Questions about discus

[BarbMaster]

I am really interested in Discus, I have a 55 breeder tank with black sand and a Hot magnum canister filter and 3 air stones in it. Should I have discus, if so how much? what else will i need? I have coralreef light bulbs or what ever they are as well. what kind of behavior do they have. what should i know ahead of time.

[BarbMaster]

I have read alot about discus so far, I just All i have is sand so far, I'd liek to know what i should purchase ahead of time. and what to expect If possible i thought 2 discus and some tank mates or give me options of what is possible and whats not. I'll be updating this as a journal as soon as i get the tank properly set and clean and start adding things in with pics for everyone, I have never handled discus before, So as i research about them I just would like advice from people who care for discus or have their own so i have all the output i can get. Good food brands hikari omega or what not. I'll accept all the help i can get.

[mommy1]

before getting discus read this and answer honestly (to yourself).

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[BarbMaster]

before getting discus read this and answer honestly (to yourself).

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
Ive read A lot of things about Bare bottom tanks, Dose that Imply they are very messy, or just helps keep the water clean ammonia/disease free more easier? because i have 75 dollars of black sand in it and its not fine sand, I cant think of the word for it the grains are larger than fine sand like in my 55. and the guy at my fish place that i go to breeds the cichlids and also the discus. I'm currently unemployed and just want something to do to burn time and enjoy my self. I'm currently just i don't know what I would really like to do right now. I think it would be a really Nice thing to have because they are really beautiful fish and Id like something that My grandmother as well would enjoy looking at in my room when is feeding the fish in the 29 tall I bought her for her angel fish and community fish. Because if i don't go discus ill go back to cichlids. its just like a mental block, because i have time to get everything done tomorrow i get money and have nothing to do.

[WhiteDevil]

BB is mainly for cleanliness, I only use BB's for my turtle and my grow out and quarantine tanks.
Discus do not need BB. I am against BB tanks due to the fact that it is nothing more then a water filled jail cell then.
I use gravel (very light gravel weight wise) in my 210 and have no issues with my discus.

IF you are going to breed the discus, a BB is almost essential.


Discus needs vary because they are very readily available from most LFS's however most those stock come from commercial breeders who use tap water and pretty much have made the readily available discus no better then a zebra danio.

Lighting depends, I have a heavily planted amazon tank while Ive seen discus kept in nothing but sand,water and a few chunks of tannin rich driftwood.

I think you need to hit up simplydiscus and get alot better and more indepth information from the people who worship these fish.

[Lady Hobbs]

mommy1.....good link to share. I just stickied it. Don't know why it was overlooked as a stickie but it is now.

[BarbMaster]

Out of respect for the fish, I am going to be declining this experience in the hobby of aquariums because i am not properly ready for all the quarintene stuff and the money to spend i dont have, I would feel really bad if i did buy and they all died because i did something wrong expensive fish. I will just get mmbunas

[WhiteDevil]

Im not sure what you've read about discus but they really are not hard to take care of. what you'd find in a LfS is in 7.0-8.6Ph waters, heck my buddy breeds them in tap 7.8ph water, yes TAP water.

this is the problem i have with the hobby and the internet, there really are no rules to this hobby and the sheer ignorance people display in the name of knowledge is ridiculous.

yes i spent money on my discus set up, its a 210g tank why wouldnt I?

I originally put the first 6 discus I got in a 45H, eco-complete plus lighting for plants, wet/dry filter(though canisters even HOBs(in size) are fine for these fish, the trade discus are not what the books and write ups speak of, they are really speaking of wild discus and their requirements and generalize them under the whole species.

talk with your LFS's people and find out where they come from, what water conditions they were raised in and what conditions are with the LFS's stock tank.
I recently spent $700.00 just on 8 discus fish and this is my first discus tank ever.

Id recommend you do some real homework, simplydiscus.com is one of the first and foremost authorities on discus care and keeping, these folks are some of the best keepers and breeders of discus in the world.