My New Discus

[Splash156]

I'm very new with keeping Discus Fish!! This is my 29 Gallon Bow tank with 10 discus that range 2" - 3".
This week they will be moved to a 50 gallon bare bottom tank. No idea how old these fish are and I was
told that there are Pigeon Blood and Snake Skin Discus maybe you pro's can help me?

Most of the fish eat out of my hand witch is very cool. After they eat they just watch me like there begging for more. LOL
Feed them Brine Shrimp, Beefheart, tetra Color Granules, and Blood Worms
I use only RO water because i'm on a well and that water is bad.
Water temp 84 deg
PH 7.0

Thanks for all the great info that SD offers to the newbie's

My Tank

http://youtu.be/VZKJFsAs2r0

[Matt0matic]

Good call on moving them to a larger tank, the general rule of thumb is one adult discus per ten gallons. What is in your well water?

[Splash156]

Water from my sink in the house

Ph 8.8
Alkalinity 240 ppm
Hardness 380 ppm
Chlorine 0 ppm
Iron 1.5 ppm
Copper 2.5 ppm

Water stains everything brown that it touches!!

Oh I just got my hands on a 180 Gallon tank!! Don't know what the wife will have to say about that... LOL

[Matt0matic]

Water from my sink in the house

Ph 8.8
Alkalinity 240 ppm
Hardness 380 ppm
Chlorine 0 ppm
Iron 1.5 ppm
Copper 2.5 ppm

Water stains everything brown that it touches!!

Oh I just got my hands on a 180 Gallon tank!! Don't know what the wife will have to say about that... LOL

Nice! 180 is big! Wife doesn't like the fish? I got my girlfriend involved in discus and she has more fish than me at the moment.

[Splash156]

I wish my wife was like that! She does like the fish But it is just one more hobby that i'm into. So any idea what type of fish I have?

[Splash156]

How many Discus do you have? How big is your tank? Do you breed Discus?

[Splash156]

My 50 Galon Acrylic Tank i'm setting up!


72198

[aalbina]

Water from my sink in the house

Ph 8.8
Alkalinity 240 ppm
Hardness 380 ppm
Chlorine 0 ppm
Iron 1.5 ppm
Copper 2.5 ppm
... LOL

I would be pretty concerned about a copper concentration of 2.5 ppm. Good thing you're using RO water!! Generally for freshwater fish LC50 for copper is .5ppm or so depending on the fish species. (LC 50 is lethal concentration that will kill 50% of the exposed population). Some research on Brazilian indigenous fish suggest (like discus) that the levels are much lower. L.C. Gomes, A.R. Chippari-Gomes, R.N. Oss, L.F.L. Fernandes and R de A. Magris.(2009). Acute toxicity of copper and cadmium for piauçu, Leporinus macrocephalus, and curimatã, Prochilodus vimboides . Acta Scientiarum - Biological Sciences 31 (3). pp 313-315.

You probably would not see the effects as quickly as these studies because of a high pH. Copper (Cu) is less toxic in the form resulting from high pH conditions. Good call on the RO dude!

Adam

[shoveltrash]

hi & congrats on your new fish!
where did you get your water tested? just curious :)

I'm no expert so won't hazard a guess at what types you have - but hey, regardless of type, Discus do have the most amazing personalities don't they? :D

[Splash156]

Thanks!! I really enjoy the discus fish. I'm in the pool and spa business and we have a computer that tests the water!
Discus do have amazing personalities.

[shoveltrash]

so, can I send you water to test? LOL
(I've had a terrible time finding someone to test in my area - the County testing is worthless!)
like you, I'm using RO. I figure it's safer......and I add RO Right to stabilize the pH, plus a bit of minerals.

forgot to say, congrats on the 180! :D

[Splash156]

Send water sample with a discus fish in it and I will test your water for you when ever!! LOL
No find out in your area who sells BIOGUARD POOL CHEMICALS and they can give you the same test that I can do.
They will test your copper and Iron if you ask!! Tell them its your spa/Hottub water LOL.
O they can test your TDS ( Total Disolved Solids)