Assorted Small Discus

[rush2808]

Hey guys I'm fairly new to the forum and here's a little about me:

I work in the East Hampton Library, NY and someone donated a 120 gallon fish tank to the library for the children's section and my boss decided to have me take care of it because I have fish tanks in my house that my friend gave to me along with the discus, I showed the director the discus in my tank and he seems to fall in love with the colorful discus. I'm still in the process of getting everything together and cycling the tank for now.

I'm looking for assorted discus preferably small (Due to budget limitation) or a donation of fish that you guys no longer wants (irregular shape or runts, etc) if you guys donate the fish i can mail you a tax write off form from the library.

Thank you and if you guys have any question you can email me: Ryan@easthamptonlibrary.org

Attached is the picture of the donated empty fish tank :D

99753

[Phillydubs]

Very nice Ryan and welcome to the forum! I am on Long Island myself and happy to help you in anyway with the project if you'd like or if needed...

In such a boojie area like East Hampton you can't have a tank full of runts and misshaped fish! The millionaires will run you out of town!!! LOLOL

So, if I read correctly, you have discus at home? So you are familiar with the care that they need and the effort it takes to maintain such a tank?

Will you have the ability to do frequent water changes and things of that nature based on where it is set up, water supply, etc...

Do you guys have any sort of funding to pull from to stock the tank? Maybe other donators that would help, with all the money out there, I have to imagine there are some resources to be tapped...

My opinion, and take it for what you may, but a fish tank in a place of education and learning should be just that. You want to set an example for the kids and show them how to properly care for animals and what a responsibility it is. I go back to my inital point, to fill a tank with culls and runts just wouldn't do that for me and I don't see that as being helpful for the children.

I would either pony up or gather some coin and place a nice order for some good sized sub adults from one of the great sponsors here. There are even a few lately selling super nice fish in the 3-4" range for less than $40! If you can go bigger then by all means...

I'd really map things out and figure it out before you dive in... Maybe even discus are not the best option for such a tank and you might fair better with a more tropical community or African cichlids as they are colorful active and much cheaper and easier to care for than discus.

Good luck and let me know if I can help!

[rush2808]

If only I can use the technology budget into the tank... Old ladies + new computers V.S. 120 gal tank + colorful discus....

Lol

[Phillydubs]

I am sure you can finagle it!!! Say the technology is being used towards filtration, thats technical...

I mean its for the kids!

[RogueDiscus]

To tag on to what Philly- has said, first, do you have a plan for adequately maintaining the tank; that is, doing water changes, etc? If so, then I would recommend "finagleing" what it takes to get at least 6 almost adult fish. Make this easy, but educational. Stable adults and adequate water changes. Go bare bottom or minimal decor. Make it about the fish. They're so interactive, the kids will love it. If you're willing to go that route and can handle it, I bet you'll find folks here who would be willing to support your effort with some good deals on fish.
Steve

[LizStreithorst]

WC will be impossible in that tank unless you can drain out the front door or have a bathroom close. Buckets won't work for a tank size.

I agree with Phil. If you are not able to maintain a tank of good quality healthy Discus you should go with other fish. If you want Discus you will need to get rid of the substrate and add driftwood instead. If your boss is set on Discus make her find a way to come up with the money for them. It's not your job to get the money for what he or she wants. You may want to ask him/her to join the forum and pose the same question.

[camthi609]

Well, I have some odd balls to contribute to your project if you're interested, but you'll have to cover shipping though..... :-).

[RogueDiscus]

Well, I have some odd balls to contribute to your project if you're interested, but you'll have to cover shipping though..... :-).

See what I mean! If you do it right, many of us have a fish or two we'd be willing to contribute(plus shipping :)).

[rush2808]

Guys, let me clarify this so there will be no misunderstanding.

1. I'm a network admin at the library and if anyone here is one, they would know we have plenty of time in our hands at work
and the only time we're really doing work is when something goes really wrong with the network/server. So having this tank actually helps me pass the time by taking care of it daily.

2. Reason why I mentioned about donation of unwanted fish is because instead of them being thrown to the side,
I can take care of them and they will still make the kids happy even with their imperfection, this won't be a show tank.

3. I'm posting in this forum not looking for free stuff, in case any of you guys have an overstocked tank that you're willing to let go for not a show tank price
We're willing to pay cost + shipping fee. As a matter of fact i think the boss is planning on ordering some small ones online, I told him
to wait and see if our need will be a symbiotic benefits to any member of this forum instead of buying them online or from LFS.

3. I have everything in place in term of water changes and daily routine. It's near the bathroom with faucet, also right behind the wall that it is sitting there's a garden with spigot and floor is concrete
Python hose is in place, I'm running Rena Filstar XL through coralife 18w UV that came with the tank (Foam - Bio - Purigen) and I plan on getting a Fluval 406 with spray bar with stacks of (Foam - Bio - Bio - Polish Pad) as a secondary and back-up.
Api GH/KH, API Master test kit, Prazipro, Salt, Pot Perm ready & 2 x 300W heater.

4. Gravel is there to match the carpet of the room, bare bottom tank would not be as exciting for the kids to see, and the tiniest poop will be exposed and the kids will get all giggly... :)

5. I understand it is not my job to get money or donation, I'm just asking in case someone has an excess discus or unwanted due to genetic imperfection, I can adopt them just like people do with dogs.

Thanks.

[RogueDiscus]

:)

[LizStreithorst]

If I had anything ATM I would take a chance on you. Still, I would make this request to some sponsors who are known to have good healthy fish rather than asking on the open forum. I've seen pics of fish that have been given away for the price of shipping. You do not want what I have seen in your tank.

[rush2808]

Lol was it that bad?

[RogueDiscus]

I might have to buy Liz a beer (Hi, Steve here, we met at NADA!), but I'll stand by my PM offer of fish.

[pitdogg2]

3. I have everything in place in term of water changes and daily routine. It's near the bathroom with faucet, also right behind the wall that it is sitting there's a garden with spigot and floor is concrete
Python hose is in place, I'm running Rena Filstar XL through coralife 18w UV that came with the tank (Foam - Bio - Purigen) and I plan on getting a Fluval 406 with spray bar with stacks of (Foam - Bio - Bio - Polish Pad) as a secondary and back-up.
Api GH/KH, API Master test kit, Prazipro, Salt, Pot Perm ready & 2 x 300W heater.

forget the Fluval use two Rena filters they used to come with spray bars and IMHO work much better that the leaky fluvals fill one full of the foam top and bottom and seachem Matrix in the middle should be more than enough bio media and easy to rinse in a bucket of tank water.

[Phillydubs]

I still think you are making a big mistake by not buying affordable fish from a sponsor. I find it hard to believe in that location that $500-$600 can't be raised to get these kids some good fish. I've seen guys in that area drop $500 and say ah f it too much to bend down for so little ;)

[warblad79]

Try Craigslist I'm sure there's a lot of unwanted free fish available. The quality might not be as good but should be good enough for the kids.

[Ryan925]

Try Craigslist I'm sure there's a lot of unwanted free fish available. The quality might not be as good but should be good enough for the kids.

Sounds like they have a budget for fish but was looking to adopt some that were unwanted.

I'd have to agree with the others though. Having quality discus would probably be much better experience for the kids than a tank full of stunts.