How many gallons does a Discus fish need?

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n3gat1ve

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
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I’ve been wanting to get some Discus fish for quite some time but I don’t want to get the wrong tank size for them and mess everything up, so I need some peoples opinions on what tank size would be best fit for a Discus fish! If anyone can help me then that would be great! Also, could I start off with one Discus for a short period of time or would I need to get them in a pair/school? Thanks!
 
The biggest that will fit! A 75 is suitable for 6-7 long term. Best to do a ton of research before spending a dime. The 2 most expensive and demanding tanks you can get into are discus and sw reefing.
 
Keeping Discus

I’ve been wanting to get some Discus fish for quite some time but I don’t want to get the wrong tank size for them and mess everything up, so I need some peoples opinions on what tank size would be best fit for a Discus fish! If anyone can help me then that would be great! Also, could I start off with one Discus for a short period of time or would I need to get them in a pair/school? Thanks!

Hello n3...

For any fish, the larger the tank, the better. For this particular fish, you need a minimum of 10 gallons per fish.

meetthepet.com is an informative site. Check it out.

B
 
The biggest that will fit! A 75 is suitable for 6-7 long term. Best to do a ton of research before spending a dime. The 2 most expensive and demanding tanks you can get into are discus and sw reefing.



Yeah, I don’t plan on buying them until I do more research and ask more questions about them. But thanks for the info
 
There are some great threads on simply discus for starting out. I've been at them just under a year and I'm still learning. There are some big personalities out there that carry big opinions. I found finding a couple mentors with similar views and sticking with their methods and beliefs made it smoother and less overwhelming. Very rewarding fish to keep, full of personality
 
Ten gallons per fish is a little misleading for discus. I would never keep one in a ten gallon tank or two in a twenty gallon. Full size they are at least as big as the palm of your hand. A pair in a fifty gallon would be ok, I think, but the bigger the tank the better.
 
Ten gallons per fish is a little misleading for discus. I would never keep one in a ten gallon tank or two in a twenty gallon. Full size they are at least as big as the palm of your hand. A pair in a fifty gallon would be ok, I think, but the bigger the tank the better.
A mated/bonded pair yes. Just 2 absolutely not.
 
They need excellent water parameters and the bigger the tank the best chances of that happening and they can get 8 inches around and an inch plus thick - Huge. My vote would be 90/100G or more for a group - tank longer than 4' would be a plus as well.

Keeping eyes peeled for the right tank would be a good start if you are going for used tank.

Learn and know more than you ever thought you would need to and also look for a breeder in your region. Aquarium clubs are great places to make those connections, as well as people to learn from.
 
They need excellent water parameters and the bigger the tank the best chances of that happening and they can get 8 inches around and an inch plus thick - Huge. My vote would be 90/100G or more for a group - tank longer than 4' would be a plus as well.

Keeping eyes peeled for the right tank would be a good start if you are going for used tank.

Learn and know more than you ever thought you would need to and also look for a breeder in your region. Aquarium clubs are great places to make those connections, as well as people to learn from.
Excellent points made here!
 
They need excellent water parameters and the bigger the tank the best chances of that happening and they can get 8 inches around and an inch plus thick - Huge. My vote would be 90/100G or more for a group - tank longer than 4' would be a plus as well.

Keeping eyes peeled for the right tank would be a good start if you are going for used tank.

Learn and know more than you ever thought you would need to and also look for a breeder in your region. Aquarium clubs are great places to make those connections, as well as people to learn from.



Wow, this post actually really helped me out here! Thanks so much! I’ll definitely do a lot of research on them before I start anything, but thank you again!
 
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