New to discus and had a few questions

[evenstarms]

Hi,

I have finally decided to dive into discus. I have had aquariums for about 20 years now and had almost every fish imaginable except for discus. I just placed an order with Hans and will be getting them next week. I have a 55 gallon tank that is ready for them I think. I have it as a bare bottom right now with one amazon sword in a pot. I have two sponge filters, one on each side. The temperature is at 84 degrees at the moment. I am getting five 4 inch discus from Hans; two brilliant turquoise, two blue diamonds and one silver pigeon blood. I was wondering since they are 4 inches if it would be okay to just add a half inch or so of pool filter sand or should I wait a bit? Also, how often should they be fed at this size? I am very excited and will definitely post pics when I get the discus settled in next week. Thanks for any advice in advance.

[Coffee1stLife2nd]

ok here we go ,,you have 1 week....READ READ READ....LOL....good Luck and for sure post pics when you get them...Tina

[discuspaul]

You've probably read my discus guide for beginners stickied right here in this section, but if you haven't, please do so - it could help you avoid some common early pitfalls.

4" fish are a good size to start with, and yes, you could add a small layer of PFS to your tank if you wish.
Even @ 4", it would be appropriate for you to feed them 2 or more times a day. And don't neglect your wcs.

[CajunAg]

Adding sand will only make vacuuming leftover food and detritus a little more difficult, but in my opinion it makes the tank look a lot better. It's also a good option if you don't want to paint the bottom of your tank - which I advise doing if you go with BB. The discus will be very skittish if the bottom isn't covered or painted.