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Discus Compatability

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alextal
Post subject: Discus Compatability
Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:58 am
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What kind of fish can you mix with Discus fish that will both leave them alone and can handle the water conditions?


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Admin
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:57 pm
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Cory Cats (the warm water tolerant ones, such as Adolfoi...not Barbatus)
Flagtail Porthole cats
checkerboard cichlids
Rams
Apistogrammas
young Jurupari Eartheaters
black ghost knives
small plecos
gouramis
livebearers
most tetras (not giant flashy ones like silver dollars)
....anything that's slow moving and peaceful and smaller than them
that likes warm water

I avoid Rainbowfish with Discus
(they're not trying to hurt them, they're just crazy fast moving and greedy for food)

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alextal
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:20 am
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do discus really require about 50% water changes PER DAY? Are they really extremely difficult to keep in a planted tank? I've been reading the best way to keep them is in a bare bottom tank with extremely frequent large water changes.


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Admin
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:11 pm
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do discus really require about 50% water changes PER DAY?
This would be ideal, but no it's not essential...I would say 50% weekly MINIMUM.

Are they really extremely difficult to keep in a planted tank?
NO, they love planted tanks...only problem is, when they get big they eat amano shrimp.

I've been reading the best way to keep them is in a bare bottom tank with extremely frequent large water changes.
Well, yes, this is the easiest way to Turbo-feed and grow the fish...and also clean the tank (no gravel which can trap waste).
Also, if you're trying to breed them you can't have scavengers in with the discus, the scavengers will eat the Discus eggs.
Discus are very messy eaters, so if you keep them with other fish like Cory cats, these other fish will clean up the leftovers.

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alextal
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:29 pm
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I read all this stuff on a forum called simplydiscus.com, it seems like they really really encourage only barebottom tanks.

I'm thinking of either going bigger for a 90 gallon tank or just refinishing my 55 gallon tank and clear out all the current inhabitants to do this. If I kept my 55 gallon, would I be able to keep about 4 adult discus? Would I have to add them all together at the same time or would they do fine if I added them one at a time? Do they really need to be fed 2-4 times a day? That seems a little much considering my current fish are growing and thriving on being fed a healthy variety of food once a day to once every other day.

I'm not in a rush, so I want to get the plants thriving and looking nice before I add the fish for a few months. After that I would probably understand how to get the water chemistry the way I need. Then I'd establish probably 2 corys and about a dozen or so cardinal tetras. What kind of corys can handle that type of temperature and do a decent clean up job?

Man Ned, sorry to bombard you with all these questions. I didn't realize until now how many questions I had. I guess I just haven't felt like I've been getting straight good answers yet. Thanks in advance.


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Admin
Post subject: DU ?
Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:56 am
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DU ?

If your're not going to feed them 3 times a day,
why would you care
if you have to change the water once a day
or once a week?
It's obvious you are not going to do either.

Get a Cat.

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alextal
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:18 am
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I would if it's needed. That wouldn't be an issue. I just have read that it's better for fish health to not be fed 3 times a day like the back of the feed containers say as it just produces too much uneaten food. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong and let me know but that doesn't mean I wouldn't do it.


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Admin
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 5:17 pm
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Wild fish eat all day every day, usually very small amounts at a time...

however discus are very finicky...
if you give them only bloodworms for a long enough time, they can go on hunger strike 'til they get 'em again.
Their 2 favorites are live black worms & frozen bloodworms...
I don't feed either at the store...
in my opinion blackworms can cause disease
&
I happen to be allergic to bloodworms...

so I try to vary their diet with
2 or 3 flavors of flake, I like Omega Sea products...
2 or 3 flavors of granule food, Tetra bits and Sera discus color & New Life Spectrum...
and 2 or 3 flavors of frozen, Mysis Shrimp, Wattly Formula, brine shrimp, glassworms, etc.

The high heat helps keep them hungry
and more likekly to accept a variety

The frequent heavy feedings
require the frequent water changes

(Please pardon my snippiness, I mean to joke, but sometimes it sounds meaner than it's meant to be)

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alextal
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:25 pm
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Eh, I understand. No one's very happy before 7 AM anyways.

I guess what I was getting at was not the frequency as the total amount. That's something I could figure out as I've read it's smart to either clean the tank or scoop out the leftovers after about 10 minutes of a feeding.

I think I'm ready for the discus, but I think the plants will take some learning.


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fishmommy
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Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:39 am
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I like to use my discus tank as an opportunity to stock other very touchy species. Might as well, right!
Chocolate gouramis are an excellent match for instance, and pretty unusual.
Rams are also good, though these days they must be treated for parasites before you place them with discus.
Cardinals are ok, if a bit boring IMO :lol:


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