How long should juvies be in bb tank?

[jules]

Up to what size or age should the juveniles be in a bare bottom tank?

thanks..

[bubabui]

Hi Jules,

Most ppl here would say discus should ALWAYS be kept in a barebottom tank. :P It will be easier to keep the water at optimum quality. (if you are doing daily water changes) This will allow your fish to grow out as large as possible. (provided you give them the nutrition they need)


HTH,


Joe

[Abercrombie6202]

I'd say you could put your discus in other tanks once they meet the 4 inch or plus size!!

I agree with Joe...they should always bekept in a BB tank. BUT! If you must ;) Move them when your happy with the growth they've achieved IN the BB tank because the growth rate will drop dramatically (or stop all together) in a tank with gravel.

Tony

[Debbie]

I keep my juvies in a BB until 3 to 4 inches. Their growth rate does not drop dramatically when put into my planted tanks, and has never stopped completely. I find that my discus growth slows down a bit when they reach about 5 inches.

Their growth rate does not drop dramatically when put into my planted tanks, and has never stopped completely.

For MOST BEGINNERS....with little, or no knowledge of proper discus care, water chemistry or how to keep a planted tank healthy... my statement stands CORRECT!
It can be tough for a BEGINNER and even alot of seasoned "vetrans" to keep ADULT discus healthy in a planted tank...to advise a BEGINNER to GROW OUT juvinials in a planted tank is just plain foolish. :-\

Tony

[ronrca]

I agree with Tony! I recommend not putting discus under 5" in a planted tank or other tank from my experience unless you can keep feeding massive amounts of food (4-6x a day) which is messy with gravel. ;)

[Abercrombie6202]

to advise a BEGINNER to GROW OUT juvinials in a planted tank is just plain foolish

Tony


Tony_S,

I agree, begineers shouldn't grow out babies in a planted/gravel aquarium, BUT it can be done, so it is not impossible. I personally wouldn't GROW OUT in a planted tank. Also Debbie WASN'T saying that you should grow them out in a BB tank.
Adam



I keep my juvies in a BB until 3 to 4 inches.

[Jeff]

Tony, Tony I agree!!! ;D

Adam

I didnt say it was impossible....and 3"-4" isnt grown out.

Tony

[RyanH]

Adam,

You are growing out your Discus in a planted tank.

[Carol_Roberts]

. . . . anyway Jules, for most color morphs I think they need to be in a barebottom tank for a year or so for full growth. Blue diamonds and other slow to mature colors may take longer.

[Debbie]

Jules, you should ask this question over at show tanks and biotypes. This is the section of the forum that likes BB tanks. There is great information here if that is what you want, but if you want a planted tank then the people to help with that are in the show tanks and biotypes.
Also Adam is right, I was merely telling what my experience is with discus. And if someone is willing to do the work it can be done quite successfully.

[Abercrombie6202]

Ryan,

I don't consider my discus as still growing out. Others probably do, but i think 3-4" discus are big enough to go in a planted aquarium. I could put them in a BB tank since there are only 3 discus in the tank, but i'd feel a 20 gallon at the moment is too small for 3, 3-4" discus. Smaller fish than 3-4" will be going in my soon-to-get BB tanks.

-Adam JMO

[ronrca]

i think 3-4" discus are big enough to go in a planted aquarium. The only concern is that the discus may not grow any larger than 4". As I mentioned before, for discus to continue growing, not only is clean, fresh water required but perhaps more importantly lots of food. In a tank with a gravel bottom, adding lots of food plus feces really pollutes the gravel bottom. You can not really vacuum it all out. Therefore, what happens is that this leftover matter starts decaying and causing all sorts of problems with bacteria, nitrates and other nasties. Not the sort of environment for discus to grow in. Out of the 6 discus that I had in my planted tank for 2 years, 1 grew to 5", 1 to 4", 3 to 3" and 1 stayed at 2". Compared to a bb tank, 5 out of the 6 most likely would of reached 6"+.

As Tony mentioned, an experienced discus keeper may be successful in growing out discus in a planted tank however the odds are against it (more runts=more culls). Then again, an experienced discus keeper would not bother with the effort in doing so anyways. Joe actually makes a very good point.
It will be easier to keep the water at optimum quality. (if you are doing daily water changes) This will allow your fish to grow out as large as possible. (provided you give them the nutrition they need)

;)

[jules]

I have 2 tanks - one is planted the other is bb ;)