Discus environment questions

[hockeyhead019]

hey everybody,

just a couple quick questions...

if i was to get a 120 gal and all the appropriate accessories (heater, filters airstone etc...) how many discus would be appropriate?

also what other fish would be good tank mates? i love red minor tetra but think they'd be too active for the peaceful discus so i was thinking a couple schools of smaller fish as i want the discus to be the focus of the tank.

next. planted? yes or no. i love the look of real plants as opposed to fake decorations but i don't know if this would help or not... part of me says yes since it would help water conditions stay level along with providing hiding spots. however i wanted to check with you guys to see what your thoughts were.

finally gravel or sand?

thanks for any help in advance guys

[Northernguy]

Have you read this link?
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

There are a few more links at the bottom as well.
These will help out . Have a chat with Discus Dude.He has some great looking discus tanks.

[hockeyhead019]

thanks for the link northernguy

[Fishguy2727]

I do:
Estes Marine Sand (black and white mixed or solid black)
Black painted background
Live plants
New Life Spectrum food
Lots of driftwood (a nice big piece can really make the look of a tank)
Most common tankmates: sterbai cories, rummynose tetras, cardinal tetras, bristlenose plecos, gold nugget plecos, certain other fancy plecos, certain loaches, hatchetfish, angelfish, torpedo barb/roseline shark, and many others.

[hockeyhead019]

angle fish? i though they were off limits with discus... i mean i've seen them with the discus before but i thought (from reading posts and comments and such) that they didn't go together very well?

if i'm wrong please correct me. Thanks for the help

[Northernguy]

Most do not keep the two in the same tank.It really does depend on the fish.Angels are cichlids and can have a nasty disposition about them.Some angels are downright mean fish and will not allow a passive fish like discus to eat or swim much,therefore not a good idea.
It completely depends on the fish.Having said that I do not think that angels are a good mix with discus.

[Lady Hobbs]

I would not personally. I'd keep it near as possible to a species only tank. Some cardinals or rummynose tetra. If you want a catfish, a bristlenose.

I would plant the tank if you can afford to upgrade lights at this time. I would definately make sure your tank is cycled before even trying Discus. They're too expensive to take chances with.

[jestep]

I would go probably start with 5 - 7, and then move up to 8 - 9 or so. This is lightly stocked by most standards, but will definitely help reduce maintinence. You can always add more once you get more comfortable with them, but even 5 or 6 discus is a considerable investment. Also, I would definitely buy adult, or near-adult fish, as juveniles require a lot of food (5 or more feedings per day) and a lot of water changes (think daily or more).

I always prefer planted with discus as it compliments the fish, and looks much better than plastic assuming you can grow them properly. Swords are the obvious discus plant, but there's quite a few that can handle the high temperatures that discus like. Lotus's are another large plank that work well in discus tanks. Just look for high-temp plants or discus compatible plants, which means they can handle the temp. Also make sure you understand how to properly grow plants and that you have sufficient light, CO2 and fertilizer. A tank full of dead plants isn't better than the plastic ones.

For tankmates, rummy's and cardinal tetras are the classic companions. Cory cats and small pleco's like clowns, bushy's, rubber-lips are great non-distracting tank mates as well. I would stay away from otto's, large plecos, barbs, and anything that nips or will attach to the discus. Watch any pleco for this behavior as well. Angels are known for naturally having parasites that don't bother the angels, but wreak havoc on discus. Aggression-wise, most adult discus I've seen can hold their own angels. Parasites can be a huge pain to treat, so it's best IMO not to expose fish to a situation where there is a real probability of them getting something, as with angels.

If you want other cichlids, Rams (blue, gold and bolivians) are usually fine. Apistos are usually fine. The exception to either of these is if they are breeding and then they can be overly aggressive to anyone in the tank.

[Shootamonkey2]

Have you read this link?
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

There are a few more links at the bottom as well.
These will help out . Have a chat with Discus Dude.He has some great looking discus tanks.

Just a quick comment on your location status: I've been driving but I only see igloos in the left!