How many cardinals for a 75 gal tank

[jmf3460]

I am going to put some cardinals in my 75 gal discus tank. I will be purchasing them from John at FreshwaterTropicals, he advertises them as XLarge in size. How many do you all recommend that I get? 35? 50? more??
I will quarantine first of course. I want a pretty large school and am hoping someone else has a big school and knows the perfect number.

[Kirbs]

I was thinking 25 for my 75. But I was also going to add some Rummy Nose. I am interested in what everybody else thinks too!

[jmf3460]

THANKS KRIBS, I hope people chime in soon I am placing my order today. I have 35 on order but am thinking I may up it to 50.

[bluelagoon]

I have had 100 cardinals in a 55 gal.Just cardinals.They did well.

[pitdogg2]

get 50 if they do well sell off extra to local fish store. In my experience you get 25 12 live if you're lucky, you'll most likely have better luck than most but still cover your bases you do not want to pay shipping twice.

[discuspaul]

It all depends on how many discus you have in the tank.
For example, if you had 8 adult, or near adult discus in the tank, adding 50 Cardinals would likely exceed normal/safe bio-load limitations.

[rickztahone]

How many discus do you have? I think 50 may be pushing it, but then again, more than likely you will get some die-off's. Anywhere from 10-15 I would guess in a 3 month span.

[DiscusOnly]

I used to have about 100+ cardinals/rummy nose/black neon in my 90 gallon bowfront tank. Absolutely beautiful sight. I didn't have any discus in the tank though. What else you have in the tank?

If you have multiples tanks, never hurt to order more than what you need. Shipping charges is usually the killer so if I was to order with shipping, I would go at least 100.

[jmf3460]

tank has 6 adult discus (wild) and 4 laetacara dorsigera (wild) along with some corydoras and ancistrus. I do have multiple tanks, its an obsession.

[DiscusOnly]

If it was me, I would get 100 then. QT them in an extra tank and take out 50 to put in the 75 gal. IMHO, 25 just doesn't do it for a 4ft tank.

[Ryan]

I'm thinking your wild discus will quickly thin the herd down to almost nothing...

[rickztahone]

I'm thinking your wild discus will quickly thin the herd down to almost nothing...

I was also thinking the same thing, but wanted to remain optimistic that they may not. OP, you must realize, in the wild, discus would chow down on these unless they were quick enough to escape in the vast body of water.

[jmf3460]

I'm thinking your wild discus will quickly thin the herd down to almost nothing...

Ryan, this crossed my mind too. there I a school of cheapo black neons in there as a tester and they haven't eaten the first one of those yet.

[Phillydubs]

Jacklyn,

I have a large school of a combo rummy/cards from john as well, I will not go into my review again but you can see my description of them in his thread, when he says XL he means it, these guys are a great size and little fatties. John was great about giving me some additional to cover up for possible die off and in the amount of time I have had them I maybe lost 3-4 out of 50 plus... which to me is an amazingly low number and I expected way worse... Only 2 died after QT and another one died a few days after being in the tank, one I am pretty sure I killed by accident during a WC as I removed my driftwood and clocked him, still feel bad about that one...

I have wild cross discus and I have yet to see or notice any aggression or desire from the discus towards the others as a food source. Maybe because you have pure wilds their behavior and mentality is different? I am not sure, the last few posts seem to suggest yours might eat them? Not sure why... maybe someone can give the reasoning behind that. I have seen your tanks and posts and it seems like you are great at caring for them and know what you are doing so I don't see why you would have nothing but great success with yours. I keep my discus well fed with usually 3 feedings a day, maybe that is why they could care less about the cards and rummies, they always have full bellies. I was worried about them going after them while I was onh vacation, but after 3 longer trips in a 3 month span, I had zero issues besides the losses I described earlier...

Good luck with whatever you decide to do and you can not go wrong with john... I can't wait to see pics!!!!

[discuspaul]

tank has 6 adult discus (wild) and 4 laetacara dorsigera (wild) along with some corydoras and ancistrus. I do have multiple tanks, its an obsession.

Jacklyn,
If I understand correctly, your 75 gal tank currently has a population of 6 adult discus, 4 laetacara (which can reach 3" and be very territorial when breeding), some corydoras ( ? -2 or 3, or 4, or more ? - 6-8 ?), some BNP's ( again, how many ? (a couple ? a half dozen?)

If that is indeed the case, even at the lower number of Cories & BNP's as questioned above, imo your livestock load has already reached the point of being considered at the high end of a comfortable level of population.
My honest opinion: - I don't feel you should be adding any Cardinals to that group in that tank - I sure wouldn't.