Has anybody been able to keep 3 fish in a tank?

[goheel]

I've read from various sources that discus are better off in group. I'm planning to keep my discus in a 30 gallon tank, and according to the 1 fish/10 gallong rule, I'll be able to keep 3 fish in there. Will the fish bullying each other if there's only 3 fish in the tank? What about 4 fish? I'm trying to grow these out, so I don't know if there are more fish in the tank, the fish would grow slower, or even worse stunted.

[KingDiscus]

Ideally, discus do better in a group of 6 or more. People like myself who don't have the space yet for a large tank, suffer though smaller tanks and rolling the dice on stunting and bullying. Very frequent water changes are the best thing i can offer you. smaller space only means that ammo/nates/nites, build up even quicker. I've been doing around a 40% change every other day, and they seem happy and hungry...

[goheel]

how many discus do you keep? what size is your tank?

[KIWI13]

Well, KingDiscus is right, A 30 gallon is a small tank, Your best bet would be to get 5 juvi discus and start to grow them up, keepin in mind that you will need a bigger tank in a few months. Yes I know my reply is rather abstract.

If you plan on keeping a batch of 5 or 6 in a 30 gallon to begin with then I suggest you have some excellent bio filteration and you do a 30% water change on a daily basis, in the worst case every 2 days. This is because you will be feedign them 4 times a day to get their growth rate up.

Good Luck

Jason

[lexylopez]

:) :angel: :) :angel: :) :angel:
If you are having a display tank I would recommend you get a
tank no smaller than 36”x15”x15” but a 48in tank would be better.
Discus do better in deep tanks and the more water the tank hold the
more stable the water conditions tend to be. For a breeding tank I use
24”x15”x15” tank but I know some breeders prefer an 18in cube. Don’t forget that discus are still cichlids and will behave in a territorial
way. In discus this is known as the pecking order where the bigger
fishes tend to bully the little ones, thus the little ones get more stress
and less food and grow less which could cause you to lose a couple of
fish over time. To try and stop or lower this behaviour try moving the
interior décor around which will disrupt territories. You could also try
adding more fish but keep an eye on your stocking levels.


:) :angel: :) :angel: :) :angel:

[goheel]

How many fish would you recommend for a 30 gallon tank if I want them to maximize their growing size? I don't know if I can put 6, but I'm thinking either 3 or 4. I'm leaning toward 4 right now, a compromise between 3 and 6.

[gators111]

I grew out two fish in a 30XH, but let me tell you the fights were painful to watch. My BD would be the aggressor one week, and the Brown would be the next. The only thing that probably helped was a large piece of driftwood and some silk plants to break up the fights. However, I wouldn't do it again.

If you have the room for a 55gal tank, either forego the 30 and save up for the 55, or keep the 30 as a hospital/breeder tank and get the 55. That way you can get 6 discus to grow out.

[Kindredspirit]

How many fish would you recommend for a 30 gallon tank if I want them to maximize their growing size? I don't know if I can put 6, but I'm thinking either 3 or 4. I'm leaning toward 4 right now, a compromise between 3 and 6.



Hey Goheel!

I have as you can see below, a 35gal tank...Bow front, so it is tall, as opposed to long...I started out September 9th, with three 2'', 3month old discus. And one from my lfs... I have had four in this tank since then. No problems...I have a HOT magnum and all the Pengquin on it , with two hydro sponges, and two sponges over both intakes as well...THey have never been ill, or have had anything wrong with them, ever...I feed them agressively 4x a day..the first two months i did wc every day, now i do 50%, every other day....that is important...wc wc wc....You must get them from a reliable source and QT, no matter what...BB is best....There are some remarkable people here who give awesome advice on how to best grow out your discus....if you follow this forum, and apply common sense you should be okay...


Having said all that....lol....6 discus is better than 4..they are schooling fish and from what i have learned, security comes in numbers and they will fair better...mine are getting so big and round , I was worried about their small living space! So, i just purchased my 55gal a few days ago...and will move them over, I am very excited...Plus I am getting some babies soon too and will add them to that 55gal, i think, or the 30...I need to investigate that myself!


If you can, forget that 30gal...some can not...I wish I had just gone to the 55gal initially, but if i had, then i may have purchased a 90gal instead!! lol!! Just know that, they will grow, and fast....I havent had to many fights, til recently....actually lip locking....and the biggest one is a punk for sure.....I actually took one out and put into my hospital tank, for a while...and plopped him back days later...with an attitude adjustment....

that didnt last long!!



hth


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_5_17.gif

[goheel]

I'm looking to get them in a 55 gallon tank eventually, but I'm hoping to be able to grow them out in the 30 gallon. How big are your fish? how long did it take them to grow from 2" to that size? I'm trying to figure out when I should purchase the 55 gallon tank.;)

[Kindredspirit]

I'm looking to get them in a 55 gallon tank eventually, but I'm hoping to be able to grow them out in the 30 gallon. How big are your fish? how long did it take them to grow from 2" to that size? I'm trying to figure out when I should purchase the 55 gallon tank.;)


Hey Goheel~

I got them in September, like i mentioned, they were 2", three months old...the biggest one is 3", 4"....i am not really sure as i am not good at measuring...but i do know it is time for them to be in a bigger tank...you can grow them out in that 30gal, depending how many you get, and some would tell you that they would grow out better, if they started in your 55gal..depending on what size and age they are when you get them~ I couldnt imagine mine looking any better and rounder, and all the colors are coming out now too...

But they might have been better.....had i started with a 55gal....I will never know...




hth


Marie~:angel:

[JMArtist]

Hey Goheel~
I got them in September, like i mentioned, they were 2", three months old...the biggest one is 3", 4"....i am not really sure as i am not good at measuring...
Marie~:angel:

Hey Marie, I thought that you were going to take them out and measure them, then give them each a kiss before putting them back...maybe when you switch them over to the 55 g you can measure them?

[candyl70]

lol JM.. a kiss?? As much as i love my fish... ick!!!

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Marie, I thought that you were going to take them out and measure them, then give them each a kiss before putting them back...maybe when you switch them over to the 55 g you can measure them?



Hey You!


( u ok? ) I remember that!! That is funny you remember that one , John! No, i havent done that and I suppose i could measure them before i plop them in their new tank....hmm.....


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_13_8.gif

[goheel]

LOL, I kiss a bass everytime before I release it back. I believe that's good luck. :) Fishermen are very supertitious.;)

[candyl70]

Blah!! Slimy lips!!!


http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_5_18.gif




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