Perfect discus tank?

[Floridagirl]

Hello, new member here...from Florida. So, we are moving and downsizing..and I will go to just one large tank in the new living room. Since I will only have one tank, I want it to be spectacular. I'm very blessed, and have been keeping fish for a lot of years. I had 10 tanks up until recently, with the largest being 125 gallons. I have read up on Discus husbandry and don't forsee an yproblems with keeping them. My current 3 larger tanks are Frontosa, Malawi Mbuna, and Tropheus. I have 3 10 gallons with Tanganyikan shellies. But, I've never attempted Discus, and never kept a large saltwater reef, just Nano. So I'm trying to decide between the two. I plan to keep 2 FX5's for the new tank. What is the best tank size for Discus? Height, width and length? What would be your perfect community Discus tank be? and what would it include? I'd like to keep plants to a minumum, and include lots of Driftwood. I also plan on purchasing 3-5inch Discus to start out. Any ideas would be appreciated. The sky is not the limit, but I will get quite a bit from the sale of the other 6 tanks to fund this one.

Also. I can get a 2-3" gold nugget Pleco from a friend for $20. Would this factor in to a setup? And I currently have several Bristlenose plecos.

Thanks! Angie

[Eddie]

Welcome Angie! Great to have you here on Simply, its Simply the best discus forum on the net.

Lots of different answers you will get from your questions. If you want a large display tank, than I'd go with 5 inch discus minimum. Anything below that size, you will be growing the fish out which will require a bit more effort on your part. You'll want to think about the types of fish you want, either Wild Caught or domestic hybrids. And then your water, knowing your water parameters is probably the most important aspect. How is your source water? How will you condition it before performing water changes? Will/can you use straight tap? Lots of other things to consider so ask away and you'll get tons of help.

Eddie

[lee1]

Go for a 180 gallon Oceanic tank with an assortment of community fish and wild discus. Plants, a few Amazon swords, crypts, micro sword, etc. 2 Fx5 may be too much. Gold nugget plecos are great, not too good on algae.

[Floridagirl]

Welcome Angie! Great to have you here on Simply, its Simply the best discus forum on the net.

Lots of different answers you will get from your questions. If you want a large display tank, than I'd go with 5 inch discus minimum. Anything below that size, you will be growing the fish out which will require a bit more effort on your part. You'll want to think about the types of fish you want, either Wild Caught or domestic hybrids. And then your water, knowing your water parameters is probably the most important aspect. How is your source water? How will you condition it before performing water changes? Will/can you use straight tap? Lots of other things to consider so ask away and you'll get tons of help.

Eddie

I'm not concerned about water parameters, although I'm hoping I can feed directly from the faucet/Python to the tank. Tap water is a bit low in ph, 6.4. I have to buffer a lot in order to keep my Tanganyikans at 8.2-8.4, which is why Discus seem like a good choice. I'm not sure the exact parameters of the new house, but if the same as here (30 miles away), I'll be fine. I use Prime in all my tanks to remove Chlorine/Chloramines. If I have to, I'll invest in a RO/DI unit. I also have a irrigation well available to draw from as but will have to heat the water in the winter..

You are right. I'm not really interested in growing small fish out,...5" sounds great until I look at pricing..Lol

Really more concerned with wellbeing of the fish and compatability to create a great tank.

[Floridagirl]

Go for a 180 gallon Oceanic tank with an assortment of community fish and wild discus. Plants, a few Amazon swords, crypts, micro sword, etc. 2 Fx5 may be too much. Gold nugget plecos are great, not too good on algae.

What kind of assortment of community fish would you recommend?

[discuspaul]

Don't know what a "perfect" discus tank is - but you could consider something around 90-100 gals., or more, say a Fluval "Profile" display tank with brushed aluminum contours & matching stand - to house 8 to 10, -4.5"-5.0" discus of your choice of coloration/strain - this is really a very personal preference thing - but do check out: eruptions - leopards - snakeskins - solid colors -(e.g. cobalt blues) - have a look at them all - google images of discus - see what you like. Mix & match, or do a single, same fish, strain.

Lightly planted - low tech tank - You will know what you want to do - with your experience - a couple of pieces of nice driftwood - a few Amazon Sword plants -Java Fern & some anubias on the wood - also Ludwigia - Hygrophilia - Lotus - whatever - keep it light - plant over white silica pool filter sand - stunning effect !
Tankmates ? : Consider Rummy Nose Tetras - Lemon Tetras - Cardinal Tetras - again your choice for schooling fish - varying tank area fish - mid, top, etc. - think about Harlequin or Copper Rasboras - Different kinds of bottom dwellers - Cories - maybe some Siamese Algae Eaters - Amano Shrimp - the list is endless - whatever turns you on !
What have I missed ? Go for it !
Paul

[DiscusFreakaZoid]

Trial and Error will lead you to your perfect tank:confused::alien:

[Floridagirl]

Don't know what a "perfect" discus tank is - but you could consider something around 90-100 gals., or more, say a Fluval "Profile" display tank with brushed aluminum contours & matching stand - to house 8 to 10, -4.5"-5.0" discus of your choice of coloration/strain - this is really a very personal preference thing - but do check out: eruptions - leopards - snakeskins - solid colors -(e.g. cobalt blues) - have a look at them all - google images of discus - see what you like. Mix & match, or do a single, same fish, strain.

Lightly planted - low tech tank - You will know what you want to do - with your experience - a couple of pieces of nice driftwood - a few Amazon Sword plants -Java Fern & some anubias on the wood - also Ludwigia - Hygrophilia - Lotus - whatever - keep it light - plant over white silica pool filter sand - stunning effect !
Tankmates ? : Consider Rummy Nose Tetras - Lemon Tetras - Cardinal Tetras - again your choice for schooling fish - varying tank area fish - mid, top, etc. - think about Harlequin or Copper Rasboras - Different kinds of bottom dwellers - Cories - maybe some Siamese Algae Eaters - Amano Shrimp - the list is endless - whatever turns you on !
What have I missed ? Go for it !
Paul

Thanks Paul...thats the type of info I'm looking for. Like the Amano shrimp idea. Do some of them become food? Does anyone keep a shrimp tank to breed for Discus?

[Floridagirl]

Trial and Error will lead you to your perfect tank:confused::alien:



Trying to avoid the error:D

[discuspaul]

Floridagirl:
Amano Shrimp will not become lunch if they're mature enough - say
1.5" or so - same for Cherry shrimp.
Just for the sake of a quick 'first blush' look for you to consider - just to give you some ideas - have a look at my newly set up 70 gallon Fluval Osaka tank, with the white silica pool filter sand - It's all ready to go for discus, which I have just acquired today - 9 fish - 3.0" High Body Red Snakeskins - will take some more pics for you after the fish have settled in & gotten their bearings.
Of course, the plantings need a few weeks to fill out & show some real life, and I'll be adding a few others - ludwigia & lotus. As for the fish, I'll give them a couple of months to grow out a bit, add some flesh, & develop their true mature coloration.

http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul

Last dozen pics are the new tank with dither fish, just awaiting their discus tankmates.
Good luck with your project !
Paul

[Eddie]

If your ph is 6.4 from tap, what is it after 24 hours of aeration?

[vera]

http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul

Last dozen pics are the new tank with dither fish, just awaiting their discus tankmates.
Good luck with your project !
Paul

nice set up ! what filter do u use?

[Jennie]

The perfect tank is a tank full of healthy discus:)

[3dees]

healthy fish is priority no. 1, but a perfect tank is one that you enjoy watching day after day. for some it's a high tech planted tank with domestics. for others it bare bottom for the ease of maintenence. then there are those like me who prefer a natural tank with wilds. my tank has only wood and sand. it's as low tech as you can get. very easy to clean and I can watch my wilds act like they never can do in a bb. seeing that you have kept Africans you probably did'nt have many plants if at all. be careful as many plants can't take the heat or the large water changes. what ever you choose, take your time and ask for help when you need it. no better place than right here.

[Tito]

Hello,

I've kept Tangs, Malawians and Marines myself.

Your Discus tank will be a bit different from these but I think you'll enjoy it a whole lot.

Try to keep it simple - Zen like - IMO would be the way to go.

If you go with sand as a substrate - avoid aragonite and go with something that doesn't buffer.

I would avoid a lot of pieces of driftwood - instead why not try a large show piece and place it off center. The Discus will make this their main gathering point but they will venture out into the open swimming space when they feel like it. Those filters are pretty big - you want to filter the tank adequately and at the same time provide nice calmish waters for your Discus to swim in. They are graceful swimmers and are at their best for Display when they can just "float" about the tank.

Anubias plants spread throughout a large piece of driftwood makes for a fascinating display and a fantastic area for shrimp to call home. At first introduction the shrimp will be all over the place but after a day or two they will find a safe haven amonst the anubias and the driftwood.

With Discus - the objective is to have the fish as viewable as posible and yet offer them a safety zone - the large driftwood will do just fine for this. Discus can and always will be skittish so you want to provide some kind of perceived shelter for them.

If you just fill a 125 gallon aquarium with 40 Discus - you would not have this problem.

Try to keep the sand (if you are going to use it) no more than an 1" deep. Less is even better. You just want to cover the bottom glass basically.

HTH

Tito

[Altum Nut]

Hey Angie,

If you are somewhat set-up...you would love these.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?p=690326#post690326

...Ralph

[csarkar001]

If your ph is 6.4 from tap, what is it after 24 hours of aeration?

this is really important. if your water's pH settles alot after aeration, you will not be able to feed directly from your tap and will have to age your water.

[lee1]

What kind of assortment of community fish would you recommend?

I personaly like dwarf cichlids and tetras in pairs or small groups. Smiling cichlid, apistogramma Borellii, thread fin tetras, albino tetras, bleeding heart, etc.

[discuspaul]

I use 2 A/C's - a 110 & a 70. I prefer HOB's for ease of handling, maintenance, cleaning, and the wide variety of media I can use, quickly interchange up, etc. Generally keep bio-media, Purigen & filter floss in both - keeps my water crystal clear.

[samuelkl]

I currently keep a blackwater tank that requires very little upkeep. Water is acidic around 5.5 and at a near stable temp of 83. I went with plants that can handle this low light, acidic environment ie various echonidorus (e. Tenellus, e. Amazonicus, e. Bleheri, some others I forget) and red cabomba, Brazilian pennywort.

All plants in 1 inch layer of fine white sand, I used the more expensive caribsea moonlight sand, doesn't affect hardness like pool filter sand can. I use ro water and use seachem flourish, kent ro right, and seachem flourih root tabs for swords. All my plants are doing spectacular with low light and no co2.

Community fish members are all wild fish from the rio Negro, including heckels, dicrossus filamentosus, L107 ancistrus, and duplicareus cories. I am planning on adding tetras, most likely h. Bleheri rummynose, after my dicrossus get settled.

If my tank was bigger I would add some satanoperca daemon.

[Floridagirl]

Wow. All great responses. Thank you so much. I am really excited about the prospect of a Discus Tank. I'm looking at a 6ft 140-180 gallon. My hubby, who rarely inputs anything about my fish is sad about losing the Livingroom 5 ft 120 gallon Mbuna tank. :argue: Downsizing does have it's drawbacks. So... Discus or Mbuna. I know what everyone here will vote.

[Jennie]

Sorry fla gal, allot of cichlid(non discus)keepers here as well. you don't get off that easy

[Floridagirl]

Sorry fla gal, allot of cichlid(non discus)keepers here as well. you don't get off that easy

:p Darn..this downsizing is NOT going to be easy...

[Eddie]

I've always liked this green plant filled tank with gorgeous blues by Takashi Amano. So simple looking but explosive.

http://www.myfishtank.net/mft-news/takashi-amano-planted-tanks/

[vera]

I've always liked this green plant filled tank with gorgeous blues by Takashi Amano. So simple looking but explosive.

http://www.myfishtank.net/mft-news/takashi-amano-planted-tanks/

Oh, i remember that one , i was drooling over that masterpiece !!

[Tito]

Oh...and by the way...


The perfect Discus Tank is a 125 Gallon filled with a school of 30 adult Red Spotted Leopards!

No Driftwood! Just swimmang space! That is not a typo!

[Floridagirl]

OMG Eddie, that is an incredibly beautiful tank! 2.5 weeks until the move. I've sold my Frontosa, my Tropheus, and have a 120 gallon mbuna tank left and a 10 gallon similis. Have to sell the 100 gallon and 125 gallon empty tanks....but, getting there...steill researching in my "spare" time...lol

[RudeDogg1]

anyone know what the lil plants on the bogwood are?

[Tito]

anyone know what the lil plants on the bogwood are?

That's not a tank....

I found out recently - that that shot is of a 20' indoor pond some rich guy had built inside the sun room of his mansion out in Arizona.

[Skip]

my perfect discus tank is cut into 10 75 gallon chunks!!

[Floridagirl]

So............... I did some trading with Chef on the forum and ended up with 13Discus. (Thanks Ken) I couldn't be more pleased. I have some Neon Tetras and 13 Rainbow that I obtained in the deal, as well. Sadly, my mbuna tank is no more, but I think having the Discus will be worth it. They are in the 125 until we move, and then I will be looking for the larger tank. Pics up in the near future...:)

[Jennie]

row 4 pic 5, was that the dead giveway:)
That's not a tank....

I found out recently - that that shot is of a 20' indoor pond some rich guy had built inside the sun room of his mansion out in Arizona.

[Jennie]

can't wait to see
So............... I did some trading with Chef on the forum and ended up with 13Discus. (Thanks Ken) I couldn't be more pleased. I have some Neon Tetras and 13 Rainbow that I obtained in the deal, as well. Sadly, my mbuna tank is no more, but I think having the Discus will be worth it. They are in the 125 until we move, and then I will be looking for the larger tank. Pics up in the near future...:)

[boban]

Hi everyone,

Just quick question about how many discus I can keep.
I have 120gal with plants, some wood as well.
So far I have 10 Peru Scalars, 4 Blue Rams, 20 Cardinals and 5 killi fish.
Do you think I can have some Discus in my tank?? Full size Discus I mean..

Thanks,

Boban

[discus_novice]

the general rule says that one can keep 1 adult size discus per 10 gallon of water.so in your 120 gallon tank you can keep 12 adult discus.but if you have lots of driftwoods and plants,which creaters less moving place for discus,then you can keep 10 adult discus.

[Tito]

row 4 pic 5, was that the dead giveway:)

I was just kidding - that's an Amano tank for sure - very famous pic too!

Row 4 pic 5 - geeze can we swim in it?

[boban]

Thanks for reply ...
I was wondering since I already have all these other fish how many Discus together with them.. I'm gestimating 5..

[discus_novice]

if possible can you upload picture of your tank?

[boban]

Here is picture of it:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OA084VelNIj5xZCMDeil_Q?feat=directlink (Picture_1)

[boban]

Here is picture of it:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OA084VelNIj5xZCMDeil_Q?feat=directlink

Picture_1 (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OA084VelNIj5xZCMDeil_Q?feat=directlink)

[Eddie]

Hi everyone,

Just quick question about how many discus I can keep.
I have 120gal with plants, some wood as well.
So far I have 10 Peru Scalars, 4 Blue Rams, 20 Cardinals and 5 killi fish.
Do you think I can have some Discus in my tank?? Full size Discus I mean..

Thanks,

Boban


I would not add any, you are stocked well.

[discus_novice]

nice and decent.what are the mobile phone like things?once plant will grow your tank will look far better than now.

[waj8]

Thanks for reply ...
I was wondering since I already have all these other fish how many Discus together with them.. I'm gestimating 5..

I have 6 Discus in my 120 planted tank with some German Rams and a few Cories and Cherry shrimps as clean up crew. I think it is slightly too many for me. I have had a few algae issues since I went from 2 to 6 Discus. I just think that it is harder to deal with plants when you are putting a lot of food in the tank. It's not like a bare bottom tank where you can vacuum up the fish poop and/or left over food easily. Food tends to get lost in the plants as well. Decaying food is not good for plants or fish. The plants help to clean the water but can only do so much. My tank is very heavily planted too. I have to do 50% water changes twice a week to maintain water quality. I just feel that stocking a planted tank to maximum levels is just asking for trouble. There is no room for error. I think you will have your hands full without adding more fish.

[boban]

Thanks guys for reply. I guess no Discus for me :( :(. Too bad..
Those "cellphone things" are just tags that came with plants I want to put down their real name and keep list that way. I will remove those, of course.. :)

[boban]

My water turned totally murky.. Not sure what's wrong. It's been cycling for 3 days now..
On my drift wood I see some green alge.. how come so fast?
I have 2 x 250W Metal Halide 8000K lamps.. Plants were very happy first two days perling like crazy... now all that stopped and I can barely see through..
I also used nutrafin cycle to start the cycle and added some pure amonia just 1ppm..
Anyone any clue?

Thanks,

[tbone83]

ild go your 125 gall with about 8-10 grown discus, only one fx5 will be enough if u keep up on water changes, the easist set up would be nat biotope, but going fully planted is going to be expensive with hallides,co2 and good subtrate but will pay off in the long run

[Quinster]

40 discus in a 125 gallon tank? I don't think that will = perfect....