What filtration to use in a discus tank.

[Andrewfishman]

I am interested in getting discus for my 55 gallon tank. Can anyone tell me what kind of filtration I can use? And also what kind of Discus should I start out with? ???

[Carol_Roberts]

Aqua Clear 500 with two internal sponges and a sponge prefilter on the intake tube.

Healthy discus ;D Buy from a reputable source. Where do you live? Maybe there is someone in driving distance. If not look at the top and bottom of this page to see banners from reputable discus sellers.

[Andrewfishman]

Carol,
thanks for the info. I am 14 years old and already have a great intreast in the fish world. i have a coulple of questions for you.

where would i get that kind of filter?
I also already have fish in my tank here is a list and can you tell me if they are compatoble with discus?

7tiger barbs
3angel fish (marble)
1pleco
3gold mystery snails
1black mystery snail
2paradise fish
2neon blue dwarf gourami
2albino cory cats
and 2 clown loachs :-\ :-\ :-\

[Ryan]

I would say that the barbs are a definite no. Angels are not always the best choice when you are a beginner to the discus world. Some people keep them together, some advise against it... I would say to hold off on any tankmates at all when you first start keeping discus. Learn about the fish and their requirements, then as you get more experienced with keeping them you can start to modify things a little. Cory cats are good for cleaning the bottom of your tank, but if you have a bare-bottomed tank then you probably wouldn't need them.

Ryan

[Carol_Roberts]

If your folks will let you use the credit card you can save lots of money buying online from places like www.petsolutions.com. ASk for a catalog if you don't have a credit card.

I only keep discus with discus. I'd start a seperate tank for them. A 55 gallon with 6 babies.

[Andrewfishman]

Thanks for the info
i also have a question how much will a 55 gallon tank with everthing including the discus cost?
I also would like to see your pics of your discus fry/juviniles if you have any

[Ryan]

Let's see... for my bare-bottom discus tank it was as follows:

1 55 Gallon w/ Hoods & lights - $60
2 200-watt heaters - $40
1 AquaClear 500 - $32
2 Hydro IV sponges - $20

So right around $150 for the tank and setup, not to mention discus. Discus prices vary depending on who you get them from, what type, and what size.

You will also need air pumps to run the sponges. I always have those laying around because I've been buying them for years. Those prices above are rounded off, I use thatpetplace.com to buy all my fish stuff with the exception of tanks. Big Al's and Drs. Foster & Smith are also good places to buy fish supplies online, but That Pet Place tends to have the most items in stock and their shipping is fairly quick. If you buy those filters and such in most stores, they will be almost double that price. Shop around for the best price on tanks... I like All-Glass Aquarium brand, but only a couple stores in my area have them. One store is WAY more than the other, price-wise.

Ryan

If you don't have a tank already you could also look for a freebe.
Ask some friends, relatives if they have one around that they don't use anymore. Also garage sales is a option to find tanks.

Ronald

[Carol_Roberts]

1 55 Gallon w/ Hoods & lights - $60

1 250 or 300-watt heater - $20
1 AquaClear 500 + extra sponge- $37
+ shipping $9.00

Jeff Young has a special going for 7 discus including shipping $195

Thats $321

Figure $350 if you need dechlor product and ammonia test kit and pH test kit and fish food.

[Haywire]

Ouch,

The tiger barbs are intsant red flag for most people.

For me the thing that made me cringe was the pair of paradise fish, I had really bad results with them, in my personal opinion I think those can rival some of the toughest african's.

[Don_Lee]

The best filter I ever had was a wet/dry filter that I had on a 180 gallon tank. The initial investment is pretty high, but the maintenance is very cheap once you buy the filter. On the other hand, cannot go wrong with the AC line of filters......

Don

BTW-If you are ambitious, there are ways to make a wet/dry yourself for nominal cost.