me again...I have started my discus tank

[mikel]

As I posted below, my 40 breeder tank is being cycled with live bacteria from Bio-Spira. All seems to be working well with 6 Rummy nose Tetras in the tank for 6 days.....so I went to LFS #1, bought new glo-light tubes for my reflectors and purchased 2 Blue Turquoise discus (2 inches each) for $20 a fish...then onto store #2 for 3 Red Turquoise for $29 a fish. So there are five young discus in the tank, and 5 rummy noses tetras in my tank. The water readings are still great; my PH is holding at 7, and I am hoping that it will stay that way. I could have bought the Marlboro red, the cobolt blue or the Thai Gold for a bit more money, but I really prefer the traditional old varieties in the Turquoise series. They just seem more solid and intriguing to me.

I fed these guys about 30 minutes after they were released into the tank, as they seemed to have adjusted to the change and the new environment very well so far. They wolfed down bloodworms, brine shrimp and Jack Wattley's special discus formula frozen cubes with garlic for dinner...it was a real pig-fest. But I am glad they are all eating so heartily after only such a short time in their new home. Tomorrow, I will put a small amount of peat pellets in a stocking bag and make the tank a tab bit tannined...I was told that it has anti-bacterial properties.

I am going to do small water changes each days, and larger ones on the weekends. I will siphon out waste on the bottom of the tank and take out appt 6 gallons of water each day. On the weekend, I can do a 1/3 water change. How does this sound to you all? I was alos told by one of the owners of the LFS that discus do best when you dont fuss to much over them. Just let them be and enjoy them.

[Arkie]

dont know much bout discus, my ex's mother used to have them and they seemed really hard to keep healthy (i would keep some of my own otherwise). but congratulations on your new additions and keep us updated :22:

[Lady Hobbs]

Your tank is in the process of cycling. Do NOT clean the gravel or change the filter media at all. This is where the new bacteria is taking up residence and removing it destroys your process and sets the tank back.

Discus are fish that to have clean water always. Your pH is perfect. I would not add the pellets.

They are warmer water fish, as well, and like higher temps. Good luck with your new babies.

[mikel]

I do not have any substrate, and I am not going to clean the filter media anytime soon. When I do, I will simply rinse the media in tank water to avoid killing the bacteria.. I am also thinking of adding another outside filter, along with a few battery charged power pump for emergency...a small aquaclear filter to augment my Emperor 400 (can't have too much filtration)...what I have are some flower bowl shaped terra cotta pots with Amazons planted inside placed in the center of the tank. So I can easily find, see and suck out the poop and left over food with a siphone tube from a clear and uncluttered tank bottom (It also allows the fish to find their food better). This is how I intend to keep everything as clean as possible. I also figure the fish prefer small water changes that are consistent and reliable than huge changes after a long drawn out period. So, given my anal personality, I will be doing these little changes to pick up poop very often. I know that these young discus want to, and need to eat a lot of varied foods in order to grow out. More food equals more work to change water.

I have 4 dogs, 3 parrots (2 macaws and a congo grey) and a big rose and clematis garden out back to tend to as well. So now my house definitely qualifies as a zoo/natural history museaum. I need to make clones of myself. :))))mike

[Lady Hobbs]

I am proud of you for wanting to get into the hobby with all the information you can gather and with full intent of keeping the tank clean. I hate it when people add water to their tank and there it sits......for weeks without doing nothing to it. They don't realize that fish pee 24/7 or what? grrrrrrr

My mention of large water changes was not "long drawn out periods" in between. It was like 50% weekly. :)