Tank Mates for Discus - Aquarium Advice

JDogg · 03-10-2007, 08:36 PM

i am currently working on cleaning up a used 75 gallon i picked up to house 4-6 discus.

this tank will be lightly planted with low light plants.

will probabaly include a small school of cory cats and a school of cardinal or rummy nose tetra.

i would also like to include a pair or two of small, lower level fish.

i am thinking GBR or Apisto

OR

how about a few Peacock gudgeon (Tateurndina ocellicauda) would the gudgeon be ok in the soft, acidic high temps the discus like?

racialfish · 03-11-2007, 01:02 AM

What size discus are you getting? I'd highly recommend adults in a planted tank b/c if you try to grow out juvies they will almost all of the time become stunted, not saying can't be done and some people like football discus. I'd go w/ rams or no tankmates as gudeons have different requirements etc.

BrianNY · 03-11-2007, 08:01 AM

Although the gudgeons like very soft water, I'm unsure if they could handle the temperature. Also, these little guys are very timid. It's likely they will spend most of their time in hiding. IMO you're much better off with apistos.

JDogg · 03-11-2007, 08:44 AM

darn i really wanted to try the gundgeons, guess they will have to wait until i have an empty 10 gallon.

i was thinking juvie discus (added to the tank after the other fish have "seasoned" the tank for a few months to get all the kinks out) but maybe i should start thinking full grown..football shaped you say

BrianNY · 03-11-2007, 10:13 AM

Yep. Football shaped. When a discus becomes stunted it grows eliptically. To reach its' full growth a discus must be fed properly. It's very difficult to this in a community tank. Overfeeding causes the water quality to diminish and when that occurs discus will often stop eating. Smaller grow out tanks make it easier to do pwcs, feed enough, and keep the conditions ideal.

JDogg · 03-11-2007, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianNY

Yep. Football shaped. When a discus becomes stunted it grows eliptically. To reach its' full growth a discus must be fed properly. It's very difficult to this in a community tank. Overfeeding causes the water quality to diminish and when that occurs discus will often stop eating. Smaller grow out tanks make it easier to do pwcs, feed enough, and keep the conditions ideal.

i have an empty 45, do you think that would be large enough to use as a discus gorow out tank for 4-6 discus

BrianNY · 03-11-2007, 10:59 AM

That's more than enough tank JDogg. I use 29gs. Where are you getting your discus from?

JDogg · 03-11-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianNY

That's more than enough tank JDogg. I use 29gs. Where are you getting your discus from?

i have a couple of options there, might get from LFS (they come from a local breeder) or i might try to contact a couple local breeders directly.

racialfish · 03-14-2007, 09:02 PM

A 45 will be fine, I'm currently doing the same thing you are, growing out 5 juvies for my 75 planted. make sure you do as many water changes as possible and feed 4-6 times a day, this will help them grow to size much faster. my five have grown over a centimeter in a month from 4 feedings a day and 2-3 30% water changes a week.

JDogg · 03-14-2007, 09:06 PM

any suggestions on foods?

i realy like the results i get from the new life spectrum line of foods, so i was thinking of trying their DISCUS FORMULA