Could I get some Discus?

[squirt_12]

For a while now I have really liked discus and have wanted to keep them. I didn't know if my LFS could order them in or not but the other day they had some in stock. They got sold the first day they were there but they said they can order more if I want some.
Now I have some questions:
1) Would it be ok to just get 2 discus?

2) Would they be fine in a 33g?? I have a feeling it might be a little small. It is planted and I can post a picture of it if it will help.

3) They can eat, blood worms, brine shrimp, beef heart, NLS, and Hikari pellet food...right?

4) My pH level is a steady 7.2. I can lower it. Or do you think that would be fine?? Would Black Water Extract help lower the pH and it would help with making the tank like their natural habitat right?

5) Now the fish that are in the tank are: 7 glowlights, 3 gouramis (2 blue, 1 kissing..kissing is about 5-6" big), 2 cherry barbs, 3 clown plecos, some cories, and 2 mollies. I can move some of them into my 20g and 10g if needed. All the fish are fully grown except the kissing gourami.

Thanks!

EDIT- also, if the tank is big enough...I could get 2 and about 1-3 weeks later I could introduce 1-2 more into the tank. But thats only if I have everything I need and the tank is big enough.

[justyn725]

I've heard that the minimum aquarium size for housing discus should always be 55g. I may be wrong, but they do like/need their space. Not sure about the Gouramis being with Discus either...I'll look around online to see what people say.

[Lady Hobbs]

No, your tank is too small. But Discus will be a great fish to strive for in the future when you have a larger tank.

[squirt_12]

I figured that my tank would be too small.

But Discus will be a great fish to strive for in the future when you have a larger tank.
Exactly. This way I can get more experience keeping different species of small tropical fish that are a little harder before attempting discus. I will have more experience. And I can get more experience with my SW tank as well.

Thanks!

EDIT - Just currious....is a 55g the minimum size for discus?? Or shluld you go bigger? Like maybe 75g?

[justyn725]

EDIT - Just currious....is a 55g the minimum size for discus?? Or shluld you go bigger? Like maybe 75g?

Bigger is always better for Discus! And most fish....

[cocoa_pleco]

55g is bare minimum, but a 75 or 90 would be better

[Tolley]

They like schools so i dont see how six would even fit into a 55g!

[cocoa_pleco]

They like schools so i dont see how six would even fit into a 55g!


true, only 4 will fit in a 55g. with a 90g, you could easily get 5 discus, 10 cardinal tetras, and 8 corys

[dean30bb]

i sugest u dont put discus in there because it is very small and plus discus cant go in with plecos because they tend to suck on to the side of them and discus prefer to be alone

[squirt_12]

The plecos will suck on the sides of the discus?? I have never heard of this happening before.

[cocoa_pleco]

The plecos will suck on the sides of the discus?? I have never heard of this happening before.

plecos and ottos have been known to like to suck the slime coat off of slow flat fish like angels and discus

[jestep]

I've never personally had any problems with small plecos, but the normal ones, and high-fins, and anything that gets bigger than 4 or 5" usually ends up causing problems. Even if they don't attach to the discus normal plecos get too big for any reasonable sized tank. Then they get killed or dumped in a lake, or given away.

Also, I would never put Otocinclus with discus despite it being accepted just about everywhere. As soon as they run low on algae, the discus become food.

As far as tank size, I would say 75g is min for a community discus tank. You can then get 5 or 6 discus and some other compatible fish. Rams and Apistos make excellent tank-mates as well as a few species of tetras, and corys.

Definitely do some research, and get a good discus care book. They're not much harder than normal fish to care for, but they require much more frequent maintenance.