Discus tank mates

[Ashton.quigley]

I'm in the process of setting up a 75 gallon discus tank. I am planning on adding 6 discus, and later a leopard bush fish and a schooling fish. I'm having trouble finding a schooling fish that is peaceful enough for the discus, but large enough to not get eaten by the bush fish. My LFS keeps congo tetras with their discus, but I have heard mixed reviews about this pairing. Will it be okay to have congos with discus? and if not what is a good option?

[discuspaul]

Welcome to the forum. Ashton.

While I`ve never kept Congo Tetras, I have read that they`re quite active and fast moving.
More so than most other tetras.

Generally those are behaviors that could tend to alarm discus and stress them - I do not feel they would prove to be compatible tank-mates.

I would expect you could find some more mature, near adult-sized Cardinal Tetras, Lemon Tetras or Rummy-nose Tetras, or Rasboras that would make good tank-mates, and not be eaten by discus, nor by the leopard fish.

[Mattgoanna]

LBF will eat most tetras - it will hunt them down at night. You may get away with Colombian tetras. Agree with Paul that Congo tetras are not likely to be good tank mates. What about getting some Bolivian Rams and Corydorus sterbai catfish - both excellent tank mates for discus. You could always remove the LBF and then do a big school of cardinals.

[snxtif]

I've never kept bush fish so I can't say for that thing
(but I've read it's pretty aggressive and will eat smaller fish).


I have a school of congo tetras with discus in my sub-tank (67g), 8 of them (4 males 4 females).

I have to say they are pretty busy fish, as Paul mentioned above, maybe a bit too busy for discus' taste.
When they are matured, the males would keep fighting with each other almost constantly.

Also, they are very quick eaters. Your discus will have hard time fighting for their meals.
(but this can be fixed by feeding sinking food, congos normally do not eat food at bottom, if there is plenty floating food)

How about adult rummy nose?

[discuspaul]

Adult rummy-noses are a good choice as discus tank-mates.

[Paul Sabucchi]

Never kept them myself so I will toss the name here and defer to the more experienced: what about silver dollars?

[fljones3]

Never kept them myself so I will toss the name here and defer to the more experienced: what about silver dollars?

Never kept them with discus. I would think they would be way to busy for a discus tank.

[Paul Sabucchi]

The ones I have seen in friend's tanks seem quite laid back, only a threat for smaller fish. They come roughly from the same area as discus and grow toore or less the same size. Been racking my brains for a schooling fish that would be safe from the bush fish. As it is an ambush predator probably bring fast is not a valid defence so it would have to be a matter of size. Relatively large tetras like Buenos Aires Tetra are probably even buisier, same probably with bigger barbs.

[snxtif]

I've never owned them myself but wouldn't silver dollar be too aggressive for discus?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7detxox6fXc

[Ashton.quigley]

although I'm a big fan of silver dollars their aggressive eaters and busy. Their colors would look oddly plain next to the similarly shaped discus. They also unfortunately get wayyy to big for my tank........

[Swedgin]

I keep x-ray tetras (Pristella maxillaris) with my Heckels. They are hardy, pretty and not too concerned about water parameters. If the “x-ray feature” is a concern, as they grow it becomes way less obvious and they develop some nice fin colors.

As far as their behavior goes, they are pretty calm and laid back. They don’t compete for with the discus as maybe the congo or other larger ones would. In fact I initially added them as a sort of mid water clean up crew, to catch debris that would not make it to the ground for the cories to take care of and end up on the filter instead

[Paul Sabucchi]

I think here the big stumbling block keeps being the bush fish. Fish compatible with discus are 10 a penny, but how many would not get eaten by the bush fish. Maybe some of the larger Corydoras/Brochis and related species?