ok here's where i'm at

[removedastars]

I have a 46 gallon bowfront tank that i've had set up for almost 3mnths now. I have 2 blood parrots, 2 midas, 2 green terrors, and 1 pleco. I love all of them! very friendly love to come up to glass and check out what's going on in the outside world. ok here's my problem/dilemma: i was check out different lfs stores in my area and found the coolest place ever!!! if you live in the dfw area you have to go! it's called the true percula. ok anyways, so when i first set up the tank i was planning on doing dwarf rams or breeding discus. while i was at the lfs i found the most beautiful discus!!! so now i dont know if i should scrap the set up i have and go for the discus or just stick with what i have and wait on doing the whole breeding discus think. the only major thing i'm worried about is water, the tap water in my area is very hard and it seems like a lot of work and/or money to provide soft water. opinions? advice?

thanks
lauren

[bs6749]

If you don't know anything about discus, you have a lot of work ahead of you to get informed.

First, discus like to be in a group of 6 or more so if you are thinking of getting "just one or two" you might as well stop right there and forget keeping discus at all. A 46 gallon bowfront isn't an ideal discus tank at all. You'd be able to fit 5 adults max in there and you'll need to keep up on the water changes.

Discus do not require soft/acidic water unless you are tyring to breed them, in which case the 46 wouldn't be an ideal breeder tank. Only wilds will require soft and acidic water to be healthy though having soft and acidic water in a tank housing commercially bred fish won't be bad.

The BEST way to get discus is to buy 3"+ specimens as they are not nearly as needy. It's best to buy 8 juvies like this and grow them out in a 55 gallon bare-bottom tank doing all of the necessary water changes. It's best to buy fish that are from the same spawn and grow them out as well rather than picking 2 from this tank and 2 from that tank and mixing them. You could also buy 4.5-5"+ fish from the same source and put them into your tank. It's really best to QT them before adding them to the same tank but if you get them from the same source they will be okay in the same QT tank.

If you want nice quality discus you might conside Houston Aquarium Warehouse - Gulf Coast Discus - Gulf Coast Aquarium Dan is only a few hours from you at most and he'd definitely be worth the trip. Check out www.simplydiscus.com and check out the "Sponsors Section". Look at Kenny's Discus, and Central Ohio Discus. Also check out UtahDiscus.com for some great stuff. Any four of those retailers I recommended would be EXCELLENT choices. These guys are TRUE professionals and their quality is superb. You can't go wrong with either one of them. Very nice people and always willing to help you out with any questions that you have, especially Kenny at Kenny's Discus. Check to see what he has available in his "July Shipment" thread. I'm sure he's sold out but you can get an idea of prices for each size and see some strains that are available.