starting new tank..some help?

[eckielady]

Hey all. I have been reading through your forum and it's great. I was hoping there was one like it since I have fallen in love with a discus at a local pet shop. I was planning on getting him/her when my tank finished cycling but am not wondering if I should get smaller ones. (The one at the pet store is about 6 inches). Plus, this pet store, well, I don't like to buy anything from them. Anyhoo, I am cycling a 29g tank and since the love at first site occurred, am now planning on upgrading in a couple months (Am hoping to find something in the paper). We have a 125g tank running with oscars now. The fish at the store was a blue discus. I can't seem to find another kind that I like quite as much. But am having problems finding many sites with discus for sale, especially the blue. Do you know of any? Also, how many discus do you want for them to be happy? I have heard they are a schooling fish. Is this correct? How many should I buy for this tank? I am hoping to find at least a 75g. Any other info you can give me in "I don't know anything about discus" ::) terms would be great. I know I have more questions but can't think of any. Oh, my PH stays at 8.4. That is okay isn't it? Hmmmm, I tell ya. Those eyes, that's what got me. Is there anything more beautiful then a discus' eyes? (Excuse me while I go tell my oscars that their beautiful too)

[engiskhan]

well, if I were you, I'd get that 5-9 fish with that 75 gallon and grow them out. then when they pair up, use the 29 gallon for the pair. You can find good fish at these websites. I ordered from Jeff at discusfarm.us and they're way better than anything I've seen before and that includes my local fish shops.

www.discusfarm.us
www.greatlakesdiscus.com
www.hepsdiscuscenter.com

[eckielady]

Okay, I think I figured out what I am going to do. We cannot afford to buy more then one discus at this moment. And as for the bigger tank, we have to wait until one shows up in the paper. So here is my plan....ready :drummer:. I am going to finish cycling the 29g I have. When that is done, I am going to purchase the lone discus at the pet shop. Are you still with me? :P. Then, when we find a tank in the paper we will buy it, set it up and get it cycled. Then get the money to buy some more baby discus. Maybe around 5 or 6. We will put them in the newly cycled tank (Hopefully 75g or 100g) let them grow. And during this whole time, it will be like the lone one is in quaranteen. So by the time we get the babies and they are ready to be put with the bigger one, everyone will have been quarantined and will be about the same size. What do you think (Hang on, let me catch my breath................................okay, ready). The lone fish is by himself now and has been for awhile, he is in ummmmm, it's a 10 or 15 gallon tank. Okay, let me know what you think okay.
:bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2:

[DarkDiscus]

I think the lone discus in the 29 would be okay. I do find that solo discus tend to eat less aggressively. Just realize, unless you buy a bunch of adults for your 75, which can be done, he'll be in quarantine for a while before your other fish grow up.

It will certainly get you used to all the water changes you will need to do and it's a test run in terms of owning discus.

Give it a try.

Good luck!

John

[RAWesolowski]

John has some great comments. Another nice thing about the larger discus is that they are generally much more tolerant of less than ideal conditions. Small discus are like children, their immune system is not fully developed. As a result they can take a spin with changes in water parameters, food, the way you look at them ...

Bigger fish give you a bit more latitude in the way you care for them.

[eckielady]

Well. I am so excited. Still cycling the tank but got some lemon tetra's today to help with that. I went and looked at him again (The discus) and checked for all the bad things I have read about on here, shape, sunken stomach, shortened gill plate, big eyes, or anything else. Everything looked good (For a novice..but I did look at lots of pics). We have decided that since we are not rich right now (Just got done building a log house and moved in about 3 weeks ago), that since I work on ebay, every other dollar I make is going towards the fish. Plus my birthday is in a couple weeks so that helps. Hey, you want to help me out? Anyone one out there looking for jeans or shorts, gamecube games, bird books? COME ONE FOLKS. Go on ebay and look up the name 59batmobile in the search. That is me (Don't ask, that was what my fiancee made it). Anyway, for a good cause......HAHAHA. Hey, maybe I should write that on my description. "Please help, in dire need of discus. Every dollar helps". :idea: :bounce: :bounce2:

[Abercrombie6202]

What size is the discus that you are planning on getting? what species (just curious)?

And these babies that you are going to decide on getting in the future, how big were you hoping for? quarter-sized? half-dolalr sized? 1 inch? 2 inch?

Are you planning on doing BB for the 75 gallon?

I think buying the lone discus will help you to realize what discus require and help you to give the future discus a better chance of success. In my experience, the first discus i bought became runted, msot likely due to my planted tank, which has been changed to barebottom (BB) but my new discus are healthy and have even paired up and attempted to spawn, i hope everythign works out and welcome to the discus hobby, it's addictive! Good Luck!

[April]

well.. is the lfs gonna save that discus for you?? what kind of filters do they have at the store? maybe they could loan you a sponge thats cycled?
anyhow..welcome to the forum and glad you fell in love with discus.
as for the ebay...i will check out what you have. lol. I have been buying discus and supplies with ebay also. lol. great fun..and great to keep my paypal nice and fat!! lol. 8)

[eckielady]

April..LOL, ebay is also addicting. What a place. You know the man that started that makes...it's like 87 mil a year. Nuts huh :o.
The LFS, Well, I haven't asked them to hold him. Maybe if I paid for him, they wouldn't take as good of care for him. It is actually a Petsmart (I know I know, I have three parrots and spend most of my time trying to fix how they take care of their birds, but hey, they aren't get any more big ones so that's something right?). But he looks healthy. And will be alone so can watch and make sure everything is okay. I haven't asked them to save him also for the reason that most people go in and buy $1.99 tetras. He is about $60.00 so I am thinking not much chance of him being gone. Besides, I think he is waiting for me.......I will tell him next time I'm in there to bite anyone else (HEY-- MY MEDICATION WORKS JUST FINE...who put that wall there?) So I figure if he is still there, he is coming home. I think he will be. Hey, how long do you think it will take to cycle my tank with the tetra's in there? Any difference? I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO not a patient person. Don't even know what that word means...nope...not me. (Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid. Let's see, how many more tanks can I fit in this room. All I have is this 29g and that measly 125g. MOVE OVER OSCARS... ;D)

[April]

heh..your already addicted if you ask me..your gonna fit in just fine on this forum!!
why dont you...take a sponge from your oscar tank then and stuff it in an aquaclear.. eh voila cycled. now i wouldnt necessarily suggest this with fish from a breeder....but if hes at petsmart..im sure hes not exactly in pristine quarantined conditions anyhow. and if you have him there in a nice clean tank..and give him good food and wcs he will most likely have it good compared to what he has. usually the longer they hang out at a lfs the thinner they get. what kind of filter do you have running??
perhaps you can start thinking about cycling the next tank..for your group you will get down the road !!!
k..if you want to speed ebay up a bit..go have a look at garage sales..etc and find fisher price little people or playmobil!! ok..no one else look at this..as its Aprils fortune waiting to be made!! im telling you..people are desperate for them!! Do a search for discaholic. ;D see what im selling.
i go to the flea market now every week..collect..post..get the paypal..mail..and then start all over again!! right now most have no bids..but..by next monday...lol.
my friend is doing coins. hes doing not bad either. ;D
ok..everyone go bid on my stuff also!! so i can drool over more fish. lol.
yes ebay is addicting!! just dont buy..and dont look . just sell.

[eckielady]

Okay, here's a question. See this tank was going to be for electric yellows (I thought I had fallen in love with them until I laid in bed thinking about the discus) so I put in a piece of driftwood to lower my ph, which I don't mess with. Our water is weird, we have very soft water, and high ph (8.4). Don't you generally have low ph with soft water...even are water is weird. Anywho, so I thought the driftwood was fine, it had been soaking. Well, now my water has a tinge of brown (WAAAAAAAAA). How the heck do I get rid of it. Also, I have a penguin 170 bio wheel in the tank. Please tell me that is okay as I spent money I wasn't supposed to. We already had a filter we were going to use on this tank but it made this really annoying sound. It's next to my ear in my office and made me want to jump out the window (Don't worry, I looked at my options on that one and decided jumping out the window was a bad choice). So the filter went bye-bye.
One more, are you saying that I should get the fish before the tank is fully cycled because of his situation? ???

[eckielady]

I forgot, the discus at the store is probably around 6". And as for the fish size I was planning on getting in the future, well I thought about babies. 3" maybe. But I am also used to the growth rate of oscars...(An inch a month). How fast do discus grow? The discus is called a blue discus. He is pretty much grey, with these blue neon lines on his bottom and top fin.

[JeffreyRichard]

I would advise against getting one large discus ... Discus are somewhat social fish that like to school (at least while young) and tend to pair as adults. I would rather see you purchase 6-8 young discus and grow them up ... I think you'd find it more enjoyable and rewarding, and better for the fish. You can more likely get a better quality/healthier fish too, that way.

Jeff

[April]

if you took a sponge from another filter..your filter would be cycled. its the sponge you cycle..
your penguin filter with a biowheel is fine ..close the window. lol.
his colours might improve if hes cared for properly.
check his head and see if its pinched. if it narrows above his eyes..looking straight on at him..then hes thin . does he eat? have you seen them feed him? does he come up for food? he may need to be cleaned for parasites if you get him.

[eckielady]

Okay, looking straight on might take a little coaxing. I have never even seen his left side. He is always looking out from his right. So, maybe I could have someone try to turn him, hate to stress him out. He is also above my head a little so he tends to look down at all the people.

[eckielady]

I just found bio-spira and talked to marineland, have some new info for people. Will start a new topic so check it out. I'm so excited, now I don't have to wait how many weeks. I am SO HAAAAPPPPPPYYYYY. DISCUS HERE I COME. ;D ;D

[eckielady]

Well, we got him home. Put him in the tank along with some bio-spira. I was expecting him to hide but he's just been swimming around. I am so in love. What have I started? :o

[eckielady]

Okay, ignore all the stuff to the left of the tank. It looks like a disaster doesn't it. It's my stuff for ebay, it fell over, but that IS NOT how my whole house looks. LOL. Here is another one, not so great but a side shot.

[SSrowr]

Lol, is morpheus his name?

the newcomer,
seth

[eckielady]

Yes it is. Don't ask, I have no idea....lol. The names of my other animals are raja, siren, malakai, titan and asia. I'm odd that way. ;D

[SSrowr]

Awesome ;D
Let us know how your tank is progressing!

[eckielady]

Okay. We've had him for, I think three days. He is doing really good, still a little jumpy. The problem is, I still haven't seen him eat. I have put krill and brine shrimp in and he looked like he was going after it once and then psyched me out. Any ideas?