Tank Size for a Breeding Pair?

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Hello Discus Lovers,

I know I am jumping ahead of myself here considering I still have no fish for my new tank but I am curious if 20 gallon tanks are still the norm for breeding pairs? Its a good time for garage sales and thats all I see for sale so I figure I would get a couple to start out with for when I actually get going.

Thanks,

DiscusLoverJeff

[mmorris]

I never thought 20 gallon tanks were the norm. I prefer 29 gallons, particularly for beginners. 20 gallon tanks don't leave much wriggle room for potential water quality issues.

[John_Nicholson]

I do prefer a 29 over a 20, but anything 20 gallon and up will work.

-john

[Altum Nut]

Hey Jeff,

If you going to spend the money once I would recommend getting 29g or 33g.
The over-all rule for breeding Discus tanks are taller foot prints.
Mine are 24"L X 18"W X 18"H. I wouldn't go any lower than 18" high.

...Ralph

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Thank you all very much for the fast responses are and great advice!

I love this website!!!!!!!!!!

DiscusLoverJeff

[Eddie]

I use both 20 and 29s. ;)


Eddie

[nc0gnet0]

Kind of curious why the tall profile is recomended? Is this the general rule or just one persons general preference. I read alot where it is recomended to lower the water level to aid in attachment, so would'nt a long profile tank be better suited for breeding, all other things being equal?

[mmorris]

If fry don't attach well, they will be all over the tank. If the tank has a large footprint, it's that much harder for the fry to find the parents.

[Bilbo_wh]

My main breeding tanks are 500 x 500 x 400mm which is 100 litres.

I don't know what the dimensions of the 20 or the 29 gals you talk about but I think mine is somewhere in between those two.

[nc0gnet0]

I am going to give a 40 gallon long a try, if I have attachment issues I still can use a tank divider. In a pinch I might even be able to use a tank divider and set it up for two breeding pairs. I guess my line of reasoning is I can make a bigger tank smaller (lower water level/ tank divider) but I can't make a smaller tank bigger. Opinions?

[mmorris]

What are you going to use for a divider? Anything I've tried restricts the flow between the sides too much or the fry get around the divider easily (or both). I haven't tried Poret.

[sidd]

I have 2 types of breeding tanks. One set of breeding tanks house 5inches to inches pairs and the others house pairs more than 6inches in size.
for 5-inches pairs i use 18X18X18 and for pairs more than 6inches in size I use 24X18X18. All the pairs are happy to be in those tanks. :)

[Willie]

A long time ago, Cary Strong offered me this bit of wonderful advice. The size of your breeding tank should depend on the fry not the parents.

1. If the pair produces very large spawns, you should use very large tanks to ensure good water quality. Cary used 55's for the more prolific pairs.

2. When it comes time to separate the parents from the fry, move the parents. This way, you don't stress the fry.

If you have a normal size spawn in a 20-gal tank, you'll need to make 95% water changes daily within 2 weeks of free swimming to maintain good water quality -- which is everything at this stage.

All my pairs now spawn in 40 breeders which combine a nice footprint with easy to clean dimensions. I can easily drop water levels to encourage attachment. When it's time, I move the parents.

Willie

[nc0gnet0]

What are you going to use for a divider? Anything I've tried restricts the flow between the sides too much or the fry get around the divider easily (or both). I haven't tried Poret.

LOL, that will be my next challange, I am sure I will get it figured out. I wish they made a very fine weave matala in white..........

I am leaning towards a simple sheet of white styrofoam, friction fitt tight, with some 3" holes cut into it. Then cover the holes with either white sponge material or white mesh (nylons maybe?)

The perfect setup would be a material that would let me use the divider as a filter as well. But my tank dimensions might be a bit constrictive for a dual setup as the dimensions are 48 x 18 x 12.5 so it might be a bit narrow for a double set-up.

[nc0gnet0]

All my pairs now spawn in 40 breeders which combine a nice footprint with easy to clean dimensions. I can easily drop water levels to encourage attachment. When it's time, I move the parents.

Willie

Just curious, what are the dimensions on a 40 breeder?

[Willie]

36" wide, 18" deep, and up to my elbow high :D (maybe 18")?

Willie

[Keith Perkins]

What are you going to use for a divider? Anything I've tried restricts the flow between the sides too much or the fry get around the divider easily (or both). I haven't tried Poret.

I agree with Martha, dividers are a pain, and I'm a pretty handy and resourceful guy. I've had dividers work really really well for a couple of batches of fry, then something would go wrong with them and it was sheer pandemonium. Trying to adjust a divider to get it back tight in place while watching fry swimming around on the wrong end of the tank fearing they're about to be gobbled isn't something I'd wish on anyone. I learned slow, but I learned. All my pairs are now in their own tanks.

[nc0gnet0]

Trying to adjust a divider to get it back tight in place while watching fry swimming around on the wrong end of the tank fearing they're about to be gobbled isn't something I'd wish on anyone.

Just need to build a better mouse trap :D

I am just bouncing some ideas out there while attempting to adress several issues I have seen come up with raising fry. These issues are:

fry attaching to sponge filter
albino pairs fry not attaching at all
limiting current in a breeding tank.

I have read that Discus-Hans (I think, forgive me if I am wrong) uses a poret foam divider. This way the divider also doubles as a sponge filter, maximizing tank space. The issue it does not address is that poret foam is dark. Having a divider might help if one of the pairs is albino and you want to attempt foster parents (on the other side). But like I said, I am just throwing some ideas out there looking for input.

[DerekFF]

40g breeders are 36x18x16h i believe

[rusty_jones]

Folks here is what i use for a tank divider. I've got a 125 gal tank and it works great for me. Cheap too.

Two 5 gal stir sticks from Lowe's or Home depot. Purchase fiberglass screen for window. Cut to size. Purchase Velcro. I take my Velcro and staple it to the paint stirrers. The sticks from LOWE'S are the exact size I need for my tank. Then I put the sticks in the tank attached to the glass. the top brace has a space between the glass and brace and the stir stick fit in there perfectly. the width of my tank is 18.5" wide and 21" high. I cut the fiberglass screen 20" wide and 21" high. Staple the Velcro to the screen and when It's need just attach. The screen is very fine so there is no problems with fry getting thru. When no longer needed just take the screen off.

Rusty

[mmorris]

Can anything leach out of the paint stir sticks, velcro or fiberglass?

[nc0gnet0]

The problem is the screen material is still black........

[rusty_jones]

I haven't had any problems with leaching.

What's the problem with black?

[DiscusOnly]

I haven't had any problems with leaching.

What's the problem with black?

You don't have problem with frys being attracted to the divider?

[rusty_jones]

No. on occasion when algae builds up they will pick at it but only for a minute or so.

[Keith Perkins]

I wonder if perhaps because of the light going through the screen it doesn't appear black to the fry...just a thought.

[Pete.]

.