Comments and suggestions to a person keeping discus for the first time.

[PaintballFan07]

Hi, everyone I am new to this forum but i have been looking at discus for about 2 months now. I will be keeping 6-8 discus in a 72g bowfront tank. I know they need 10g each. The ph of my water right out of the faucet is 7.2, from wat i have read this is ok, but not ok if i expect to breed them. I am not sure if i want to breed yet bcuz i do not want to spend more money on a R/O system right now. My set up is: 72g bf tank, 300w visitherm, hydro V sponge filter, AC 500, n a tetra tec 200 air pump. I will keep the discus at a temp of 86 f, ph if ok at 7.2. I will try aging my water in a cup n test the ph to give u the ph of the water when it is aged. I will be feeding my discus frozen brine shrimp, color bits, tetra min flakes, and blood worms if i can find this at the lfs, i never looked b4. I will be doing 3 w/c's a week, Mon, Wed, n Fri. I just set up the tank 2 days ago, n i will be doing a fishless cycle with pure ammonia. Do you have any comments and suggestions that i need to know and do something differently? thanks for ur help in advance

[PaintballFan07]

Oh, n I have red that most people dont use carbon. My AC 500 came with all the media, n i want to know if i should use the biomax or do i just use the sponge inside the filter. I will not be using carbon. thanx for ur help

[Cosmo]

Paintball... sounds like you've got a pretty good working knowledge of what you're getting yourself into :) Didn't see any mention of test kits, so you should be sure you have those onhand.. ammonia, nitirite, nitrate, GH and KH as well. Test for the first three often, particularly while your setting up and after your Discus have taken up residence.. I Don't us an AC, but I thought the bio max was for biological instead of carbon type cleaning.. if so, would think you'd want to maximize the bio capacity of the filter... I'm sure others who use the AC's will weigh in on that..

Also handy to have.. non - iodized salt.. a good tonic for easing stress and helping any number of ailments get better. When you get your fish, ask the breeder how to setup the water for their arrival.

Lastly for now at least... have some carbon around in case you ever need to medicate the tank.. it's great for removing meds. Nothing wrong really with carbon except most people don't replace it often enuf and then it causes problems... WC's are better than carbon...

As your fish grow, you might find that 3 WC's a week might prove inadequate due to the increase in bio load..

hth

enjoy your new hobby :) beware though.. it's very addicting ;D

Jim

[Cosmo]

PS.. there are any number of sources online for frozen brine and bloodworms w/ much better pricing than the LFS. Hikari is the preferred brand by most..

RandalB sells Hikari too :)

Jim

[PaintballFan07]

Cosmo i have 2 test kits, but neither have KH test and also i will be doing a fishless cycle with pure ammonia. read this site it is wat i will be doing http://www.aquamaniacs.net/cyclingsafelyfishless.html. I also have plenty of carbon around and i am unsure of wat non-ionidized salt is. Could u give me a couple of brand names so i have an idea. name and Could i get it from walmart if so i plan on going to walmart tommrow for sum pure ammonia. thanx for ur reply and also thanx for the compliment

[PaintballFan07]

I will add a canister filter later on, when the discus are doing fine and my wallet and bank account fills back up. Damn i wish discus could be more leanient on my wallet.

[Ardan]

Hi,
Non iodized salt from the grocery store, it says "does not contain iodine"


I don't care for canister filters, I like hang on the back like Aquaclear with sponges only. Not to expensive and easy to clean and if the power goes out the bacteria don't die as fast.

hth

[PaintballFan07]

thats true. I want the canister for added filtration, but i caint afford it right now.

[PaintballFan07]

Does any1 see anything that i may be doing wrong in keeping discus? if so plz tell me. N when i age water can i just let the water sit in a trash can, will the chlorine n ph stable this way? I do not have a separate air pump or heater. thanx

[PaintballFan07]

Are discus sensitive to sound? for ex the tank is in my room and when i play games, watch movies etc. the sound is always very loud. thanx

[Wolf_Mek]

My discus aren't usually sensitive to sound; only when I have been working in the tank. Yours might be at first, but they will learn to adjust quite well probably within in a week, once they learn that nothing is going to hurt them.

Also, the filter cartridges for my Aquatech also have carbon already in them. I cut them open to remove the carbon as best I can but shaking them upside down in a 5g bucket until most of it's out.

[Cosmo]

Hey Paint..

When you age the water it should be agitated to make sure there's sufficient gas exchange... you can use a powerhead or more preferably an airpump/stone.. Since the water should be about the same temp as the tank water when you add it you will probably need a small heater in the holding tank as well...

Don't know if they can hear, but they do react to sounds.. could be actual hearing, could be the vibrations... I talk to mine so I like to think they can hear ;D

Never had mine in the same room, but our tv room is about 15 ft from where the big tank sits.. we pump the surround so hi the wall vibrate and they don't seem to mind.. on the other hand, a door closes and they might jump... guess it depends on the sounds

Personally, I like cannisters but I know I'm in a minority here :D
(actually.. couldn't fit a power filter on the tank anyway so that could have something to do with it too ...lol) )
Jim

[PaintballFan07]

Hey Paint..

When you age the water it should be agitated to make sure there's sufficient gas exchange... you can use a powerhead or more preferably an airpump/stone.. Since the water should be about the same temp as the tank water when you add it you will probably need a small heater in the holding tank as well...

Don't know if they can hear, but they do react to sounds.. could be actual hearing, could be the vibrations... I talk to mine so I like to think they can hear ;D

Never had mine in the same room, but our tv room is about 15 ft from where the big tank sits.. we pump the surround so hi the wall vibrate and they don't seem to mind.. on the other hand, a door closes and they might jump... guess it depends on the sounds

Personally, I like cannisters but I know I'm in a minority here :D
(actually.. couldn't fit a power filter on the tank anyway so that could have something to do with it too ...lol) )
Jim

I like talking to my fish too. I also like canisters i dont want a big bulky thing hanging from my tank but i will have 1 just 1. I have a magnum 350 pro system on my 55g tank. keeps my water so clear plus the weekly w/c's. I keep my angels in there. I would like to keep them with my discus but since im still new to keeping discus i dont want to risk any chances of them getting sick from a disease that was from the angels that angels dont get sick from. I only have common scalare angels not the expensive altums, n wat not. I want them though!

[Cosmo]

Paint,

Couple things before bedtime :)

If your test with the cup o tap indicates the ph stays stable, aging may not be an issue..

Brewmaster 15 sells the Altums :)

Jim

[PaintballFan07]

Paint,

Couple things before bedtime :)

If your test with the cup o tap indicates the ph stays stable, aging may not be an issue..

Brewmaster 15 sells the Altums :)

Jim

alright thanx for ur help jim

[PaintballFan07]

My discus aren't usually sensitive to sound; only when I have been working in the tank. Yours might be at first, but they will learn to adjust quite well probably within in a week, once they learn that nothing is going to hurt them.

Also, the filter cartridges for my Aquatech also have carbon already in them. I cut them open to remove the carbon as best I can but shaking them upside down in a 5g bucket until most of it's out.



thanx for the input

[fish_maniac]

Welcome to forum. Sounds like you alreadys did a lot of reaserch on the setup. That is great.
I didn't see anything about the bottom of the tank. Are you going to keep it bare bottom or planted? It is a little but easier with bare bottom, especial for smaller discus. If you want to do planted bottom, there are a few more thing to consider.
You definite want to run some air and heat the storage water so that this is mininium changeon the temp during WC. I add some amquel to the water storage bin as well.

BTW, what kind and size of discus are you planning to get?

Good luck and havefun!

Kam

[PaintballFan07]

Welcome to forum. Sounds like you alreadys did a lot of reaserch on the setup. That is great.
I didn't see anything about the bottom of the tank. Are you going to keep it bare bottom or planted? It is a little but easier with bare bottom, especial for smaller discus. If you want to do planted bottom, there are a few more thing to consider.
You definite want to run some air and heat the storage water so that this is mininium changeon the temp during WC. I add some amquel to the water storage bin as well.

BTW, what kind and size of discus are you planning to get?

Good luck and havefun!

Kam



Thanx, I am gonna run a BB tank and I will prob buy 3" discus from my privately owned lfs, so i can pick n see each discus myself. I have my doubts with shipping so thats the main reason for buying them at a store. Also I would know exactly what the store feeds the discus and that really wont be a problem. I would like to have White Daimonds, tangerines, marlboros, and pidgeon bloods, I looked at a couple more on greatlakesdiscus.com but like i said i dont like not being able to see wat im buying. The discus at my lfs is like yellow with purple strips. They are pretty but i would rather have White daimonds i really like their color. I will call them and ask them if they could order me some of my specific colors.

[PaintballFan07]

I know juvy discus needs to be fed several times a day. Would it be ok if i fed it twice a day? I can mayb feed them 3x's a day at the most cuz of school. Once will be very early in the morning when i wake up, I will turn on their lights then go get ready, then feed them, then turn off lights n go to school. Then would be when i get home, n next will be around dinner time

[RyanH]

Feeding your juveniles multiple times per day will allow them to reach their full size potential. If this is important to you then you may want to consider buying an automatic feeder for the times of the day when you are gone. If size isn't a high priority for you then what you are doing is fine.

[Cosmo]

Morning Paintball..

know what you mean about wanting to see the Discus you buy rather than ordering blind online.. I was always the same way but what you'll find is you're normally limited this way... I have orderd from Cary at GLD and couldn't be happier with the fish I got from him... they are all gorgeous and growing like weeds :)

I have my tank lights on timers so they turn on early for wake up before feeding, then off about an hour afterwards. If the room doesn't get good sunlight, you might want to consider leaving a small room light on till you get home from school...

give them at least a half hour to wake up before feeding

Jim

[PaintballFan07]

Morning Paintball..

know what you mean about wanting to see the Discus you buy rather than ordering blind online.. I was always the same way but what you'll find is you're normally limited this way... I have orderd from Cary at GLD and couldn't be happier with the fish I got from him... they are all gorgeous and growing like weeds :)

I have my tank lights on timers so they turn on early for wake up before feeding, then off about an hour afterwards. If the room doesn't get good sunlight, you might want to consider leaving a small room light on till you get home from school...

give them at least a half hour to wake up before feeding

Jim

Good afternoon. My room gets plenty of sunlight so light issues are not a problem at all. But the timer doesnt sound like a bad idea cuz it can help me wake up in the morning too cuz i like to sleep through the alarm. I would like to order from cary but i think i will try my lfs first since i can see them. $50 is to much for me to gamble with from buying online.

[PaintballFan07]

Feeding your juveniles multiple times per day will allow them to reach their full size potential. If this is important to you then you may want to consider buying an automatic feeder for the times of the day when you are gone. If size isn't a high priority for you then what you are doing is fine.

I guess i could buy a automatic feeder. I would like them to grow very quickly so i an automatic feeder will be needed with my schedule. thanx for the suggestion i never thought about that.

[Wolf_Mek]

PB,

To be honest, you're better off ordering online from a reputable breeder than going to the LFS. Online, you're more likely to get healthy, high quality fish who have been properly taken care of as compared to the LFS. IME, very few LFSs keep their discus in proper temperatures, and they often keep them with improper tank mates (they put 2'' discus in with 3 inch 3-spot gourami at room temperature and only give 1X weekly water changes with little for food), which, in the end usually means you get a weaker, possibly sick fish. This doesn't happen all the time, though, so I definately urge you to window shop at the LFS, but I also urge you not to be afraid to buy from online sources either as long as they carry a good reputation.

As a last note, mainy LFS's also charge way too much... I saw a 4'' BD (big eyes and footballed) at a near buy pet shop and they had it marked for $200... many also sell 2'' for $30... in which case you can get better fish, online, usually shipped... but again, don't be afraid to window shop because not all LFSs are bad.

[Cosmo]

when I lived in LA, I walked into the sorriest looking store front fish store only cause I happened to be walking by it.. had passed it on numerous occassions cuase it looked so dilapidated from the outside.. when I went in I found it was owned by a group of brothers from Asia .. turned out they imported Discus from their home country and they had an awesome arrangement of impossible to find strains... never had a problem with their fish..

When I lived in a Chicago suburb years ago, walked into a place I thought only sold dog food and found they sold pet food, fish, and lizards.. owner was very knowledgeable and he had great Discus too.. kept ALL his fish with a drip system

This is very unusual... the norm is what Puma described..

I've only ordered online once.. but intend to buy most if not all my future fish that way ... immensely satisfied with the fish I got from Cary, and, there are few LFS's that I've found in the area that have Discus, and none of those that do care for them correctly..

Don't buy a fish at an LFS if any of it's tankmates are displaying any sypmtoms of illness, and, wherever you buy from ALWAYS QUARANTEEN new arrivals before adding them into your aquarium... ALWAYS.. no matter who you buy from!!

Jim

[alex_m]

Hi,

my advice is to have patience with the fish

alex

[PaintballFan07]

thanks to all for the info given to me. I trust this fish store and here is some thngs i saw today when i gave them a visit: each discus tank had its own heater set to 86f, tanks are kept at a ph of 6.5, all had healthy discus except for one tank, i saw the owner come to the tank and erase the prices of the tank that had a sick discus in it cuz it was black in color ( prices are written on the glass with dry erase markers). Also i bought many angels from this store and all are growing like weeds. He also told me that they can be kept with certain fish but not many: cardinals, blue rams ( i think thats wat he said) n i forgot the rest. Today i bought a discus buffer that will adjust my ph to 5.8-6.8. I will buy 4 discus next week along with sum cardinals mayb 6 cuz those lil bastards are also costly 3 for 9.99. i will post more info later cuz i have sum school work to take care of. c ya

[Ardan]

Hi,
Are you starting off with a cycled tank?

Those tetras are sensitive to ammonia, nitrite and may not make it through a cycling.

hth

[Howie_W]

Today i bought a discus buffer that will adjust my ph to 5.8-6.8. I will buy 4 discus next week along with sum cardinals mayb 6 cuz those lil bastards are also costly 3 for 9.99.


Hi Paintball,

There's no need to use the Discus buffer, as your pH from the tap is fine as is. If you haven't already done so, you should test your pH to see if it remains constant after aging for 24 hours. The best thing you can do for your fish is to give them clean and stable water conditions, as opposed to subjecting them to a tank filled with chemicals.

If your lfs is keeping the fish at a lower pH, this is not a problem, as you can slowly acclimate them to your water via. a drip line into a bucket before transfering them into your tank. As for stocking denisty, you should plan on bringing no less than 6 Discus home, as 4 is too few a number; With a lower number of fish, you will create a smaller size pecking order...this leads to more fighting, and increases the chances that someone will be getting less to eat, eventually leading to other problems such as malnutrtion and poor health.


HTH

Howie

[PaintballFan07]

HI, everyone im glad to be back. I bought my discus 3 weeks ago and they are doing just great. Colors are very bright, very active, all have big appetites. I only bought 3 at the time but i am adding more soon. I kinda changed my mind about running a barebottom tank, but i have plenty of filteration. Right now i have 2 ocean turq's and 1 san merah and i have 3 rasbora tetra's n a leopard plec. I may get rid of the rasbora cuz they are kinda hard to see compared to the discus. They are fed tetra color bits, tetra flakes, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, frozen beefheart.

[Ax]

Have fun,

As I was reading all the posts I thought too extra hints would help.

Number one when you age the water; give at least 48 hours with air stone and heater if your tap water has Chloramine. It takes 24 hours for Chlorine but 48 and up for Chloramine.

Number two. From personal experience it is better to have high (7.8) pH than play Yo-Yo with the chemical, just remember to do daily WC. And money that you save can get you more Discus :) ;) :) .

If you ever get trapped in planted tanks (I am so guilty, all my tanks are planted except for quarantine tank) CO2 addition brings down your pH and keeps it steady even with 75% WC.

I am very happy to hear about you success.

Cheers.:D

[PaintballFan07]

Have fun,

As I was reading all the posts I thought too extra hints would help.

Number one when you age the water; give at least 48 hours with air stone and heater if your tap water has Chloramine. It takes 24 hours for Chlorine but 48 and up for Chloramine.

Number two. From personal experience it is better to have high (7.8) pH than play Yo-Yo with the chemical, just remember to do daily WC. And money that you save can get you more Discus :) ;) :) .

If you ever get trapped in planted tanks (I am so guilty, all my tanks are planted except for quarantine tank) CO2 addition brings down your pH and keeps it steady even with 75% WC.

I am very happy to hear about you success.

Cheers.:D
Thanx for the tips AX, i dont think i will go with a planted tank cuz i want to grow them out to breed now. So i would like them to grow as fast as possible.

[bio new]

HI, everyone im glad to be back. I bought my discus 3 weeks ago and they are doing just great. Colors are very bright, very active, all have big appetites. I only bought 3 at the time but i am adding more soon. They are fed tetra color bits, tetra flakes, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, frozen beefheart.Congrats on your purchase! So I guess you bought 4 pcs. What is the size? U mentioned "colors are very bright", hmmm, hope they aren't hormoned!:confused:

CHEERS!

[PaintballFan07]

Congrats on your purchase! So I guess you bought 4 pcs. What is the size? U mentioned "colors are very bright", hmmm, hope they aren't hormoned!:confused:

CHEERS!
Thanks, I only bought 3 n they are not hormoned. If they were i wouldnt have bought them. The breeder that the lfs buys them from is named Mac's Discus n heres the link http://www.macsdiscus.com/frames.html

[PaintballFan07]

Im ready to buy more discus now. Here is some info: b4 adding the first 3 discus i had my mind set on going barebottom but i changed my mind at the last minute n rocks n fake plants. Also I had 2 filters running 1 AC 500 n 1 whisper (60g rated) that came from my 55g. Well i just sold my 55g n told the buyer i would include a filter so i gave him the whisper, so in its place for now i temporarily added a Hydro V sponge to take its place. I also made up my mind about breeding discus n im gonna say its a GO. So now i will have to decide on which discus to buy n breed, as of right now i want some red pigeon bloods. I will buy a group of 6 and as soon as they pair up i will sell the others by another tank for the pair n buy another group of 6 for the tank. So the total of juvy's in the tank will be 9, i know the general rule of thumb but that applies to the adults right? I will be selling the PB's that dont pair up anyway n their will be more than enough filteration, so will there be any problems. I dont think so but wat do u guys think.I will be taking out the rocks b4 i buy them n going BB for sure this time. As for filteration i will have the AC 500 n the sponge n i will also add a Eheim 2028 canister. the tank will be cleaned every day or 3x's a week. Also i have seen pics of sum1 in this forums tank with plant pots in the tank with plants in them, I like this idea n will any plant pot work? Or do i have to buy a certain type: clay, plastic or w/e. i will do the same with my tank. thanks for ur help

[mattrox]

Damn i wish discus could be more leanient on my wallet.

I hear you Paint!!!