Adding more Discus, new source

[Adam Harness]

Hello! I am enjoying Discus a lot.. I have 10 Discus that I got from a Breeder locally and they are doing great. I have had them for a month now. I want to add about 10 more Discus to my tank which is a 125G. The new source is either going to be Hans or Kenny so a good source. I was wondering what kind of quarantine should I do? How long?

[Ryan925]

Did I read that correctly? 20 in a 125?

[Ryan]

I'd reduce those numbers a bit once they reached adult size. I'd aim for 10 - 14 adults in a 125 depending on their eventual size and the amount of water you're willing to change. Even at 3.5 - 4" you'll have to really stay on top of water changes to keep the water quality up as you're raising them out.

Having said that, if you're committed to the maintenance, there's nothing wrong with raising them out and then thinning the herd as they grow. You'll have fish that don't turn out as nice and a lot of people choose to rehome their least favorites and whittle it down to the ones they really want to keep.

As for quarantine, ALWAYS QUARANTINE. Separate tank, separate hoses, separate everything. I don't even keep the QT tank in the same room as my other tanks. Quarantine for a minimum of six weeks. This allows the new fish to settle in, recover from the stress of being shipped, and build their appetites back up. Shipping and acclimation is rough on fish and in their weakened state they're much more likely to get ill should there be bacteria or pathogens floating around. Once they've been in QT for a while, take a "hero" fish from your locally bred ones and mix it with the new stock. Then wait another couple weeks. If all looks well, it's probably safe to mix them.

It sounds like a long process and it is, but anyone who's lost several thousand dollars in stock will tell you it's well worth it. It's a very stressful and helpless feeling to watch discus get sick and die knowing you could have maybe prevented it.

[Adam Harness]

I'm raising them. 20 juvis that are under 4" is fine is it not? Right now I have 9 (Don't know why I said 10) in the 125g and I do 50-55% a day WC.

[Akili]

By adding any more you heading for a disaster,in a few months you will be over stocked. A 125 gallon is best with 10 to 12 adults.