Tetras and discus???

[GOOBERFISH]

At the moment I have some gold tetra and I will be getting my hands on a few mimagoniates barberi which I will be put into a bare bottom tank. So my question is will these tetra scare and/or prevent my discus from growing to max size?

[brewmaster15]

At the moment I have some gold tetra and I will be getting my hands on a few mimagoniates barberi which I will be put into a bare bottom tank. So my question is will these tetra scare and/or prevent my discus from growing to max size? Most likely no but it depends on the discus stock and size of the tank. Probably the most important consideration is the source of all the fish and your quarantine procedures for each group of fish... The non-discus fish may not scare the discus, but if they carry pathogens, and the discus get sick, that will affect growth. Id' suggest raising young discus separate, but if you do get other fish... you really need to watch where you get them and treat them as if they were carriers ...
read here for suggestions..http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?21044-Quarantine-*questions

hth,
al

[sd86tlam]

Totally agree with Al here regarding quarantine.

But then you also need to consider the compatibility of the species if you haven't done so. At what temperature do you keep your discus? Many members on this forum have successfully kept Rummy-nose and Cardinal Tetras (not Neon Tetra) with discus since they can tolerate high temp. They are in fact cohabiting the same environment with discus in the nature.

Then you also should consider their aggressiveness during feeding time. I used to keep a school of 20-30 black skirt tetras with my discus. They are so aggressive at feeding time that to a certain extent, they scare the discus a little bit since they are more vigorous and faster eaters. I don't have any experience with gold tetra however. So, you may try and then share your experience with us :)

[DISCUS STU]

I have and do keep Black and Cardinal Tetras with my Discus as do many people. The type you describe look a little larger. If they're good at 82+ temps. then you may want to give it a shot. I've raised large Discus with even larger Congo Tetras. which have become very expensive.

As the other posts indicate, full quarantine is important.

[bluelagoon]

Right now I have 10 silver hatchets and 9 bleeding heart tetras in a six foot 125 gal. with 9 adult discus.And floating amazon frogbit for shade.Has 1-2" substrate and very large chunk of wood.

[pavlos]

I dont think that these fishes are compatible with discus regarding the temperature... Also i would consider the agressiveness of discus. When pairing and laying eggs they get really agressive. I have seen with my own eyes discus attacking and killing cardinal tetras... My opinion is that discus should be kept allone or with some corys like sterbai or leucomelas that can tolerate high temperatures!
Paul

[bluelagoon]

The fish I keep with my discus are very compatible.I've had pencil fish,rummy's,lemon tetras,rams,other small cichlids and the list can go on. O and corys too.

[pavlos]

The fish I keep with my discus are very compatible.I've had pencil fish,rummy's,lemon tetras,rams,other small cichlids and the list can go on. O and corys too.

For how long have you kept these fishes together with discus, how big was the aquarium and what was the temperature? I am asking these because I think they are very important for answering the questio of compatibility :)

[DISCUS STU]

I dont think that these fishes are compatible with discus regarding the temperature... Also i would consider the agressiveness of discus. When pairing and laying eggs they get really agressive. I have seen with my own eyes discus attacking and killing cardinal tetras... My opinion is that discus should be kept allone or with some corys like sterbai or leucomelas that can tolerate high temperatures!
Paul

This depends. In a crowded tank they may become a meal but I've done this for years without any real problem. If given enough room, many Discus will give up the chase and waste of energy.

Breeding is a different story altogether and they will go after almost anything, including cory catfish, when they are protecting eggs. When breeding they are best kept alone in their own bare breeding tank with no other fish, or the pair should be broken if possible if they are in a Discus community tank and are attacking their tank mates and disrupting the tank.

[pavlos]

This depends. In a crowded tank they may become a meal but I've done this for years without any real problem. If given enough room, many Discus will give up the chase and waste of energy.

Breeding is a different story altogether and they will go after almost anything, including cory catfish, when they are protecting eggs. When breeding they are best kept alone in their own bare breeding tank with no other fish, or the pair should be broken if possible if they are in a Discus community tank and are attacking their tank mates and disrupting the tank.

Regarding the first paragraph I will have to make a question. When discus go after tetras,even if they can't catch them, don't tetras feel fear for their lives? Do we want this for our fish?

Secondly, can we be sure when suggesting someone else to have tetras or other small fish that when his discus pair , he will separate them or move them to another aquarium? Nowadays discus pair up very easily and the problems that we discribed become more common.

How many years have you kept tetras with discus without losses?

Friendly, Paul.

[DISCUS STU]

Regarding the first paragraph I will have to make a question. When discus go after tetras,even if they can't catch them, don't tetras feel fear for their lives? Do we want this for our fish?

Secondly, can we be sure when suggesting someone else to have tetras or other small fish that when his discus pair , he will separate them or move them to another aquarium? Nowadays discus pair up very easily and the problems that we discribed become more common.

How many years have you kept tetras with discus without losses?

Friendly, Paul.

As I stated before, I've had losses some when the conditions weren't right such as an overcrowded tank, but in most conditions this works and the only losses are through natural attrition. My losses have been very rare. The biggest problem has been keeping enough Cardinals alive through the quarantine process. I've probably kept Cardinals and Black Tetras, though not in all tanks usually just my planted tank, for about 10-12 years possibly a little longer.

As far as a tetra or tetras being chased unsuccessfully and snapped at a little bit, I believe they go through this and much more in nature. Even under the most ideal circumstances there will always be fighting, aggression, and some stress as these are animals, just as this occurs with people who should know better.

I once deliberately tried adding guppies as a live food source and ended up with...a tank full of guppies. The Discus, which aren't such great hunters, after trying in vain to capture them, eventually gave up and decided not to waste their energy when an easy meal, their regular feedings, was much easier to acquire. In nature I believe much of their diet consists of a variety which include things like mosquito larvae, freshwater crustaceans, some plant material et al.

Other species are commonly mixed with Discus. I've kept Discus with dwarf gouramis, tetra, various plecos (not gibbiceps), farlowellas, Rams, Keyhold Cichlids, Congo Tetras, Brochis Cats, Apple Snails, etc. Some worked better than others and I've learned what does and doesn't work. Usually things like Keyholes and Kribensis. Of course even all must be properly quarantined.

So in my experience it's very do-able and really looks great with about 20-30 tetra in a tank. It's also done at the NY Aquarium where they have a really nice display that includes many wild discus, wild angels, hundreds of wild Cardinals, and other species.

[bluelagoon]

@ DISCUS STU,I have to agree.For the most part I think that fear is # 1 in introducing other fishes pathogens to discus.Everything should be QT before going in a main tank.There are many fish that will not work.

[pavlos]

Discus STU,
Firstly am very against live food.. I think that frozen foods and flakes, bits etc are enough.
With everything else that you ve said I agree. The only remaining question that none has answered is the temperature. When you had gouramis (who come from the other side of the world) what was your temp? Cause gouramis live in a very lower temp than discus.

[DISCUS STU]

Discus STU,
Firstly am very against live food.. I think that frozen foods and flakes, bits etc are enough.
With everything else that you ve said I agree. The only remaining question that none has answered is the temperature. When you had gouramis (who come from the other side of the world) what was your temp? Cause gouramis live in a very lower temp than discus.

The guppy experiment was about 20 years ago and was only offered to make a point. I haven't fed live food for many, many years as I make my own turkey heart and use other prepared foods.

The dwarf gouramis have been kept in a planted Discus tank at about 82 f. / 27.7 c. The recommended temp. for Discus and fine for the Gouramis. The upper end of their range but tolerable. The only problem with them is that the males, which are the ones that are mostly available here in the States, get territorial and build bubble nests and then harass Discus and other species that come near them and their nests.

Even though they're fish that range from $6.99 - $8.99, their color and iridescence make them very interesting.