Recommend an ideal tank size for Discus fish...

[Patwa]

I might have an opportunity in the near future to build/set-up a Discus tank for my friend. She's very keen on having only discus and maybe a few other fish. But since i've never actually kept these fish myself, I figured I could ask you lot for some basic info.

I need to know what would be the 'ideal' tank size to happily house:

5 fully-grown Discus (we'll get 'em as babies though)
20-30 Cardinal Tetras
4 or 5 cory cats (most likely 3 sterbae and 2 bronze cats)

and before any of you say the Discus will torment the cardinals, don't worry...this tank will have lots of cover b/c of the plants i'll put in it

I figure we'd be talking about a tank size in and around 90 to 120 gallons.......am I right?? More so, the tank would have to be long instead of tall, so the fish can swim back and forth easily....am I right??

the only constraint factor is obviously cost, so keep that in mind.

thanks,

Zach.

 

[sofia]

Discus adults need 10gallon per fish or so I heard.

 

[BrianNY]

Zach, just so you know, I keep 11 adults in a 55g. See my gallery. Discus do better in larger numbers and any small schooling fish (such as cardinals), seems to make them feel at ease and less timid.

The thing with discus is, clean, clean, clean water. That means regular water changes at least every other day.

 

[AdamsZoological]

Patwa,

A 90 gallon would be perfect. As sofia stated, Discus require in the range of 10-15 per fish. And just so ya know, I expect pictures when the tank is finished I'm a huge Discus fan, thinking of setting up my 75 gallon for a group of them. I kept them for many years and really miss having them.

Angela

 

[RandomGuy]

just to help you get an idea. there is a community tank at my lfs, a 77 gallon (planted tank) with around 20 - 25 tetras(lemon, neon, cardinal, serpae, bloodfin, black, etc), a royal pleco, and 3 adult discus along with 1 baby discus and 2 huge corys.

 

[Patwa]

thanks for the help...i'll pass it on to my buddy and see if she's up for it!

Yeah i was thinking 120 gallons might be a little too big....but i'd like to go more large than small mainly because of the rule that having more water capacity increases the overall stability of your tank (ie. it's ability to control/manage fluctuations in water quality) ...whereas smaller sized tanks are more susceptible to changes in water quality

based on what i've read, I think a size anywhere from 77gal to 90gal will be perfect.

here's the aquarium i'm gonna model the new discus tank after:

the main site is: www.aquariumdesigngroup.com Check it out....there are some AMAZING tanks in there.....no kidding!

Zach.

 

[Menagerie]

Wow! If that's your model, I can't wait to see your finished product!!!

 

[Patwa]

yeah no kidding.....that tank is boooti-ful!!!! when i saw it my jaw nearly dropped to the ground

but, here are the key aspects of the model tank (in the image above) that I think I MUST be able to re-create so that my finished tank will have the same relative look (let me know if i'm missing anything):

- LOTS of constant CO2 injection.....
- fortifed substrate (basic gravel with a heavy mix of flourite)
- lots of driftwood / mopani to help anchor the plants and add to the appearance
- 2 medium-powered powerheads (ie. the maxi-jet 900), aimed from the rear corners to the middle front glass area
- lots of light (discus need medium to low-light it seems, so i'll count on the plants to help diffuse the brightness)

anything else I should add??

Zach.

 

[oscarbreeder]

MAN THAT TANK IS S-W-E-E-T!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck and I hope hers turns out to look the same.

 

[Patwa]

Hey OSCARBREEDER! something totally off topic:

i just saw something on the news saying that S.C. only serve liquor in mini-bottles...is that true??? holy crap...something about the S.C. constitution saying liquor must ONLY be served in mini-bottles.........you southern folk are just crazy...CRAZY

I think I have to go there for a vacation....S.C., where a shot of liquor is 1.6 oz ounces instead of 1.0 oz.

HAHAHA!

Zach

 

[Nickachu]

^^^

Well Zach..
tell u what.. if you can create a tank that looks something like the one in your pic, i'll buy u a whole 1 (maybe 2) mini bottles of vodka.

nick

 

[oscarbreeder]

Couldnt really tell ya Patwa.
Im not much for bar hoppin I do my drinking at home.
Mostly beer.
When we do srink any kind of liquor I buy it by the 5th...LOL
NO MINI BOTTLES HERE.

 

[BrianNY]

OK, that tank is gorgeous Zach. IMO, you're better off with a low tech planted tank for discus. Reason: The CO2 injection can cause havoc with PH swings. Discus cannot tolerate that.

FYI. - I've a 125g that I intended to be a planted discus tank. I'm still working on it. My discus (I've 19 of them), are like my children. I won't move any of them until everything is up and running like clockwork. I've also got a low tech planted 55g. It's so much easier and looks just as awesome. I'll post some pics of all of them tonight.

 

[BrianNY]

Here's the low light 55g

 

[Christmasfish]

Hey OSCARBREEDER! something totally off topic:

i just saw something on the news saying that S.C. only serve liquor in mini-bottles...is that true??? holy crap...something about the S.C. constitution saying liquor must ONLY be served in mini-bottles.........you southern folk are just crazy...CRAZY

I think I have to go there for a vacation....S.C., where a shot of liquor is 1.6 oz ounces instead of 1.0 oz.

HAHAHA!

Zach

8O Must be a dry county or somethin. Used to go partying in gaffnee SC because rolfton co is dry. the dance would DIE if they cant swill beer in copious amounts!

 

[Hypostomus]

There's such a thing as a low tech planted tank where the plants survive?

Not in mine.

 

[BrianNY]

Hmmm, for some reason I'm having a prob linking pics to this thread. Check out the planted tanks in my gallery and welcome to the jungle Hypostomus

Plants like anubias, java fern, hygro and water sprite are almost impossible to kill. IMO, they are terrific looking as well. Re discus and planted tanks. I would only keep adult fish in a planted tank. Juveniles require a lot of feedings to grow out and it would be tough to keep a planted tank clean enough for them.

 

[Christmasfish]

I have plants in my dutch tanks..that is as low tech as it gets....
No areation, no ugf, no hob..
just tank, substrate, ,plants, fish and many water changes.

But the species are blackwater still water species.Discus have afew special needs that make plants unhappy in smaller spaces. If I tried even partial low tech with sensitive and large fish like Discus I 'd have to have like 30 gal per animal! Bleh! the changes! my back is hurting just thinking on it!

 

[Hypostomus]

Plants like anubias, java fern, hygro and water sprite are almost impossible to kill.

I have managed to kill java fern.

Though I have some right now that are doing all right-- lots of little 'uns.
They do tend to get holes in the leaves and brown edges though, which I imagine has something to do with CO2 or fert levels.

I'm quite good at killing java moss too.

 

[Patwa]

OK, that tank is gorgeous Zach. IMO, you're better off with a low tech planted tank for discus. Reason: The CO2 injection can cause havoc with PH swings. Discus cannot tolerate that.

so you're saying the less plants I have, the more likely it will be for me to keep the discus fish healthy??...

......BUT, therein lies another issue...I read that the more plants you have the more the water will get 'polished'. However, i'm not too familiar with the term 'polished' so i'm assuming it just means, among others, lower ammonia, stable pH, clarity, etc...

so isn't it beneficial to have lots of strong, healthy green plants in such a case??

I don't think i'll buy any fish until i get it running like 'clockwork'.....these fish are too expensive for me to risk something like that...anyways, i'm not even 100% sure this tank project will go through...as soon as I know what tank size she wants to get, i'll look for more info

Zach.