JimmyBanks
01-08-2018, 10:00 AM
G’day, I’m Jimmy. I live in Melbourne, Australia. I don’t currently have fish and have only had a community tank with tetras and rainbows and other random fish when I was about 20. Other than that I haven’t kept fish before.
I was 1st introduced to discus a few years back when a bloke I worked with showed me his tank. While we were passing time at work he told me about them and I ended up going around to his place and checking out his tank. I wasn’t in a position to really start up a tank of my own so I didn’t get any at that time.
Recently I was on YouTube watching some videos and came across a bunch of discus videos. Once I started watching one I was hooked. I ended up watching Al’s talk that Joey - The King of DIY - recorded and put up on his page. When I had watched it for a second time in a week I thought I had better come check out the forum and start looking into keeping discus. So now I’ve kept watching videos and read the Stickies in the beginner section and lots of other threads I think it’s about time to introduce myself and lay out what I’ve come up with so far.
I currently don’t have a tank. I have been looking at a few of my LFS and have narrowed it down to a 340L or 290L (I think that’s 90G or 76G but my math might be a bit off). The plan is for it to be a grow out tank. I’ve seen two utes thread and I like the idea of getting around 15 or so smaller discuss, growing them out and then decreasing until I have 6 -8 fish.
The tanks that I’ve looked at sit on wooden cabinets and a wooden hood. I am going to keep it BB. I figure it’s my first tank and I had better get used to keeping them and growing them out in a BB before I try and keep discuss in a planted tank. I’ve also read in a lot of threads that they tend not to grow out too well in planted tanks. So, I figure, KIS.
Again, I’ve read everywhere that the more water changes the better. I am thinking I’ll do 50% daily to begin with. If my tank only requires 30% daily then I might refuse it but I figure start at 50% daily as a starting point. I’ll be using tap water, I looked on two utes thread and we are in the same city. Hopefully that will mean our water has similar parameters. This is something that I’ll have to check after I buy a tank and before I buy discus.
As far as filtration is concerned I need to do some more research on this. I know some people who were talking about doing an anoxic filtration system and this does appeal to me, but when I went to Aquatico Aquarium (a LFS) on Sunday they suggested a canister. Whatever I go with I will include a sponge filter because most people seem to think that having one is worthwhile. I’m not sure what lights I’ll be using either. That is something that I need to think about as well.
As I said before, I’m looking at purchasing 15 or so smaller discuss and then at certain points along the way getting rid of some. I wan’t to end up with 6-8 discus. zhuls1 has suggested that I use Gold Coast Discus who import Na Discus fish, and has also confirmed that Aquatico Aquariums import Forrest Discus. As I said on another thread, I like Forrest because everyone seems to love Kenny’s discus and I believe his discus are Forrest, but just because they are from the same source doesn’t mean they are the same quality. I will have to think about this a bit more. Both have new shipments combing in in the next month or so I believe so I should probably make up my mind soon. I won’t be having any other fish with them.
I’m looking at feeding 5-6 small meals a day while they are young. That seems to be what most people suggest on the forum. I will have to get an automatic feeder for when I am at work and can’t feed them. I’m thinking pellets, some flakes, brine shrimp and beef heart.
My goals for this hobby are really just to successfully grow out some discus that I can be proud of. I’m sure down the track I’ll want to breed a pair but that can be the 5-10 year plan. For now I’m just keen to learn and enjoy having discus.
If you have any words of wisdom or advice I would greatly appreciate it.
I was 1st introduced to discus a few years back when a bloke I worked with showed me his tank. While we were passing time at work he told me about them and I ended up going around to his place and checking out his tank. I wasn’t in a position to really start up a tank of my own so I didn’t get any at that time.
Recently I was on YouTube watching some videos and came across a bunch of discus videos. Once I started watching one I was hooked. I ended up watching Al’s talk that Joey - The King of DIY - recorded and put up on his page. When I had watched it for a second time in a week I thought I had better come check out the forum and start looking into keeping discus. So now I’ve kept watching videos and read the Stickies in the beginner section and lots of other threads I think it’s about time to introduce myself and lay out what I’ve come up with so far.
I currently don’t have a tank. I have been looking at a few of my LFS and have narrowed it down to a 340L or 290L (I think that’s 90G or 76G but my math might be a bit off). The plan is for it to be a grow out tank. I’ve seen two utes thread and I like the idea of getting around 15 or so smaller discuss, growing them out and then decreasing until I have 6 -8 fish.
The tanks that I’ve looked at sit on wooden cabinets and a wooden hood. I am going to keep it BB. I figure it’s my first tank and I had better get used to keeping them and growing them out in a BB before I try and keep discuss in a planted tank. I’ve also read in a lot of threads that they tend not to grow out too well in planted tanks. So, I figure, KIS.
Again, I’ve read everywhere that the more water changes the better. I am thinking I’ll do 50% daily to begin with. If my tank only requires 30% daily then I might refuse it but I figure start at 50% daily as a starting point. I’ll be using tap water, I looked on two utes thread and we are in the same city. Hopefully that will mean our water has similar parameters. This is something that I’ll have to check after I buy a tank and before I buy discus.
As far as filtration is concerned I need to do some more research on this. I know some people who were talking about doing an anoxic filtration system and this does appeal to me, but when I went to Aquatico Aquarium (a LFS) on Sunday they suggested a canister. Whatever I go with I will include a sponge filter because most people seem to think that having one is worthwhile. I’m not sure what lights I’ll be using either. That is something that I need to think about as well.
As I said before, I’m looking at purchasing 15 or so smaller discuss and then at certain points along the way getting rid of some. I wan’t to end up with 6-8 discus. zhuls1 has suggested that I use Gold Coast Discus who import Na Discus fish, and has also confirmed that Aquatico Aquariums import Forrest Discus. As I said on another thread, I like Forrest because everyone seems to love Kenny’s discus and I believe his discus are Forrest, but just because they are from the same source doesn’t mean they are the same quality. I will have to think about this a bit more. Both have new shipments combing in in the next month or so I believe so I should probably make up my mind soon. I won’t be having any other fish with them.
I’m looking at feeding 5-6 small meals a day while they are young. That seems to be what most people suggest on the forum. I will have to get an automatic feeder for when I am at work and can’t feed them. I’m thinking pellets, some flakes, brine shrimp and beef heart.
My goals for this hobby are really just to successfully grow out some discus that I can be proud of. I’m sure down the track I’ll want to breed a pair but that can be the 5-10 year plan. For now I’m just keen to learn and enjoy having discus.
If you have any words of wisdom or advice I would greatly appreciate it.