Discus in uncycled tank

[bcutajar]

Hi there,

I have just set up a quarintine tank that has nothing in it except a filter and heater. The filter is not cycled and i have not started that process yet. My question is that my LFS are releasing discus in 5 days time and i want to buy two to start quarantining for a few weeks (any ideas how long?) before i add them with my other discus in my main tank. My question is can i get by with my fish by doing daily 50% water changes or twice daily water changes for the quarantine period. Is this a stupid idea or is it acheivable. The reason i want to do this is because the next shipment of discus is in 2 months, and by then the discus in my main tank will be too big for the ones in the shop.

Let me know thanks (also if this is a stupid idea, can i get an answer of how long is a good quarintine time for discus and wether to treat them for anything or not?)

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

Hi there,

I have just set up a quarintine tank that has nothing in it except a filter and heater. The filter is not cycled and i have not started that process yet. My question is that my LFS are releasing discus in 5 days time and i want to buy two to start quarantining for a few weeks (any ideas how long?) before i add them with my other discus in my main tank. My question is can i get by with my fish by doing daily 50% water changes or twice daily water changes for the quarantine period. Is this a stupid idea or is it acheivable. The reason i want to do this is because the next shipment of discus is in 2 months, and by then the discus in my main tank will be too big for the ones in the shop.

Let me know thanks (also if this is a stupid idea, can i get an answer of how long is a good quarintine time for discus and wether to treat them for anything or not?)

Hello bc...

Okay. You're cycling your new tank with fish, which is one method. Ideally, you use really hardy fish like Danios, Platys, Barbs, etc. In other words, fish that will tolerate the poorer water conditions.

You should have a water testing kit and test daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite that will dissolve in the tank water due to the fish waste. When you have a positive test for either of the above forms of nitrogen, you change 25 to 30 percent of the tank water and replace it. This will keep the water relatively safe for the fish and grow the bacteria that will use the wastes the fish produce.

You can remove some of the media you have in another tank and put it into the new tank filter. This will help and add some plants like Anacharis and Pennywort. These are natural users of dissolved nitrogen.

You just test and change the water, daily. The process takes a few weeks. So, there you have it.

B

 

[Rivercats]

If you decide to get the discus and put them in a QT tank you need to use some of the seeded filter media in your established tank as discus in an uncycled tank would be very hard on them. Even with doing that you will have to watch ammonia and nitrites like a hawk. If you do it could be done but I'd still think long and hard about it.