Tank space need advices!!!

[tmtplyb]

I am currently have 55g and a new 29g tank. (4) discuses 3.5" (2) discuses 3.0" and (5) discuses 2.5" totals of 11 discuses. I currently have them all in my 55g tank but I would like to take some them to my new 29g to thin out the crowed. What would be the best way for me to separate them? Thanks

[discuspaul]

Well, all of your fish are juvies now going through the growing out stages in a 55 gal tank.
With your largest 4 fish @ around 3.5"., it must be starting to get a little crowded.
For the time being anyway, it may be a good idea to retain say, 6 of your largest fish in the 55 - (i.e. the 4 @ 3.5", and the 2 @ 3.0"), and move the other 5 smaller ones into the 29 gal tank.

Ensure you new 29 gal is fully cycled before doing that.

That should be ok for a while - another month or two - but you'll soon need to consider what kind of larger set-up you want to have to house all 11 discus. Perhaps a minimum of 100 gal tank, or a 125 gal.
Or perhaps you want to keep 2 tanks for those 11 fish - 6 in one of 60 gals or more, and the other 5 in the 55 gal.
Your call.

[tonytheboss1]

:bandana: I see a 125g in the near future to make everyone happy but till then 6 lg & 5 sm in the 55g & 29g will have to do. W/C's all around & you'll be fine for a few months. "T"

[tmtplyb]

Thanks for your great advices! I think I will keep b/w 4-5 small in 29g and b/w 6-7 bigger in 55g for now and look like I need a upgrade tank in the next couples month. :)

[Reesj]

Well, all of your fish are juvies now going through the growing out stages in a 55 gal tank.
With your largest 4 fish @ around 3.5"., it must be starting to get a little crowded.
For the time being anyway, it may be a good idea to retain say, 6 of your largest fish in the 55 - (i.e. the 4 @ 3.5", and the 2 @ 3.0"), and move the other 5 smaller ones into the 29 gal tank.

Ensure you new 29 gal is fully cycled before doing that.

That should be ok for a while - another month or two - but you'll soon need to consider what kind of larger set-up you want to have to house all 11 discus. Perhaps a minimum of 100 gal tank, or a 125 gal.
Or perhaps you want to keep 2 tanks for those 11 fish - 6 in one of 60 gals or more, and the other 5 in the 55 gal.
Your call.

Could not have said it better:)

[tmtplyb]

Ok here is the real problem which I have to face, so all of my 11 discuses been together in the 55g from the beginning of time, couples week ago when I separate them 6 big in the 55g and 5 small in the 29g the 5 small in the 29g not do well, some of them start to have white spots icks and their colors has turn pale, fins and tails get nips, and not eating as much belly got skinny, so I put them back together again last week in the 55g so far they are doing ok, icks has gone and they are eating like a pig again! I know it very crowed in there my 55g but some how they doing ok so I just don't understand??? I was a bit hesitate to separate them again this time, maybe I have to look for a bigger tank 100g or 125g so I can keep them all together. oh here we go again!!! upgrade upgrade lol!!!

[DiscusRob]

Did you cycle the 29 gallon tank?????

[tmtplyb]

Yes, it been cycle and I have some rummy nose tetra in it for at least 1 week. oh the 29g tank water system connected to the 55g all good.

[DiscusRob]

Yes, it been cycle and I have some rummy nose tetra in it for at least 1 week. oh the 29g tank water system connected to the 55g all good.

So the 55 and the 29 are connected to the same filtration system??? What kind of filtration are you using? How long has the system actually been set up?

[tmtplyb]

55g and 29g connected plumbing overflows run down to 15g sump, been filter by 2 canisters filtering Cascade 120g and Eheim 100g. Sump pump Mag9 send it back up to the 55g and 29g. It been set up for almost 2.5 month now.
also sponge filter in each tank.

[DiscusRob]

Trying to help here so don't get upset. In your first post here last night you asked how to move some fish from the 55 to a new 29, then this morning you stated that you did this a couple of weeks ago, and it didn't work out. What is your water change regimen? Do you age the water used for your water changes? And might as well ask this question as well, I know it will bug a few people here, but your system is relatively new in the grand scheme of things. Do you own and use a test kit to check your tank water parameters? And last but not least are your tanks Bare Bottom or ??????????????

[tmtplyb]

NP! all good water change 50-65% each day, tank BB, test kit, water parameter everything good little nitrate when over feed. and the discusses do really well in the last couples month just have problem when I separate them! :(

[DiscusRob]

Going to have to wait for some of our Guru's to wake up:):) and chime in. I not all that experienced with Discus, but have kept other cichlids and marine/reef tanks, was looking for the obvious but I don't see anything. We'll get it figured out. :):)

[tmtplyb]

I think I will keep them together for couples week to see what going on, before I separate them again, since they are doing well for now. Thanks DiscusRob for chime in.

[discuspaul]

Since they are back doing well for now, it shouldn't hurt to keep them together in the 55 for a while longer to see how things develop.
But in the final analysis and as previously stated, your 55 is too small to house all 11 of your discus for much longer.

And quite frankly, there's nothing much more that can be done than doing what's already been said:
You will either need to have 2 sufficiently sized tanks - examples: your 55 and say, a new 60 gal to split up the group, keeping 6 in the larger tank, and 5 in the other -
Or, get say a 125 gal tank to accommodate the entire group together.

There are really no other appropriate answers or options besides selling some of them, and keeping just a group of 5, (perhaps 6 - although not the best approach) - in your 55 on a permanent basis.

[tmtplyb]

Discuspaul I agreed with you. I will keep them together a bit longer and let them all get well. my options are sell some or upgrade to bigger tank or split in two tanks. Thank you!