Keeping Discus

Hi Professor.
I have been researching and doing my homework on keeping discus before i buy them, but i still have a few questions that i can't find answers for.
Firstly I have a Jewel Rio 180 which is 101 x 41 x 50cm and has +-180L of water, is this tank big enough to keep Discus? I have 20 neon tetras which are going to a new home, after being told they can go with Discus and doing my research and finding out they can not, I also have 4 Khuli Loaches can they be with Discus or will the high temperature of the water burn them out? The same goes for my High Fin Plecostomus and three Bleeding heart Tetras. I have Umgeni river sand as the substrate and three small pieces of drift wood. As for plants i have a Giant Vallisneria and Java Fern. I will be getting more plants that can handle the high temperatures of a discus tank. I would also like a price list of the foods you sell and if you would be able to supply me Discus or know of a trust worthy breeder?

Thanks a Million
Steve

 

Hi Steve,

This aquarium may be OK initially but not in the long run. Why I say this is that you should work on 70 litres per adult discus, not very much less. The tank should not be shallower than 50 cm and 60 wide is recommended. You could start with this 180 litre aquarium when you first start off with smaller discus, but remember that you should not keep less than 6 discus or else the biggest one will dominate the rest and systematically bash them into submission and you will loose one after the other. You must also remember that discus require large water changes sometimes 50% per week and you need to work out if you can do this with buckets or hose pipes onto your lawn. However this maintenance is essential and if you have a difficult setup, you may find that this becomes too much work and you loose interest. Organize yourself properly before starting.

Tank mates: NO kuhli loaches, VERY DEFINITELY NO PLECOS high fin or normal, they steal discus food, sucker up on the fishes and completely freak them out. Bleeding heart tetras are fine though.

If you want a price list you will have to send me a PM with your private email address so that I can send you the pricelist as an attachment. I will be away at a conference next week and will not have much time to reply in the next ten days.

Kind regards,

Dirk

 

Hi Guys .... thanks for this post - also thinking of starting a Discus tank and this is very useful info....

 

Thank you Professor. Maybe i will keep Discus at a later stage. But i will still like a price list so that i may get other stuff for my tank. Thanks again.

Regards
Steve

 

Hi Steve and dangerous Dave,

I started keeping tropical fish in 1968, and by 1988, I thought I knew enough to start with discus. Well when I started I had to learn from starters again. I have now kept discus for 22 years and I still learn. Discus are unforgiving, make a mistake and you loose some. Normal tropical fish you can correct something and then it is OK, not discus, you loose some every time you make a mistake. You have to think big. One adult discus is equivalent roughly to 166 neons, so think if you had 4 discus or 664 neons in a tank what you would have to do, in terms of filtration and feeding to keep them happy.... lots of water management, water changes and strong filters.... and LOTS of VERY HIGH QUALITY food. So, if you have the money and the time it is fine, if not forget it! I am not trying to put you off, I am just being realistic, believe me!

Kind regards,

Dirk