# Discus care



## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

I recently got 3 neon turk discus and quarantined them in a small 5 gal tank for two weeks. They had healthy colors and black stripes, also ate blood worms a lot. I moved them to my main display tank 20 gal long with the same water statistics. Their colours turned dark blue and lost their stripes, they are also more easily startled. I moved them back to the small q tank and they seem to like it there better. My main tank has a dolce sole illumilux lighting. Could the light be scaring them? I have cardinals and one red eye tetra in there. kind of confused...

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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

Discus do better in groups of 4 or more. They will also need a few weeks to get use to their new tank and environment. How big are the discus ? a 20 gallon will be to small for them .


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

They aren't meant to have black stripes. Black stripes equals stress. A 5 gallon tank is too small. If they lost their stripes then they were happier. Give them time. Keep the water clean. Very low nitrates and keep the substrate very vacuumed. They will adjust to the lights. They take time to adjust to a new tank. Three is a bad number. You should have about 5 minimum. Crank the heat to 86.
Read care instructions for discus. Www.aprilsaquarium.com. Paul has a great beginners article and I also have an article.

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.235391,-123.185142


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

One per 10 gallon and minimum 5 to 6 .

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.235376,-123.185145


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

How big are the discus? 3 in a 5g is way too small ! Eventually even a 20g will be too small.

Black stripes are usually their stress marks - that's why they are showing in a 5g.

A small number of discus could easily be startled. I used to have a 55g. They settled down only when I got 10+ of them.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

April said:


> One per 10 gallon and minimum 5 to 6 .
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> I am here: Google Maps


That means minimum 55g tanks  Ditto for the beautiful fish.


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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

Oh my...well there are two juvies around 2.5 inches, and the third one is at 3 inches. They seem to huddle together all the time with the small ones hiding behind the larger one. When it comes to feeding time the little ones venture out first, followed by the large one. The little ones consume most of the food before the big one gets to it. Sometimes they poke at each other when it comes to feeding time. I got them from kind eds on boxing day and was told to keep them at 5gal / discus. I was not told of the suggested group size...i guess it seems to me that i need a tank up grade :s or give them away...

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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I decided to return them to their own fish school at King Eds. I don't have the equipments or time to maintain a discus tank. Great guide April! Also, Ditto on the discus, they are really pretty.

Back to maintaining my lil 20 gal tank haha.


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