NEWBIE ADVICE

[moon_knight1971]

Ok here's what I want to do and what I plan on using based on the research I've done.
I will be getting four 4 inch discus from Kenny and housing them in a 40 gal glass Oceanic tank (30 long x 18 wide x 21 tall) since I have limited apartment space.

http://usera.imagecave.com/moon_knight1971/001.JPG

The tank will be running the following:

1) AquaClear 50 (used to be AC 200) filter with the carbon removed. Since I have an extra media slot should I add another foam piece or another biomax or something different altogether?
2) ViaAqua 200 Watt Heater
3) A Fusion 400 air pump to run an Elite double sponge filter
4) Thermometer

For Water Changes:

1) 25 ft Lee's Ultimate Gravel Vac
2) AmQuel Plus or NovAqua (really want opinions on these products. Might go with Prime later since that is what is generally used here it seems).
3) Marina 75 air pump to aerate a 13 gallon rubbermaid garbage can
4) Taam Rio water pump that will sit at the bottom of the garbage can and will be attachable to the Lee UGV to assist in transferring the water to the tank.
5) Floating thermometer

Discus nutrition:

1) Hikari Mysis Shrimp
2) Hikari Brine Shrimp
3) TetraColor Tropical Granules
4) Hikari Frozen Bloodworms
5) Beefheart

Am I missing or should I change anything?

[PAR23]

I like the tank configuration. Add a high quality flake to the diet. Limit Bloodworms, give as a treat. Hope not too much aggression with only 4 fish.

[aalbina]

Concur on getting them on some flake or pellet food as well. Assuming you can get about 12 gallons out of the 13 gallon storage can - that's a max of 30% water change at a time which may be OK or not depending on substrate and feeding regiment. Everything sounds great! Best of luck and you won't be disappointed with Kenny's fish!

Adam

[TURQ64]

I'd back up that 200 watt heater with a second heater...

[moon_knight1971]

Thanks for the advice! So you guys don't consider TetraColor Granules as flake?

[TURQ64]

flake is flake, granules aren't, they're more like pellets....

[PAR23]

The greater the variety of diet, the better off your fish will be. I would also consider Freeze Dried BlackWorms, very nutritious and clean food. Oh yet, the fish go crazy over it too.

[dbfzurowski]

Looks like a good setup. Are you keeping it bare bottom? I would just put more bio in your filter if thats an option. My fish never ate granules. lats time i tried to starve them into liking it they ate my plants, damn bastards!

[moon_knight1971]

Adding flakes and Freeze Dried Blackworms! Thanks guys!

[moon_knight1971]

Looks like a good setup. Are you keeping it bare bottom? I would just put more bio in your filter if thats an option. My fish never ate granules. lats time i tried to starve them into liking it they ate my plants, damn bastards!

Yes bare bottom! Anybody use a battery operated siphon? Since I am not going to be changing the water everyday i was thinking of getting one (if it gets good comments that is!) to use after each feeding. Thoughts?

[moik]

Try to keep the tank bare bottom..you will have an easier time to do maintinance and learn to take care of your discus..Putting decorations and gravel in the tank will bring many new variables into the equasion..Atleast get a group of 5-6 discus..pay special attention to water quality and maintinance..IMO

[Eddie]

Looks good, I'd skip the frozen bloodworms altogether. Also, I'd put something between the tank and the stand that is light colored, white or baby blue. The dark color of the stand will make your fish dark unless you get albinos. Tank bottom color is very important in how your fish will appear.

[moon_knight1971]

Looks good, I'd skip the frozen bloodworms altogether. Also, I'd put something between the tank and the stand that is light colored, white or baby blue. The dark color of the stand will make your fish dark unless you get albinos. Tank bottom color is very important in how your fish will appear.

Awesome tip about the fish being effected by the dark colored bottom! Will fix that this weekend!

[moon_knight1971]

Why skip Hikari Frozen Bloodworms? They are clean and vitamin enriched...

[Eddie]

Why skip Hikari Frozen Bloodworms? They are clean and vitamin enriched...

Fish love them as a snack but can become addicted and refuse other foods. Thats when they start to degrade and fall ill.

[moon_knight1971]

Fish love them as a snack but can become addicted and refuse other foods. Thats when they start to degrade and fall ill.

Wow. point taken. I will pass on the Bloodworms. Freeze dried Blackworms are ok though right?

[Eddie]

I use them, not as a staple though.

[moon_knight1971]

So is it ok like once every 3 days or something along those lines?

[Eddie]

So is it ok like once every 3 days or something along those lines?

I do every other day, just because I've had a group get fully addicted to them and it SUCKED.

[moon_knight1971]

Thanks Eddie! I don't want to show some spoiled discus who the boss is lol!

[Eddie]

Thanks Eddie! I don't want to show some spoiled discus who the boss is lol!

LOL, sometimes you have to...trust me!

[moon_knight1971]

Hahaha!

[eranaubs]

Fish love them as a snack but can become addicted and refuse other foods. Thats when they start to degrade and fall ill.

ok. I just picked up 4- checkerboard pb from kenny's last shipment and have yet to get them to eat anything but frozen blood worms. How would you guys suggest that I get them to eat other offerings? Should i just hold out on the blood worms and "starve" them until they finally eat something else?

here is what other foods i have tried:
hikari freeze dried blood worms
ocean nutrition prime reef flake
tetra color marine flake
tetra color tropical + flake
tetra color tropical granules
new life spectrum thera a pellet
frozen hikari mysis
my own seafood blend(what I use for my saltwater fish-they love it)

[Eddie]

Some people use the tactic of feeding the other foods along with the bloodworms and just reducing the amount of bloodworms little by little. I'd crank up the temp a bit and try to feed them the other foods more.

[eranaubs]

I have the water at 87-88. should I go higher?? i pretty much try at least 4 different foods each day. One right after the other and end up finishing the "buffet" with the fbw. they don't even act interested at all when the other food hits the water. but man do they tear up the fbw

[eranaubs]

and thanks by the way!!

[Eddie]

88 is good, at 4 inches, I would not feed them anymore FBW and only feed the other foods. If they starve themselves, it wont be for too long.

[eranaubs]

thats what i'll do then. thanks so much for the advice. i was just looking under the food threads and was getting advice as well from there. looks like i need to try to make some yummy beef heart!!! sounds fun considering i'm a chef

[Eddie]

thats what i'll do then. thanks so much for the advice. i was just looking under the food threads and was getting advice as well from there. looks like i need to try to make some yummy beef heart!!! sounds fun considering i'm a chef

Heck yeah! I might be a loner on this one but I actually LOVE making food for my fish.

[eranaubs]

I agree about the love for making ones own food. the list is pretty long as to what i use in my seafood mix as I get in plenty of fresh seafood at the restaurant. Plus I love to add veggies!

[Eddie]

I agree about the love for making ones own food. the list is pretty long as to what i use in my seafood mix as I get in plenty of fresh seafood at the restaurant. Plus I love to add veggies!

Same here, I live in Okinawa Japan and the freshest ocean fish is SO readily available and CHEAP!!

[White Worm]

I have had success with melting/soaking other foods in the blood worm juice. I also introduced live foods which they like better than blood worms. Once off blood worms, they may try other foods. Once hooked on blood worms, it can become difficult to get them to eat other foods.

[discuspaul]

Great advice from all the folks above. Good to see you'll be adding good quality flakes, &/or pellets, and FDBW.
Would suggest making it 5 fish, or perhaps 6, instead of 4 to reduce aggression, as someone else suggested.
As for your filtering, since you're using an AC 50, I would consider adding double-layered filter floss, changed out with new every week, and using Purigen, even if only occasionally - makes for excellent water clarity.

[moon_knight1971]

Thanks for all the advice!

[strawberryblonde]

Hey hey Moon,

I hope you know that I'm snitching info off of this thread and applying it to my own tank plans. =)

The wealth of info and helpful people on this forum is amazing!!

SB

[moon_knight1971]

Yes, knowledge is power!

[Skip]

Yes, knowledge is power!

the mind is a terrible thing............................................. ............................................... ........... ....... too waste