Discus Discussion

[Steven A]

Just how many discus and at what size could I have in a 33 gal tank ?

 

[Mexico]

Hi Mexico,
If it were my discus I'd be doing daily water changes and making sure the tank had plenty of aeration. Are there other fish in the tank now, or is the discus alone? Brine shrimp are not the best source of protein. I would try feeding frozen blood worms. It isn't unusual for a discus put in new surroundings to go on a hunger strike.

Keep us posted.

Thanks for getting back with me. I have a wet and dry filter it has been
set-up for a about 4 months now, works very nice. The tank is bare
bottom just the glass, it's a 30 gallon. I have a few plants in the tank
makes it look a little better. Then I have some small fish with the Discus
like 25 neons and 3 small catfish. I have been changing the water
everyday, 5 gallons of it. I have tried feeding frozen blood worms and
all that has been said in the post below. He will not eat them only the
Brine Shrimp.

Thanks for all your help,

Mexico

 

[greenmaji]

Just how many discus and at what size could I have in a 33 gal tank ?

2 adults, spawning pair..
or a shoal of young fish.. ~2-2.5 maybe 3" HTH

 

[Steven A]

Thanx Greenmaji my aim is to own a breeding pair so I think I will get a shoal and then grow them up and allow them to pair off.

 

[BrianNY]

Mexico, with that large a bioload you need to be changing more water. At least 30%.

Discus and neons don't mix very well. Discus require a temp of 84F. Perhaps that's one reason your discus doesn't have an appetite. Tank too cool? Neons don't do well at higher temps.

 

[kmayhew01]

Rummynose tetras are the tetra I recommend for keeping with Discus since they seem to do well in higher temps.

 

[afilter]

Cardinals as opposed to Neons make better Discus Tank mates as they do better at the higher temps. I also kept a small school of rummynose and glo lite tetras with mine when I had a community Discus tank.

On a related side note I just discovered the ultimate SW fish for me. A Powder Blue Tang. Reading this discussion I just realized why I like the PBT so much because they remind me of my discus days.

 

[Mexico]

Mexico, with that large a bioload you need to be changing more water. At least 30%.

Discus and neons don't mix very well. Discus require a temp of 84F. Perhaps that's one reason your discus doesn't have an appetite. Tank too cool? Neons don't do well at higher temps.

Hi again,

I keep my tank at 31C. or 88deg. just for the Discus. I'm thinking that
the place the Discus came from were sick before they shipped them to
me, hope I'm wrong.

The barebottom tank makes for an easyer way to clean, takes only about
10 min. to do it and then you can see what needs to be cleaned.

Ok, I'll start changing 10 gallons everyday then.

Thanks,

Mexico

 

[Mexico]

Hi again,

My Discus is still alive but he has changed from a blue to almost black at
this time. Is he about to check out with this change of color? Is there any
thing I can do for him? All the other fish in the tank are doing fine.

Thanks for your help,


Mexico

 

[BrianNY]

Not a good sign. Just keep up with the water changes.

 

[greenmaji]

Mexico..you could increase the percentage changed daily..

 

[Mexico]

Well, the last of the blue Discus died last night. But that is not going to
stop me from getting more. I still don't think it was anything I did, they
were sick before I got them. I don't know why people would ship out
fish that were not healthy, that was $90. dollors down the dran.

I'll let you know how I'm doing off and on.

Thanks for your help,


Mexico