Question about discus

[surfnturf]

I have recently added a discus to my planted community tank. I have read that they are challenging to keep and realize that the environment I have may not be optimal. I've also read that I should be doing weekly water changes and did 25% a few days after adding it and a week later. I am now due for another water change and have tested my water parameters. I have a stable ph of 7.5. Ammonia nitrite and nitrate at or very near 0. Should I still do a weekly water change or would it be better to leave it alone and not stress the fish too much. Also, what do you think about adding another discus to the tank? I know that they will grow and might be too big for my tank at some point in the distant future... Btw, how fast do they grow? Tank stocking is listed in my sig.

Thanks!



Surfnturf

1 discus
1 dwarf gourami
1 german blue ram
1 pictus cat
2 golden wonder killifish
4 harlequin rasboras
5 corydoras
And a bunch of plants in a 20 long
Eheim 2213 and tom aquatics canister filters
Finnex planted plus

 

[GouramiCichlid]

A 20 long is a bit too small for a discus imo I believe the bare minimum for a discus is 40gallon
And yes to water changes regardless of what fish you have you should always do water changes to keep fish healthy discus also like to be in very warm temperate I believe high eighties something like that which might not be too good for your cories

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[GouramiCichlid]

But it might work I don't think.your discus would thrive but I surely do think it would survive in your tank

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[treemanone2003]

One Discus in a tank is a horrible choice. They'll actually wind up becoming quite stressed and potentially an early death will ensue. They're another group of fish that are best kept in groups of 5 or more, and a min (depending on fish size when purchased) of 55g tank. Anything under 4" should be kept with others of the same size in a 40 for "growout" purposes, then transferred into a 55g or larger.

I would recommend search in the web and a lot more research in regards to keeping them. They're not difficult to care for, just extremely demanding fish. Also, if you run carbon in your system, I would either not keep them or find another system without carbon. Lots of trial and error has shown carbon to be bad for them.

As mentioned above, temp is a big concern. They need to be at least 82° and not a good mix with your current stock. I would advise to either bring it back or change things ASAP.


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[surfnturf]

I was kind of hoping that the smaller tank and lower temperatures would stunt its growth a little bit. I don't use any carbon in my tank other than what exists there naturally. There has to be a way to make two work in that tank. It seems really happy so far. Always excited to see me and plays with my ram and gourami. I just feel like it would look better with two of them in there. I just have to figure out how to make it work.


Surfnturf

1 discus
1 dwarf gourami
1 german blue ram
1 pictus cat
2 golden wonder killifish
4 harlequin rasboras
5 corydoras
And a bunch of plants in a 20 long
Eheim 2213 and tom aquatics canister filters
Finnex planted plus

 

[NigelK8485]

It's kind of awful that you are hoping to stunt its growth to force this to work. Get a larger tank instead.


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[treemanone2003]

I was kind of hoping that the smaller tank and lower temperatures would stunt its growth a little bit. I don't use any carbon in my tank other than what exists there naturally. There has to be a way to make two work in that tank. It seems really happy so far. Always excited to see me and plays with my ram and gourami. I just feel like it would look better with two of them in there. I just have to figure out how to make it work.

Hoping to stunt any fish, let alone a Discus is very disturbing. The only thing you're doing is creating much unnecessary stress and immoral practices which WILL result in an early death. Given proper conditions they can live up to 10 years. Think about it for a minute. How would you like it if somebody did something to purposely stunt your growth ? Not too cool, eh ?

As far as making it work....... Uh, not gonna happen. Trust me, I tried it for the first two years I kept them. I wizened up and started doing more research and taking the advice of those that had "been there, done that" and I'm much better off now.


The only thing you're going to "make" happen is a big hole in your bank account. And a few others really mad because of your intentions. I would really suggest changing your intentions, doing more research, returning the Discus, and starting all over.


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[Brookster123]

If I were you.. I'd waste absolutely no time in returning that swimming $75 dollar bill research research research...

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[Mattyfelts]

stunting a fish on purpose is disgusting and cruel, causing extreme pain and internal injuries as well as death. your stocking is absurd for a 20, get a bigger tank or return the fish until your ready to be responsible for the health and well being of said fish.

 

[Mattyfelts]

I can understand that some people are really enthusiastic about fish but did anyone read my post? I have been doing weekly water changes. I also have over 4 times the filtration needed for my tank. Ph is a stable 7.5. Ammonia nitritites and nitrates are all 0. Higher temps can increase growth but also shorten life span. I am not really concerned about all the negative comments but am looking for a way to put another discus in my tank.


Surfnturf

1 discus
1 dwarf gourami
1 german blue ram
1 pictus cat
2 golden wonder killifish
4 harlequin rasboras
5 corydoras
And a bunch of plants in a 20 long
Eheim 2213 and tom aquatics canister filters
Finnex planted plus

its not your level of filtration or amount of water changes, because those are adequate.

simplest way to put this is there shouldnt be one discus in a tank of that size let alone two. discus are meant to live a long time and get dinner plate sized. When a fish is stunted the organs continue to grow, and slowly kill the animal from the inside out. In all honesty return the discus and we can talk about other live stock that could be more suitable.

 

[Mattyfelts]

here is an article explaining the harmfulness of stunting.

Stunted growth means stunted lives — Seriously Fish

 

[treemanone2003]

LET ME INTERJECT !!!!! surfnturf, I did read all your posts but it has nothing to do with filtration and WC's. What I'm gathering is that you haven't taken in any of the info I've conveyed to you. IMO, with only 6 months in the hobby, these fish are far above your skills and knowledge at this point. ANY research would've put you into a far better range to handle these. I'm not saying you can't do it, but if you want to do it, you can't do it your way. As I said before, I tried it like that and it doesn't work. I've been handling them for ten years. The first two were the most difficult and expensive because I took the same approach and I'm trying to save you a LOT of money and headaches. It's up to you to do what you please with it.


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[Jessiicaxrosex3]

Discus should be kept in groups. Alone it will be easily stressed out and a stressed discus= a soon to be dead discus. (Been there) Frequent water changes should be done as well, which are recommended as the fish require clean water.. But these pwc do in fact aid growth. (Wc rids the water of growth hormones) You want this fish to become big and beautiful! sadly its not the best idea to keep it in the current tank :/ maybe a fish that stays small

 

[Jessiicaxrosex3]

When beginning, i got the first discus a 'friend' and all they did was nip each other and they both became unhappy. Quickly i learned they needed to be in bigger groups right away so i laid out the money and added two more, and then two more, and the aggression lessened. Two in even a 55 is a recipe for disaster. But anyway, whats done is done. Watch any smaller fish in the tank, my discus killed 3 of my schooling fish alone today.

 

[Mebbid]

Does anyone here have a 12"+ discus? I think 4-5 inches would be great but I could work with 5-6 inches if I had to.


Surfnturf

1 discus
1 dwarf gourami
1 german blue ram
1 pictus cat
2 golden wonder killifish
4 harlequin rasboras
5 corydoras
And a bunch of plants in a 20 long
Eheim 2213 and tom aquatics canister filters
Finnex planted plus

You've been given a lot of good information here, Especially from treemanone. If theres anyone on this forum I'd listen to about discus, its him.

You do a weekly 25% water change. Thats woefully inadequate for a discus. Daily water changes are needed for them in most cases. At the very least 2 50% changes weekly.

Your tank is far far far to small for a discus. There is no amount of arguing that can change that. A 55g is the minimum to keep them.

Discus need to be kept in groups of 5+


That being said, since you've ignored everything that's been said on the forum I will point out that this forum has a rule. That rule is ethical fish keeping.

Your statement as well as stance on stunting your fishes growth along with ignoring any suggestion made; is going to bode poorly because conversations like these will follow you anywhere you talk about your tank on this forum.

When (not if) this discus dies in the near future then you will see we weren't blowing smoke out of our rear ends.

 

[GouramiCichlid]

Honestly I small tanks do not stunt fish poor water quality does I've seen Oscars grow in some pretty small tanks and that was because of over filtration heavy water changes and being well fed but just because you can keep a fish in a small tank doesn't mean you should I'm nit stopping you and no one else on these fourms can either but a bit of advice to save yourself from future heartache and your wallet lol you should just return the discus for now until you get a bigger tank.

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[PNWaquarist]

Even without the discus, you'll need more like a 50% weekly water change to keep that ram happy.


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[AquaAussie]

GouramiCichlid is right though. Small tanks will stunt the fish and discus are bad for that.


???

 

[Sniperhank]

Good afternoon.
I have officially removed 6 pages of off topic garbage from this thread. Lets keep things on topic to help the OP in this situation. Further issues with this will result in the thread being closed.
OP: You are being given some solid advice regarding your tank. I would listen to what you are being told, even if it isn't something you want to hear.

 

[Delapool]

Re-read and would suggest returning discus. There's nothing I can think of such as additional large filters that will work.