# Discus advice



## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

I want to set up a Discus tank and am not sure about some things. I want to use my 46 Gallon Bow front tank with a AC70 and a eheim 2234 canister.
Questions: BB, sand or ?
Plants recommended 
What size Discus and how many
Anything special regarding water temp. etc.
Where to buy?
Never had Discus before and I want to do it right! I just tore down my Bow front today , is there any special cleaner you can use to clean and sanitize a tank before you set it up for another application of fish or is it that important?
Any input would be appreciated. Cheers Laurie


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

I have 30-40 discus. I am thinking of thinning out. There are a couple I can sell for you to start up and learn without risking the more expensive fish. They are proven to have no disease and eating like pigs.

I also have 3 discus tanks: 55g BB, 150g planted just being set up, and a 75g hybrid if you want to come by to take a look. I am just on the other side of PortMann before Coquitlam Cntr.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Laurie,

As a fairly new discus keeper myself, i will try to pass on to you what i was told when i started off.Anyone else out there feel free to correct or add on.Its early in the morning and iam trying to remember everything so bare with me.

1.)The more room the better.The rule out there is 10G per discus.Discus like the company of their own kind and prefer larger groups.A group of four or more is better than one or two. I dont know if you are looking to start with some juvi's or go on with adults , but your current setup will do with young ones growing up.You'll have to remember that more space is taken up by other fish in your setup, as well as any decor(plants/driftwood/rocks etc).Personally ,i am not a fan of over crowding so carefull when choosing your stock levels.It has been done, but only by a experienced fish keeper.

2.)Filtration is a vital component , and from what you have it should be adequate for your project.Clean water with regular water changes are needed for discus to remain happy.As to how much is needed to be changed, is based on stock levels, feedings, and general maintaince.Make sure that any media you have or gonna use, is cycled properly and capable of keeping your setup stable.To many changes in water perimeters will not be liked by your discus or other fish.A little current in a discus tank is ok , but not too much where they are struggling to get about.

3.) Temperature requirements for discus is fairly high (27-30c).Some owners even go higher.Choose wisely when it comes to discus mates , not all fish can tolerate these high temps.Rummy nose, cardinal,lemon,black neon tetras are few.Several mid level/ bottom feeders such as corys,BNP, otos go well with discus.Not many plants will like warmer waters either , so research is needed here.Personally speaking , i keep an amazon sword, anubia,water sprite, and dwarf water lettuce without any issues.

4.)Keeping a bare bottom or using a substrate is a personal choice.Bare bottom is easy to maintain , compared to using sand or gravel which needs to be vacuumed often from collecting waste which then triggers high nitrate levels which are a no no.Choosing a right substrate and maintaining it will give them a natural and safe feeling , bring out theirs colours.

5.)Discus will accept many foods.Theres many products out there to choose from but varied is key.These can be frozen items, live , or dry.Home made recipes can be found online, or by asking members/sponsors here as to what they make for their fish.

To clean your aquarium, just use a damp cloth or a sponge(only for aquarium use) with some hot or luke warm water , or even a bit of vinegar mixed in to get the job done.Keeping it simple, and not altering your setup all the time is key.Clean water-a varied diet- and plenty of space will make for happy discus.There's a few sponsors on this board whom may help you out when your ready to pick some up , or look for members who are selling stock as well.I will try to add some more info when it comes to mind , but good luck with your project and feel free to ask more questions.

Luke



Clown Lover said:


> I want to set up a Discus tank and am not sure about some things. I want to use my 46 Gallon Bow front tank with a AC70 and a eheim 2234 canister.
> Questions: BB, sand or ?
> Plants recommended
> What size Discus and how many
> ...


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

Luke explained it quite well - congrats.

The only thing I would add is its up to you to go BB, its a personal choice. My 72 is a discus planted tank, with BN's, rummy nose tetras and cory - sterbai and 3 khuli loaches. All of them have been together from the get go. Below is a pic of my tank.

For plants as you see I have NO problem growing them and I have all kinds in there.

If you are just starting out and you choose juveniles then be prepared to do lots of w/c as they will need that to grow to their potential. My opinion is to start off with adult ones, that you know are healthy. This is what I did and it worked for me.

Yes discus like to be with their own and 4 or more is better. You could probably have 5 in your 46, again depending on size.

these were taken in sept not much has changed except the growth of the plants


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

That's a nice tank Kim.....all those discus are doing well in the tank.


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

All depends to personal choice BB or planted tank.....talk to April Ross and she provides you all the info you need....we don't call her Master Discus April for nothing lol.....this forum SD will explain most questions for discus hobbyists.

SimplyDiscus

welcome to the discus world.



Clown Lover said:


> I want to set up a Discus tank and am not sure about some things. I want to use my 46 Gallon Bow front tank with a AC70 and a eheim 2234 canister.
> Questions: BB, sand or ?
> Plants recommended
> What size Discus and how many
> ...


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

I agree with francis go to simplydiscus forum and read the stickies in beginner. The main rule is keep it simple. Even ph , clean water, start with a group of 6 and don't add from different sources at different times. Discus have different immunities to different virus etc from each farm they came from and
Mixing you can end up with a tank full of
Black dying discus. Don't get 2 inch babies . They may be cheaper but not in the end when you Lose some or they dont grow or die from liver failure due to hormones used to bring out their bright colours as babies. 
I have some articles on my website that helps also. Www.aprilsaquarium.com.
Gordon has healthy discus . Take him up on his offer. He's a great person.


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## josephl (Apr 21, 2010)

Just a word of warning for a beginner to discus if you choose to go to Simply Discus though that sometimes the information on Simply Discus is just too much detail and IMO sometimes just creates too much paranoia.

IMO, the key to keeping discus successfully in Vancouver is to start with good stock, very regular 50% plus water changes, warmth, not agressive tank mates and good food. We are very lucky in that we don't need to treat our water for PH in Vancouver. 

Start with good healthy stock, do your water changes and discus are easier to keep than guppies and swordtails

Good luck


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

Hey Joe .....love your tan from Hawaii ?


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## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

Thank you everyone for all the information, It's great knowing there is a lot of knowledge as close as your key board and all the super members and sponsors at BCA.
Cheers Laurie


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

our water is great but needs more minerals . i add aragonite to buffer . less risk of ph crashes. especially i fyou do bare bottom and you dont watch your ph or your filter doesnt keep up or gets overloaded. most people who lose discus is when their ph crashes. frequency of wcs is what keeps the ph stable in a bare bottom tank. no wc..ph slides fast.


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## catgoldfish (Apr 21, 2010)

thefishwife said:


> Luke explained it quite well - congrats.
> 
> The only thing I would add is its up to you to go BB, its a personal choice. My 72 is a discus planted tank, with BN's, rummy nose tetras and cory - sterbai and 3 khuli loaches. All of them have been together from the get go. Below is a pic of my tank.
> 
> ...


Wow great tank Kim!!!!!!!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I second what Joseph said. Simply is a great site, but it's information overload, and they make it sound like Discus will die or get sick if you look at them the wrong way. I spent a lot of time over there before I got my discus this past week and you really have to sift the information and weigh it for yourself. Ask lots of questions and search through here and there and have a plan and you'll be able to ease into it with less grief.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Thefishwife,

Thats a beautiful setup , they all look great in there.



thefishwife said:


> Luke explained it quite well - congrats.
> 
> The only thing I would add is its up to you to go BB, its a personal choice. My 72 is a discus planted tank, with BN's, rummy nose tetras and cory - sterbai and 3 khuli loaches. All of them have been together from the get go. Below is a pic of my tank.
> 
> ...


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## Richard (Apr 23, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> I second what Joseph said. Simply is a great site, but it's information overload, and they make it sound like Discus will die or get sick if you look at them the wrong way. I spent a lot of time over there before I got my discus this past week and you really have to sift the information and weigh it for yourself. Ask lots of questions and search through here and there and have a plan and you'll be able to ease into it with less grief.


Totally agree with you guys. Simply discus actually makes keeping discus more complicated. In the end, Discus is just one kind of FW fish. That is all. Discus can't adapt well in a sudden change habitat. It doesn't mean they can't adapt a different environment. It takes time. You can definitely "fix" their preference. Just keep that in mind. Get some cheap discus to try out and gain your own experience. My2cents.


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks for the compliments.

There is lots of info out there on discus, just do your research and go from there.

Master April is a great resource.


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

fishwife - that's a great looking tank, with beautiful discus ! You're doing a super job !
What strain are the reds ? They sure look like my Flamingos - have a look at mine & comment:
newflamingos2 pictures by discuspaul - Photobucket
Thanks,
Paul


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Laurie (Clown Lover):
Your 46 gal. bow front would be ideal for 4 or 5 - 3"-3.5" discus - go with a thin layer of white silica pool filter sand, and a few simple, easy plants & a nice piece of driftwood - your filtration is good - just do 2 or 3 w/c's per week - 30% to 50%.
Only place to buy is from April - although she's just had a big sale, and probably doesn't have much stock to choose from, particularly smaller ones - until her next shipment - maybe around the end of January - you could check with her. The only other place to have a look is Fantasy Aquatics (also a sponsor) - Mike Tung, on Kingsway @ Slocan - he might have some nice healthy ones at a reasonable price.


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