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| FAQs on Discus Selection
Related Articles: Discus,
Planted aquariums
Plants + Discus
= WOW! by Alesia Benedict,
Plants
and Discus: What They Need to Thrive by Alesia Benedict, Juraparoids,
Neotropical Cichlids, African
Cichlids, Dwarf South American Cichlids,
Asian Cichlids, Cichlid
Fishes in General,
Related FAQs: Discus 1,
Discus 2,
Discus
Identification, Discus Compatibility,
Discus Behavior,
Discus Systems,
Discus Feeding,
Discus Disease,
Discus Reproduction,
Cichlids of the World,
Cichlid Systems,
Cichlid Identification,
Cichlid Behavior,
Cichlid Compatibility, Cichlid Selection,
Cichlid Feeding,
Cichlid Disease, Cichlid
Reproduction,
Purchases should be "bright", feeding... and still
quarantined, critically so if they're wild-collected or bred/reared
overseas.
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Skin of Discus fish
01/13/2008
Hello!
I want to know about Discus Fish.
Difference between the shape of Leopard Skin and Snake Skin of Discus fish.
I can't choose, what is Leopard Skin? What is Snake Skin? In my eye the skins
are same.
Thanks WWM Crew,
NoMo
<They look pretty similar to me, too. Both have a mottled pattern of red
squiggles on a blue (or whatever) background. In theory, "leopard-skin" Discus
have a more leopard-like pattern (i.e., spots and squiggles), while "snakeskin"
ones have a pattern more like snake skin (i.e., mostly spots). But that doesn't
seem to mean much in real terms. Retailers use them interchangeably, and so do
many Discus breeders. You can even find varieties called "leopard snakeskin"
Discus! So instead of worrying too much about the names, look for good quality
specimens of a variety that appeals to you, and work from there. Cheers, Neale.>
Discus sel. and Gourami comp.
11/13/07
We have a 180 gallon well planted tank. Our water parameters are stable at
approximately 5 ppm nitrate, 0 ppm nitrite, 0 ppm ammonia, GH at 75 ppm, KH at
30 ppm, and pH of 6.2. The temperature is set at 80. Current inhabitants are 4
blue rams, 11 cardinal tetras, 5 Otos, and 4 Pristella tetras. All has been
running well for two months, and in another month we would like to add some
discus. My first question is how many discus could be added to this tank?
<I'd start with half a dozen for now. Discus are schooling fish a lot of the
time, though their pair off when sexually mature. But even then, they're much
less aggressive than even Angelfish. Add six Discus, and you should be able to
get some pairs for breeding from, if you wanted to.>
Also, as all 4 rams I purchased were males, if I am able to find a female, would
it be safe to add just one female, or should I look for a few to minimize
aggression before adding any females to the tank?
<Mikrogeophagus males are quite pushy. I'd be keeping at least one female per
male; they don't really form stable pairs, and males will try and hold a harem
if they can.>
Last question, my wife would love to add a Gourami or two to the tank, but are
there any that would be compatible with this setup?
<Many. The things to avoid are those apt to aggression, such as Trichopterus
Trichogaster (yellow, blue, three-spot Gouramis, among others) and Kissing
Gouramis. Lace and Moonlight Gouramis usually work well.
Thanks for your time,
Matt
<Cheers, Neale.>
Wild discus problem
10/2/07
I have kept a 33 gallon tank with 3 discus, 2 black ghost knives 3 Panchax
killifish and 1 black spotted catfish for over 3 years. I fed them a variety of
foods because my wild discus had a lot of holes in his head. Last month, I added
two snakeskin discus in there and they all got along well. Then the trouble
started with the smallest discus not eating. He wasn't the one being bullied
,the wild one was. Soon he passed away. The tank was very clean and all but soon
my wild discus stopped eating too. All my discus are the same size (11.5cm).
I've moved the wild discus into a 20 gallon with a bio wheel and some water
plants to see if it gets better. I've been trying to feed him beef heart,
whiteworms, Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and bloodworms but he refuses them all
and just hides in the corner. I would like to know what's wrong because I would
hate to see it die.
<Well, for a start your tank is massively overstocked. Apteronotus albifrons
gets to something like 50 cm in length and mature specimens at least (like most
electric fish) are intolerant of their own kind under home aquarium conditions.
So you simply can't keep two of them in one tank, and even one specimen of this
fish needs a big tank (150-200 cm long). You don't say anything about water
chemistry or water quality. But just to be clear: wild-caught Discus are
EXTREMELY sensitive to environmental conditions. Comparing them to tank-bred
Discus is comparing chalk with cheese. Utterly different. Tank-bred Discus are
basically easy to keep provided they are kept warm (28-30 C) and in not-too-hard
(<10 dH), acidic to neutral (pH 6-7) water. Wild-caught Discus want all that and
MORE: spotlessly clean water with next to no nitrate, dim lighting conditions,
and no aggressive tankmates. You also need to be able to select healthy
wild-caught fish to begin with; get a sick one, and you've wasted your money.
When shopping for wild Discus, I consider going along with an experienced
Discus-keeper part of the package. The holes in the head of the fish that died
were symptoms (more than likely) of Hole-in-the-Head, a protozoan infection
intimately connected with water quality. So before going further, make sure your
nitrate levels are below 20 mg/l, and ideally zero. Quarantine all wild-caught
fish before putting them into a community system, and assume that any
commercially spawned fish are potential sources of infection. In other words,
don't mix wild and tank-bred Discus. Do read Bob's excellent review of "Discus
Basics" here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/discusfish.htm
. As he says, lack of appetite is usually associated with poor environmental
conditions. So check those, and act accordingly. Cheers, Neale>
Discus Tank Stocking 8/14/06
Dear Crew,
<Eric>
Thank you for the wonderful resource you provide, and for answering my questions
in the past. I have recently moved into a new apt. and have
taken the opportunity to redo my tank. Previously it was a planted community,
but I would like to give a shot to discus. I do have about 10
years of experience with fish and have done much research but I would like to
get some outside opinions on my plans.
<Okay>
I donated all of the fish and kept the plants, which are an assortment
consisting mostly of various swords, java moss, java fern, and vals. The
only other livestock in the tank are some mystery snails, as well as what I
believe are small Ramshorn ( though I am not positive ). I don't
mind the snails because as long as I feed them once in a while they leave the
plants alone.
<A good technique>
The tank itself is a 72 gallon ( nominal ) bowfront. The filter is an Aquaclear
500 ( though I believe their model numbers have changed )
using a sponge, carbon and zeolite bags. Lighting consists of 220w PC (I don't
recall the temperature offhand ). The substrate consists of
regular gravel mixed with Eco-Complete ( I don't have it in front of me but
that's what I believe it is called ) topped off with a thin layer of
Tahitian Black Moon Sand for effect. There is rockwork and bogwood as well.
Thankfully NYC tap water is good so I don't have to add much in
terms of chemicals besides fertilizer which is dosed every few days ( I use
Seachem Flourish and Flourish tabs ).
Once the plants have taken hold, I am currently planning on stocking the tank as
follows ( after proper quarantine ):
3-5 discus bought from a breeder ( who preferably uses tap water so that they
are conditioned to my water supply )
<Good>
2 or 3 Bristlenose plecs ( 1 male )
1 or 2 pairs of Rams ( are the German and Bolivian Rams different species or
breeds ? )
<Please see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/dwfsamcichlids.htm
and the FAQs file linked above. Different species unless the common names are
getting switched>
I would like to have a group of a small schooling or shoaling dither fish but
haven't decided on which. I will probably go for 10 or so cardinal tetras to
keep with the biotype.
<Of good starting size>
5 hatchetfish ( I have a cover )
My main concern is the stocking density as I like to keep away from the crowded
tank look because I feel it takes away from the natural behavior of the fish.
<You are wise here. It does>
I am very open to suggestions both as to species and stocking numbers. While I
am not setting this up with any species breeding in mind, I do like to see the
fish interact and behave as naturally as possible under the circumstances which
is why I tried to pair certain fish.
Thanks again for your help,
Eric
<Unless you have plans to move out some of them, I would stick with no more than
three discus here. Bob Fenner>
Re: Discus/FW (Rams, Pleco...) Tank Stocking 8/16/06
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<Eric>
Thanks for your quick reply. I choose to go with 3-5 discus because I have read
that they better in schools
<If not too crowded...>
of at least 5 but I was worried that it would be too many. I think that I will
get 5 small discus and wait a few months to see if any pair off, then return or
sell the 1 or 2
that are at the bottom of the pecking order.
<A workable plan>
In regards to the rams, I have been told on a yahoo group, and read elsewhere,
that the German rams are a breed of rams (I recall it being Bolivian )
<Mmm, no... are the same Microgeophagus... ramirezi, vs. altispinosa... The
Bolivian Ram is a different species...
http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=15902&genusname=Mikrogeophagus&speciesname=altispinosus>
that were developed in Germany to exhibit the better coloration. If I decide to
not go with the rams, would a pair or two of another dwarf cichlid do
well in this tank, or should I stick with the rams?
<Possibly... there are quite a few species... some too shy, easygoing...>
Is the proper stocking of Bristlenose plecs 1 male to 2 females? Should there be
any specific order of stocking?
Thanks again,
Eric
<Best to place whatever sex ratio here, and keep an eye out for possible
pairing, remove others if they're being beaten. Bob Fenner>
Discus Stocking - 05/07/2006
<<Hi, Karen. Tom with you.>>
I have a 47G column. It is planted, and doing well. I want to put a few 2.5 inch
Discus in it. How many may I safely put in? The dimensions are 31" tall, 20"
wide and 18" deep front to back. There are no other fish, save 1 Otocinclus. I
would do a small school of cardinal tetra, but I know I am restricted due to the
lack of surface area.
<<Karen, I wouldn't go with more than three of these fish since they won't
remain this size. You're already aware of the restricted surface area with this
style of aquarium and are almost certainly aware of the need Discus have for
exceptional water conditions. They're going to need frequent water changes and
strict attention to vacuuming the substrate in your tank. These are wonderful
fish but it seems like any parasite within a city block of these guys will find
them.>>
Thanks for the expert opinion, for free, YAY!
<<Well, I can't vouch for the "expert-ness" of my opinion but, it is absolutely
free! :)>>
Karen
<<Best of luck. Tom>>
Hormoned Discus 12/28/05
Hi crew. Thanks for all your earlier replies. They were fast and helped me a
lot. I have a question about discus. How to find the difference between Hormoned
discus and those that are not hormoned. Any help in this regard will be greatly
appreciated.
< Hormoned discus are usually the little discus sold around 2 inches in diameter
that have all kinds of screaming color. In your tanks away from the hormoned
foods they then quickly lose much of their color and never regain it. Some
breeders are producing fish that actually color up at a very young age without
hormones. The best way to find out is to buy from a breeder if you can find one.
Asian discus are coming in so cheap that many discus breeders have moved on to
other things.-Chuck>
Starting With Discus 12/10/05
Yes, fist of all I just want to say thanks for all of your hard work on putting
this page together. It has been a great source of reference for many years.
Ok, on with the question. I just bought a 75 gallon tank with the hopes of raising discus, but I don't know if I have the right set up. I am using a
stealth heater two Filstar Rena canister filters xp2 and xp3. I am using medium and small gravel somewhere around 110 pounds in all. And a few fake plants
and driftwood. Is this ok please let me know. Current fish in tank, 2 baby green
severums, 2 Bala Sharks, 2 catfish Pictus and 1 Black Ghost knife 10 in.
< There are two kinds of discus, wild and tank raised. Wild discus require clean, warm, soft, acidic water. Tank raised fish are much less demanding. Overall you need to keep the pH around 7, and the nitrates as low as possible. Give them good food and they like to be crowded. In the wild they are found in big schools so get a group to make them feel more comfortable.-Chuck>
Looking For Discus Breeders
12/9/05
My name is Tim Burket & I am from Port Clinton, Ohio, 43452. Are there any
breeders in my area. Thank you --- Tim
< I think the state of Ohio has more individual fish clubs than any other. Three
very large clubs that deal with cichlids may be able to help you. In the
Cleveland area you have the Ohio Cichlid Association and the Great Lakes Cichlid
Association. Down in Cincinnati you have the Cincinnati Aquarium Society that
has a strong cichlid following.-Chuck>
Adding Discus 11/30/05
Dear Crew, My daughter and I have a 250 litre aquarium where we already keep cardinal
tetras, Corydoras spp. and Microgeophagus ramirezi. We have had the aquarium for about a year, and we would now like to buy two discus. Here in Bergen,
Norway, the shops do not supply these fish in quantities, so we have to do order. Do you recommend buying small specimens, or should we go for larger
ones. If we enjoy having them, and manage to keep them alive, we are going to set up a 600 l tank. We have done a lot of reading, but would be grateful for
some advice. Thanks for your time! Best wishes, Oda and Sindre
<If you are adding small tank raised discus then get a group of at least 6. If you are
purchasing wild discus then I would recommend adult discus and at least a group of 4.-Chuck>
Discus setup? 8/6/05
Hey i was choosing between an African cichlid tank or a discus tank, i have
chosen the discus tank and i was wondering how many discus i would be able to
put in a 55 gallon aquarium along and any other tips on looking after them would
be greatly appreciated thanks
>>You can start with 6-8 small fish in 55 gallons. I would suggest to get
yourself a beginner's book on discus because there is so much information. The
internet also has a few discus only discussion boards that are very helpful.
Try
http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum
Good Luck, Oliver
Getting New Discus
Hi, I am Brijesh from India and am planning to make a discus aquarium for myself. I am very afraid because I have heard that discus die soon. Is it true that they are delicate?
< Discus can be less tolerant of poor aquarium maintenance than many other fish.>
I do regular water changes once a week. Which types of discus do you recommend to start with?
< There are really only two types. Wild and aquarium bred strains. The aquarium bred strains can be easier to keep if they are properly raised. Your choice is simply a matter of
personal taste.>
I am planning to buy a 24x12x12 inches tank for it without any gravel. I am getting the fish from a dealer who has agreed to
quarantine it for me for a week is it enough?
< I would recommend at least a two week quarantine period. Longer if the fish
develop any problems.>
I am sure that if the discus is healthy I will be able to take care of it. I am getting these babes from Bangalore which is 400km from my place. Is it safe? Will they catch any
diseases due to stress?
< Shipping fish always puts a strain on them. If you are getting your fish from a
professional breeder then they will know how to ship them in a way to minimize the stress. Many discus have been
"hormoned" to give the young color so they can be easily sold. These fish soon lose their color in the aquarium and become difficult to breed later on. As the person you are buying the fish from if they have been hormoned. I would stay away from these fish if they have.-Chuck>
Discus, population question
Bob,
In your discus tome you write:
If you are starting with even small fishes in a small system (under twenty
gallons per individual), you should buy an odd number (3, 5) so that that the
dominant individual (and sub-dominant) will not pick on a single
lowest-subordinate conspecific.
<Yep>
I have often heard this odd-number advice, but I have never understood it. Pairs
are very bad, yes, but how is 4 worse than 3, and isn't 6 better than 5 for
disseminating aggression among several targets?
David.
<Turns out that group dynamics (just seem to) dictate that pairs (even numbers)
in small systems (most all hobby size tanks) "gang up" on other pairs... but
that having an "odd fish out" dissociates the pairing up so to speak. There are
a few human examples of this phenomena as well... I have seen "bullying" in
school gyms, bars... that appear to be semi-equivalents. Bob F>
Not trying to be a pain...
><Turns out that group dynamics (just seem to) dictate that pairs
>(even numbers) in small systems (most all hobby size tanks) "gang
>up" on other pairs... but that having an "odd fish out" dissociates
>the pairing up so to speak. There are a few human examples of this
>phenomena as well... I have seen "bullying" in school gyms, bars...
>that appear to be semi-equivalents. Bob F>
I really want to understand this. In my experience, 3 is just about the worst
number for bullying, with 2 against 1. Another common scenario is a bully with 2
sidekicks, making it 3 against 1, not 2 against 2. With poultry (some of the
meanest animals on the planet), I have never noticed a difference between odd
and even numbers, just that the fewer, the worse.
<Can be this way, but more often than not the individuality of fishes wins out
(here's a qualifier: in a large enough setting). Surely (not Shirley), in
situations with breeding pairs, the third individual/wheel, or even more numbers
are going to be harassed.>
As you may know, I have a commitment to not perpetrating aquarium husbandry
myths, however reasonable sounding. I therefore probably am too sensitive, but
is there any quantitative support for the odd-number argument?
<I understand, and agree totally... The nuances of what I'm trying to state,
advocate are REALLY only applicable to the situation mentioned... That is: 1)
provision of adequate size/volume systems to accommodate any given number of
specimens AT full size, 2) Starting these at a small/er size in an effort to
match them up for breeding. Put another way, placing larger animals in odd or
even numbers in too small a volume is a recipe for interspecies antagonism. Bob
F>
David
RE: not trying to be a pain...
Thanks. This is how I reworked it at the end of the paragraph:
It is also important to have several fish, and two is the worst possible number.
With only two, the dominant individual will pick mercilessly on the subordinate
conspecific. Several fish give several targets for any one fish’s aggression.
Studies also indicate that when there is an odd number of fish, they are less
likely to gang up, and it helps to have an odd fish out.
Does this sound all right?
<Yes. Thank you. Bob F>
David
Looking for Symphysodon from the source
Am looking for a exporter of discus in Brazil .thanks Stan
< Go to Belowwater.com and get in contact with him about wild discus. He has
been to South America many times and specializes in wild discus.-Chuck>
Discus breeder in Italy. Post on WWM
AQUARIUM ZOO
IMPORT TROPICAL FISH
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<We don't offer or sell livestock. Discus breeder in Italy. Post on WWM. BobF>
B.R.G.
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