank for a few months to grow them out before transferring them into my main tank?
2) Should I move the 2 new smaller ones directly into the main tank after a few week QT? (worried about them being bullied, but the main reason for buying them was to spread out aggression in main tank and fill in the 6 minimum quantity general rule)
3) Could I move the current one that is being bullied in the main tank into the QT tank with the newly purchased smaller ones to grow all of them out together?

My main concerns are stocking levels in each tank i.e. not enough in main tank causing aggression, but also not enough in QT to grow out the smaller ones.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Jeff O]

Do NOT put the ones you just got in with your others. There is no telling what kind of parasites, diseases, or any other illnesses they could be carrying coming from an LFS. Watch them for a good 6 weeks before introducing them into your main tank.
-Jeff

[camuth8]

Do NOT put the ones you just got in with your others. There is no telling what kind of parasites, diseases, or any other illnesses they could be carrying coming from an LFS. Watch them for a good 6 weeks before introducing them into your main tank.
-Jeff

+1 Don't want your other discus to get sick.

[SejRamkas]

2) Should I move the 2 new smaller ones directly into the main tank after a few week QT? (worried about them being bullied, but the main reason for buying them was to spread out aggression in main tank and fill in the 6 minimum quantity general rule)


Yes I know not to put them directly into the new tank thats why I said AFTER a few weeks in the QT. I'm mainly trying to get opinions about how to stock things after the new ones are quarantined.

Thanks for looking out though guys!

[SejRamkas]

Also, these are some of the best looking discus I have seen in a LFS. These guys are all very healthy looking and swim to the front of the glass to greet you. Shows they are both healthy and eager to eat which is very nice to see. I was at Creation Reef and Aquatics in ATL and I highly recommend them if anyone lives in the area.

[Moon]

I would keep them in QT for 6 to 8 weeks. They may look good now but it's best to be careful. There are some SD members in Atlanta. They have some great discus. Chad is one of them.