Will Discus be able to live with these fish?

[jessfreshwater]

Hi I want to add one of two Discus to my 55 gallon tank I have 5 silver dollar fish, 2 angelfish, 2 Jellybean Parrot cichlids, and one adult 4 inch catfish. Will a couple Discus get along with these fish if so what else do I need to know about them? Thanks ps. The catfish is super friendly

 

[Autumnsky]

Short answer is no.

Discus are a fish which likes to be in a group and other fish of large size like those mentioned aren't good tank mates. In addition, Discus have special needs and start reading about them and what kind of tank they are best suited in. A much larger size 125G would be a better size for a group of 6 or so. They need daily to 2x per week or more pwc.

When they are young 2-3 inches they need numerous specialized foods fed 5-6 times per day one of a few reasons they need so many water changes and oh so much more. They are a fish for someone who is a seasoned fish keeper and has good first hand information on keeping them. They are a great fish and really most hobbyists who get these from the local box store is not treating them in the way they should be kept. Also the most of the fish from the lfs are of low quality fish. Start looking at how a well cared for fish looks, plump (not sunken in) belly, bright eyes and body, strong looking fins, rounded shape...

You can do a search here for Discus threads.

Here is a current tank of babies growth in progress for Discus Brookster is keeping
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/i-really-did-it-this-time-361113.html

 

[V227]

Jess, Aut. Summed it up, but I'll add my two cents. Discus are inconvenient beauties. They need a temp. Between 82 - 84 degrees, super clean tank and expensive frozen food. They are definitely living art, but after a while I found them kind of boring. Mine grew huge and were always a conversation piece with friends. I kept them several years, but had to give them up during a move. I've moved on to other cichlid setups which allow more stocking and aquascaping options. A lot more fun and a lot less work. There are so many other very colorful smaller, "less expensive" cichlids available.

 

[Brookster123]

I'm new to discus, I've always wanted them but from everything I've read on them it seems they need highly specialized setups and complete attention and dedication. Do lots of research and if/when you decide make sure you're giving them the best possible chance for success

 

[jessfreshwater]

Thank you all so much for the help! I guess I'll be looking into more cichlids.

 

[Autumnsky]

There should be a long time of fish keeping for you.

There are many differing kinds available so you should be able to love the other Cichlids too, and at some point feel good about making the choice to care for the Discus beauties in the future!

 

[jessfreshwater]

Yeah right now I'm not ready because I just started my new tank a couple months ago.