Discus Fish Advice

[TomCarter13]

Hey everyone, I've posted on here quite a bit in the past about small problems I had been having with the discus I was keeping at those times. A lot has changed since then and I think I have things a little more controlled now.

I just wanted to create my own topic about Discus fish that allows people to leave any sort of tips and/or advice judging from their experiences with discus fish. I personally find it nice to read different people's perspective of things and I also like to see how well other people are doing with Their tanks.

Feel free to post what ever about discus! I'd be happy to see anything left on here ?



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[paytertot]

I kept discus a long time ago and I miss it badly. I just don't have the space for a large enough tank right now. That's the most important thing in my opinion, is having a large tank.

 

[dennisbflo.n.y.]

And water changes and keep them in the schools of five or more

 

[Autumnsky]

Limited experience but one issue is that they are psycologically needy fish. Fish store owner discussed with me how sensitive they can be to any number of things, from busy households, kids thumping on the glass, wrong brand/kind of food, to noises in the house and around the tank they do not like.

The top glass lid flap slipped out of my fingers and it hit with a loud bang. The Discus wouldn't come out from behind the hiding spot in the rear of the tank for a few days. Even when feeding the food it likes. This fish sits and watches me from the corner of the tank. Not just looking at me but really looks like it is studying me.

 

[Krtyr26]

This is my 125 planted community discus tank. Water change every other day, worth the work!

 

[Autumnsky]

That's a beauty!

 

[Krtyr26]

Thank you, it's my dream come true

 

[dennisbflo.n.y.]

i'm grown out some juvenile checkerboard discus in a bare bottom tank I do exchanges of water every day in reverse osmosis water they are getting very big if they're stressed at all they will not grow and be stunted that's why I have a bare bottom sterile tank.
I add kent ro right for additives of minerals in the water taken from the RO and I feed them five times a day twice on the feeder when I'm at work with flake food

 

[Brookster123]

I'm growing out 8 red turq's, first time, I was presented with an opportunity to get them, always wanted them, the cost drove me off. I'm doing daily 90% wc's, 3 frozen feedings and one pellet feeder. I've consulted with a trusted breeder and read quite a bit. Of all the many many personal opinions out there a couple points seem set in stone.
Keep water warm and clean, feed them a lot of quality foods, when they're done vacuum out poo and excess food. Repeat daily.

 

[Autumnsky]

Wow, so beautiful the red Checkerboards you have Dennis.

And a labor of love for you and Brookster and the others who care for these guys.

 

[Brookster123]

I need the reds too. You should send me some for observation and general enjoyment

 

[V227]

Brookster, the discus pictured on the upper right looks to be a male. The one pictured on the upper left looks to be female. Notice the difference in the dorsal fin shape. The females dorsal is lower and more round. They certainly aren't shy. Maybe got an early pairing.

 

[Brookster123]

Brookster, the discus pictured on the upper right looks to be a male. The one pictured on the upper left looks to be female. Notice the difference in the dorsal fin shape. The females dorsal is lower and more round. They certainly aren't shy. Maybe got an early pairing.

They happen to be the largest of the Brood too, if They are a pair does that mean in would need to house them separately?

 

[V227]

Thats a personal choice. I had one breeding pair. The female routinely laid the eggs on the leaf of an Amazon sword plant in the display tank. Both parents protected the nest in much the same way any New Worlds do. Water in my area is quite hard and as a result the eggs never hatched. After about a week the parents abandoned the nest and the eggs were eaten.
I kept discus back in the late 80's to the early 90's. Jack Wattley was the discus guru back then. I bought a few Wattley green turquoise discus and a few German Blue cobalt discus.
I believe Wattley initially separated the parents, then removed the parents shortly after the fry hatched. Wattley made a concoction of egg yolks and other nutrients and fed it to the fry.
Your discus pair will start exhibiting a shimmy dance behavior when breeding is about to begin. In short "sorry for the long post". It's probably best to put the parents in a separate tank when you first notice the breeding behavior. After the eggs are deposited I would remove the male. Personally I would just let the fry feed on the females slime coat. Keep the updates coming.

 

[Brookster123]

Thats a personal choice. I had one breeding pair. The female routinely laid the eggs on the leaf of an Amazon sword plant in the display tank. Both parents protected the nest in much the same way any New Worlds do. Water in my area is quite hard and as a result the eggs never hatched. After about a week the parents abandoned the nest and the eggs were eaten.
I kept discus back in the late 80's to the early 90's. Jack Wattley was the discus guru back then. I bought a few Wattley green turquoise discus and a few German Blue cobalt discus.
I believe Wattley initially separated the parents, then removed the parents shortly after the fry hatched. Wattley made a concoction of egg yolks and other nutrients and fed it to the fry.
Your discus pair will start exhibiting a shimmy dance behavior when breeding is about to begin. In short "sorry for the long post". It's probably best to put the parents in a separate tank when you first notice the breeding behavior. After the eggs are deposited I would remove the male. Personally I would just let the fry feed on the females slime coat. Keep the updates coming.

Yah.. Then I'm trying to breed discus haha. Let's see how it plays out. I have everything needed.. extra tanks, ro, drygoods.. what am I missing?? Oh yah! Time, patience and know how!!!