How long should I wait before adding discus?

[Jason F]

I got my 75g up and running Aug 31. It currently has a AC 110, Penguin 150, and a sponge filter on it right now. The Penguin 150 and sponge filter were both already cycled in another tank, AC 110 was brand new. I've had 13 neons in there for three weeks and 3 panda cories for about a week and a half. There was a slight nitrite spike shortly after setting up, never saw measurable level of ammonia, and has been at zero for over two weeks. How long should I wait to start adding discus? Thanks!

[STHH]

The amount of bio-waste created by the discus is a lot more than your neons or cories combined.
If your tank is cycled with those small fishes, and you add discuses, you will experienced an ammonia spike. It's not easy to avoid that.
So it doesn't really matter when you add your discuses, all you need to do is to monitor the water parameters regularly after you add your discuses, and keep up with the water changes.

[Jason F]

I know the discus will increase the bio load quite a bit and I'll more than likely see a spike, I was just wondering if there was something else I didn't know or if most people wait longer before adding discus. I do hope to eventually have 7 or 8 discus in this tank although for reasons of this bioload increase and honestly finances I was thinking about starting with 4 or 5 then about a month or two later adding a few more. I figured this slower increase of the bioload might be easier on the fish than just dumping all of them in at once. Am I right with this assumption?

[ericNH]

My experience with fewer than 6 discus was not good - I started with 2, then added 3 more, then added 2 more, then added 1 more. Until I had over 6, there was so much aggression in the tank it's a wonder any but the alpha survived.

[John_Nicholson]

How much water are you planning on changing and how big are the discus you are adding?

-john

[Jason F]

Well with water changes right now I think I can do about 35 to 40 gallons without fear of running the pump dry, I'm planing to get a second brute trash can later this year to double my capacity though. Most the fish I'm looking at through Kenny's Discus are in the 4 -4.5" range. I was looking last night and figured I would do 5 to start, then get a few more late Oct or early Nov.

[John_Nicholson]

With a 50% water change daily and adults or near adults you could put the fish in right now.

-john

[SnapScott]

ALWAYS GO WITH WHAT JOHN SAYS!!!


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[musicmarn1]

did you add them yet? how are they doing? where did you get them? or where will you get them? good luck! looking forward to seeing updates

[Jason F]

Well plans have changed. I have spent a good amount of money on the 75g I planned on putting on the discus in and while I had the go ahead from my fiancee to get some discus from Kenny's Discus she wasn't to thrilled with me spending that much money on fish when we're trying to save for the wedding. I thought about switching over to angels but I knew that I wouldn't be happy with angels since I've been wanting to have discus for about 15 years now. In the end I found someone local who had some PB juveniles for sale that I ended up going with. I actually went to get them today and after the seller ended up being late meeting me he gave me a deal on 8 juveniles. I am aware I am looking at a lot more work with juveniles although if I can keep my fiancee happy and at the same time still get some discus I'm happy. I'm hoping with having 8 of all the same strain I can get a breeding pair from them and if they all survive and put on good growth maybe sell some later on after the wedding and get some different strains then. Basically happy wife happy life! lol

[musicmarn1]

I got my 75g up and running Aug 31. It currently has a AC 110, Penguin 150, and a sponge filter on it right now. The Penguin 150 and sponge filter were both already cycled in another tank, AC 110 was brand new. I've had 13 neons in there for three weeks and 3 panda cories for about a week and a half. There was a slight nitrite spike shortly after setting up, never saw measurable level of ammonia, and has been at zero for over two weeks. How long should I wait to start adding discus? Thanks!

Are the 8 juvies going into QT, for 6 weeks first? (Please say yes LOL)

[Jason F]

No, I don't have another tank to use as a QT right now. If I did I would probably just use it as a bb grow out tank anyways! lol

[musicmarn1]

lol i hear ya, well best of luck with those babies, just keep it as clean as you possibly can, id love to see pictures often, might be really helpful for members here who want to do the same thing :)

[Jason F]

Well I bought the tank used and didn't notice until I filled it with water that it's pretty scratched up making it not a very photogenic tank. I'm still kind of irritated about it but nothing I can do now. My plan is once I'm done with school and we get somewhere more permanent this tank will get moved somewhere else and be used as a grow out and in it's place will go a 90g. I will however try to get some decent picks of the fish over the next few months so I can see how they've grown.

[DISCUS STU]

I think at this point, if the water parameters for ammonia, nitrite, etc. are good, you can add your new fish a few at a time.

It pays to be cautious, but eventually it's time to put your fish in the tank. Looks like you should be good to go!

[musicmarn1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6-L0zvGWfY

you could move your water equipment and such to a clean trash can (your aging barrel perhaps?) and try this, the reason i say that is the tank i got that was so scratched up, actually stopped me really enjoying the tank and i let it go to the point it was no fun. my water is hard and precipitated out way worse on a very scratched tank, algae took hold.....not pleasant. anyway, UR JOEY or DIY King is a aquarium hero of mine :o and i took everything down did this and have not yet got it back up but i will !

[Jason F]

you could move your water equipment and such to a clean trash can (your aging barrel perhaps?) and try this, the reason i say that is the tank i got that was so scratched up, actually stopped me really enjoying the tank and i let it go to the point it was no fun. my water is hard and precipitated out way worse on a very scratched tank, algae took hold.....not pleasant. anyway, UR JOEY or DIY King is a aquarium hero of mine :o and i took everything down did this and have not yet got it back up but i will !

I'm subscribed to his YouTube channel already and have watched that video. There are a few scratches that I may be able to get out but since it's a glass tank there are unfortunately a lot more which I won't be able to. I think I'll be fine with it for now, I've wanted to have discus for so long that some scratches in the tank aren't gonna keep me from enjoying it. Plus the 75g isn't my dream size tank so that helps. When I get done with college, find a job, and move somewhere more permanent I'll replace it with something larger.

Thanks though!

[Jason F]

Made a change today with my discus tank. I moved one of my angels out of my 29g planted and put her in the 36g bowfront. This gave me room to move the 13 neons, 8 rummy nose, and 6 panda corries from the discus tank to the 29g planted. So now the only fish in the 75g are the 8 PB juvies and a bristlenose pleco. Main reason for the move is in just a week I can already see growth in a couple of the discus however a few smaller ones seem to be trailing. They all eat pretty good when I first put food in but the tank but the corries would eventually swim up the sides of the tank and swarm the FDBW pushing the smaller ones off. The neons and rummy nose tetras never bothered them while they were eating but I figured if I was going to remove the corries I should remove all of them. That way they can eat in peace and have a little cleaner water.