Discus Questions?

[Carapar56]

Well I've never really done discus but I've been keeping fish for about 7 years, my first fish being a Blue Gourami, which I actually still have. Recently I've been seeing more discus tanks on youtube or on forums and I've decided I'd like to start a Discus Tank up with my old 55 gallon. I've done a bit of research and I'm still researching and I may not even start setting up the tank for months but I wanted to ask a few questions.

1. I know it says to never have a group of less then 6 discus but would a group of 4 work in a 55 gallon?

2. Would Discus be able to survive at the lower end of the temperature ranges, happily and stay healthy?

3. Can Discus be kept with livebearers, in particular, platies? I love platies and mollies and I would love to have them together.

4. Can Discus be kept with Bamboo Shrimp? Would the discus prey on the 3 to 4 inch long filter feeders?

5. Would Cory Cats do well in a Discus tank?

6. Is it necessary to grow the discus out in a different tank? I only have so many tanks, my biggest being the 55 gallon, the next biggest being a 20 gallon, and I don't have the money to buy another tank set up just to grow them out in.

7. Would Discus do well in a planted tank with drift wood?



Thanks so much if I think of any other questions I post them here :D

[Lady Hobbs]

1. I know it says to never have a group of less then 6 discus but would a group of 4 work in a 55 gallon? Yes, but 5 would be better.

2. Would Discus be able to survive at the lower end of the temperature ranges, happily and stay healthy? NO. They require warmer tanks.

3. Can Discus be kept with livebearers, in particular, platies? I love platies and mollies and I would love to have them together. Discus are expensive fish and best not to toss just any ol' cheap fish in with them due to disease.

4. Can Discus be kept with Bamboo Shrimp? Would the discus prey on the 3 to 4 inch long filter feeders? Probably eat all the babies.

5. Would Cory Cats do well in a Discus tank? Yes

6. Is it necessary to grow the discus out in a different tank? I only have so many tanks, my biggest being the 55 gallon, the next biggest being a 20 gallon, and I don't have the money to buy another tank set up just to grow them out in. No. They can grow out in the 55 and should. Tank must be cycled first.

7. Would Discus do well in a planted tank with drift wood? Yes. That's their natural enviroment.

[MuckyFish]

I think you need you need another tank. Seems like your coming down with MTS.

On a serious note, what size of discus are you planning to get.

If you are going to grow out I would avoid planted tanks or tanks with substrate to and avoid too many tank mates as well. If you are getting adults you may have some bullying issues that could complicate things and more than a few cleaner tank mates is going to mean you are over stocked.

[ScottishFish]

Hobbs has basically got it all spot on

I done a lot of reading and talking to Discus experts so thought I'd chip in. I don't know if you've seen a fully grown adult? They are big fish!! I wouldn't advise keeping them in less than a 70G, the larger water body helps in keeping their environment stable.

They do require the warmer end of the scale, discus in cooler temps pine off with disease. Sterba cory cats are ideal tank mates.

How would you be getting your discus? Like 4-6 adults or 4-6 juveniles?

Juveniles are certainly cheaper but their maintenance is hard work! Realistically you would be doing a minimum of 80% water change every second day! If not there's a high chance of their growth being stunted.

Maintenance of adults is 75% then 3 days later 50% water changes.

Discus aren't a fish for the faint hearted, if you have a bad day at work that water change still needs done!

They are awesome fish and I'm not trying to be off putting, just chipping in

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

7. Would Discus do well in a planted tank with drift wood? Yes. That's their natural enviroment.

A Discus natural environment actually has remarkably few plants in it. The "decor" is more driftwood with a substrate of mud and leaves and plants are quite scarce. That said, they typically do quite well in out planted tanks.

[Lady Hobbs]

LOLOL....Gez, I stumbled there! You are exactly right, of course. The only Discus that has a "natural" environment are the wilds. The "homegrown" Discus natural environment is what we give them.

Thanks Brad.

Carapar, what's your pH? Keeping Discus should be contingent on what kind of water you can give them. If you have a high pH, I would go with something else.

[Carapar56]

Oh I don't even have the tank set up. I don't plan on starting until maybe november or december maybe later but I wanted all my questions answered before I started. Hmm I'd like to go with adults I'd like the smallest possible species or hybrid. I'd love to get a bigger tank but I can't afford it. The only reason I've decided to use my 55 gallon is because it housed my turtle and I'm getting rid of her soon so I've decided to clean up her old tank and use it for fish. And I don't mind cheaper looking fish in the tank with them... I want something that's active, has many different color variants and can tolerate living with Discus. I'd really like to stay away from tetras. I don't know what it is about them I just really don't like tetras. Like at all, I don't find any of them beautiful.. They're simply boring to me. I love platys. I really do I don't know what it is about them but they really are smart, inquisitive fish. Would it be possible to have the two species together? I mean I know Discus like warm temps but would a temp around 84F to 88F be good for platys and Discus? And about overstocking, if your keeping the tank clean and the have enough room the whole one inch of fish for each gallon is crap. I've kept a 4 inch blue gourami in a 10 gallon with various fish including tetras, mollies, and platys for the past 7 years. She's still healthy, happy and has plenty of living space. Of course I'd like to give her more room but its all I have atm. Thanks again for helping me out!


And what do you mean Hobbs by "probably eat all the babies for question 4" ? I don't understand. What babies? O.o Would adult 3 to 4 inch long bamboo shrimp work well in a Discus tank?

[Carapar56]

Would a pair of Bolivian Rams and a pair of German Blue Rams as well as a couple of schools of small tetras(the species I want being the serpae tetra and the emperor tetra and maybe a third small schooling tetra such as the cardinal or black phantom tetra or rummy nose tetra) and some corys do well with Discus? I've decided against platys and bamboo shrimp as they don't seem to be able to take the high temps that discus need.

[MuckyFish]

Gbr will match temperature it ideal ph may be lower.
Rams will not be happy with a bare bottom approach. They like caves and hiding spaces.

Stick with regular recommended tank mates and you'll do fine. Some compatible bottom feeders cleaner as well as fish such as cardinals for a great schooling display

[Carapar56]

I plan on having around 4 - 6 discus, a pair of GBR, a few kuhli loaches, a small school of corys, and like two or three species of school tetras. Definitely not cardinals. They're my least favorite of the tetras. And I plan on using some type of sand and having driftwood and rocks for hides for the kuhli and the GBR. It'll be a planted tank as well. I'm also going to get the Discus as adults or sub adults.