Should a Discus tank replace the African Tank

[TankWatcher]

I have 3 main display tanks. As well, I have 1 main QT & various other small plastic storage containers & can be used as emergency QT's when needed, but they don't really count.

2 display tanks are discus, 1 display is for African Mbuna.

There is no option for a 4th display tank - so 3 is the maximum I can play with.

How many members have only discus tanks & don't become bored. For the 2nd time lately, I am within a whisker of changing the African tank into a discus tank. Family (non discus keepers) say I should keep the African tank, so I have a variety & don't become bored just with the one main species (though my discus tanks will all have non discus tank mates).

What do you think? Should I do it? Do you think I'd be bored?

[Eddie]

You can't ever get bored of Discus tanks! ;)

I only want more and more. LOL The wife thinks I am looney :p

Eddie

[Hattawi]

I think you should keep the African tank to have some variety. It would be worth it if you can get your hands on some African species that are endangered or became extinct alreay in the wild like the cichlids from Madagascar for example, to breed them and keep a line of that species in your tank. I think that would be something cool to do.

[Roxanne]

...think u know what I'd say mate;)....

bored? what bored? go for VARIETIES of discus;)...

[Eddie]

Otherwise Robyn, you could put a bathtub in your garden and raise some cichlids in it like this guy. :D

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/blog.php?blogid=55

[TankWatcher]

Thanks for the replies. Eddie & Rox - I think you both have tanks other than discus:confused:
Rox has African and I think you are setting up a marine :confused:
Eddie, you have goldfish & a betta :confused:
Would you be satisfied without those other tanks:confused:

Hattawi, thanks for the idea & yes it would indeed be cool to do what you suggest - but if the African tank is to stay, it will be so I have one relatively easy care type tank. If fry happen (and I have one hiding among the rocks now for about 2 months) great, but I don't have the time to seriously breed right now. If they stay, it would be the Africans I already have. They are all fairly non aggressive dwarf mbuna from Lake Malawi - nothing rare, simply ones that appeal to me, are on the less aggressive side & selected for colours that at least won't encourage cross breeding, even if it won't completely prevent it.

An advantage to me if I do move the Africans along (to my son's house, so I will still have visiting rights :D ) is that the 7ft would be the domestic planted tank & the 4ft & 3ft could both become my attempt at bio type for wild discus. Plus my future overstocking issues (challenge fish) will be taken care of.

In each discus tank, there would be non discus tank mates. Even in the bio type, they would not be "bio true" tank mates.

So, still thinking.... I hate decisions..... :D

[Eddie]

Hey Robyn,

Those other tanks are the wife's not mine. I'd rid of them in second!:D Sounds to me like you have it all worked out. All Discus!

Eddie

[Hattawi]

If thats the case, then go with all discus :)

[chintz]

are u serious, Tankwatcher? u're asking this question or poll on an all discus forum? :p

[Darrell Ward]

Of course. I dislike Africans. I gave all mine to my son.

[Roxanne]

Thanks for the replies. Eddie & Rox - I think you both have tanks other than discus:confused:
Rox has African and I think you are setting up a marine :confused:
:D

Hee hee...I got rid of the Africans so I could devote more quality time to the discus!!!...and also to make way for my clown fish & sea horse biotopes...I can live without the marine, but not my discus! If I had to make a choice, I would choose...DISCUS!!! But, my husband would be a single man real quick if he tried putting me on a tank quota!!:D:D Wonder what portion of the divorce rate is directly attributable to 'discusitis'(you know, the obsessive accumulation of tanks, fish and accessories)

The Africans have compromised the health of my discus's's's' and I am glad they are gone...:D:p:p:)

[TankWatcher]

are u serious, Tankwatcher? u're asking this question or poll on an all discus forum? :D:p:D yeah, but I know many discus keepers, who also have other species tanks & the family thinks I'm wrong (they like the African tank)

The African Tank
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/African%20Tank%20-%20Robyn/000_1714.jpg

But I think the Africans will go. The little baby in there makes me hesitate.


The Africans have compromised the health of my discus's's's' and I am glad they are gone...How so Rox?

[Eddie]

But, my husband would be a single man real quick if he tried putting me on a tank quota!!:D:D Wonder what portion of the divorce rate is directly attributable to 'discusitis'(you know, the obsessive accumulation of tanks, fish and accessories

Haha lol, isn't that funny. I'm wondering how many divorces have happened due to discus addictions. I remember one of my old books on discus, the author said his love for discus and all the things involved were a big contributor to his first divorce. I told that story to my wife...she laughed. Now she probably thinks it was a legitimate issue. LOL Not really, she actually told me to get my new 55 gallon. Little by little, working on my discus room. :D

Eddie

[TankWatcher]

It's mainly the time I spend on the tanks - he thinks we could do more together if I had less tanks. Plus, he's an accountant - he thinks of the running costs.

Anyway, for a discus forum, the voting is close so far.

9 to go all Discus tanks
7 to keep another tank as it will be more interesting

[Fishworm]

when I started keeping discus, I had a tank with SA cichlids, a tank with Tanganyikan african cichlids, and a reef tank.

now, less than a year later, all three are discus tanks. :)

[TankWatcher]

Thanks all for your input. Poll was 11 for all discus tanks, 8 for keeping the Africans.

The Africans have vacated their tank. Sadly, the fry didn't survive. I had worried that as soon as I removed the rocks (his hiding place) that someone would eat him before I could catch him. Sure enough, someone must have had a snack. He was there at the beginning of the tank emptying process, but nowhere to be found at the end. :( Bit sad about that :(

[Hattawi]

They will spawn new babies in the new tank. I think he could still be eaten in the new tank if he survived the transfer.

[TankWatcher]

True Hattawi. Thanks.

[Eddie]

That was pretty close, 11 to 8. Bet you'll be overly satisfied!

Eddie

[TankWatcher]

It's even closer now. 12 to 11 in favour of all discus tanks. In the long run I will be happier, but feel a little guilty to be getting rid of one pet so I can replace them with another pet. At least they are going to my son, and not LFS

[TankWatcher]

The Africans have vacated their tank. Sadly, the fry didn't survive. I had worried that as soon as I removed the rocks (his hiding place) that someone would eat him before I could catch him. Sure enough, someone must have had a snack. He was there at the beginning of the tank emptying process, but nowhere to be found at the end. :( Bit sad about that :(

Recently took some plants out of a discus tank, along with water from the same tank & placed all in an unheated storage container in the garage till I decide what to do with them. A few days later, when I emptied the African tank, it also had some plants. I carried these plants out to the garage & added them to the plant container.

So what do I see in that plant container tonight. None other than the little missing fry :balloon: :balloon: :balloon:

Lucky little guy must have been balancing on a plant leaf, as I carried it through the house to the garage. Lucky too, that it's summer here & the temp didn't get too cold for him.

Added a heater & gave him some food

[Hattawi]

That's amazing that it got stuck in the plants during the transfer. Will you take it to the African tank with the rest or you'll try to make it bigger first?

[TankWatcher]

My son breeds Africans, so he has lots of fry tank where he could live & run no risk of being eaten. I may take him there, but will think on it.

[Mr Wild]

Well I packed up all my other tanks and have gone discus, with some tetras and corydoras and a couple of BN in the large 6footer, I have never looked back. I am currently on the look out for another 6 footer and I intend to have that discus only. I have been fish rearing for nearly 2 decades but they have won me over and it only took 1 poor thing in the lfs and 6 months and I was sold! lolol

[Peachtree Discus]

i realize you already made your decision...but i wanted to vote to break the tie ;) yea, the discus bug is a powerful thing. classic symptom....first you buy more and more fish....then you buy more and more tanks. then more and more fish and so on.

Mr_Wild.....i luv that discus in your avatar. is that one of your fish?

[TankWatcher]

Thanks for the extra comments. Well, it is "Even Steven" now. 14 all

[skelly63]

There is no option for a 4th display tank - so 3 is the maximum I can play with.



No option for a fourth? I ALWAYS find room for another tank... :)

[fishyj]

Hi all, I'am breaking down the 125 african tank and going to a discus biotope. The challenge of the discus is appealing to me versus the african tank.

[TankWatcher]

Though my decision is made & the Africans have gone (but I visiting rights still) the poll is now in favour of keeping the Africans. 17 for keeping a tank other than discus, 16 for keeping discus tanks only.

[William Palumbo]

Good decision!...I have a 10gallon, with some African shelldwellers in it, that I actually like...and that's about all the Africans I need. Everything else is Discus...tho I have been thinking about the Angelfish again!...Bill

[rickztahone]

evened it out for you just for moral support since I know you got rid of them already :thumbsup:

[TankWatcher]

Good decision!...I have a 10gallon, with some African shelldwellers in it, that I actually likeI would like some shelldwellers myself one day and I actually did like my Africans too, but it was 72g & my new wild green discus needed a home. They were what pushed me over the edge. It came down to a choice, Wild Green Discus Tank Vs African Mbuna tank.

Ricardo, 17 all now ;)

[poconogal]

I just made it 18/17 in favor of keeping the Africans. Love my Discus but would also like to look at something different, since I started with Discus 16 years ago... If I had room for another tank, think I'd get some Africans since they're colorful and easier to care for.