# is keeping discus really that challenging?



## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

I would like to get some juvenile discus to grow out and put in a planted tank but if you read the discus forums you would think you can only raise discus in bare bottom tanks. A juvenile discus in a planted tank is a death sentence it seems. Now I found some nice dime to quarter sized discus and and am thinking I can grow them out a bit in a bare bottom 10 and 20 gallon tank but once they get 3" or so I would like to move them to a larger planted tank. So does anyone here have discus?


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

To put it as simply as I can, keeping discus is not at all difficult, except that you need to appreciate that they are intolerant of poor water quality and conditions. So yes, they are somewhat more challenging in terms of requiring a little extra work and attention to maintain the essential water quality. 
But if you follow a few simple rules: e.g., inter alia, buy healthy, well shaped fish from a reputable experienced source; give them the water temp and quality (WCS) they need; and a good diet, - and you'll succeed.
If you're seriously interested in discus, you might like to have a read of my 'Beginner's Guide to Getting Started with Discus', a Sticky in the Discus Basics for Beginners section of simplydiscus.com forum - link:
www.forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?86009-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Getting-Started-with-Discus
Your plan for getting some very young fish (say 8-10) and starting them out in a 20 gal bare-bottom tank until they grow out to near 3" is a good one, and following that, you can introduce them to a much larger, planted tank (at least 75 gals).
Here's my 75 gal planted discus tank, pics taken several months ago when the Red SnakeSkins were just around 3" - (some are now 5.5" and much more colorful) - this just to give you an idea.
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/FTS-Osaka260

The only 'risk', if you want to call it that, you run in trying to raise juveniles in a planted display tank as opposed to BB all the way until they reach adult stage, is that some of them may turn out somewhat stunted - a little dirty word to say that some may not grow as large as they could, or might, in a BB tank. 
Hope this helps.
Please don't hesitate to call on me if I can be of further help.


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## VeeSe (Apr 16, 2011)

I know nothing about discus but find it interesting that they can stunt simply by being raised in a planted tank. Why is that?


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanks, I've been reading over at simply discus, lots of good info. My plan is to start the 7 very small discus in a 12x8x6" refugium inside the bare bottom 10 gallon (the breeder suggested I started in something smaller than a 10 gallon), them move them to a 10 gallon bare bottom tank then to a 20 gallon and then hopefully into a 55 gallon low tech planted tank (could be a 75 gallon though). I'm going to feed them mainly beef heart in the beginning then mix in beef heart and worm flake later.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

lipadj46 said:


> Thanks, I've been reading over at simply discus, lots of good info. My plan is to start the 7 very small discus in a 12x8x6" refugium inside the bare bottom 10 gallon (the breeder suggested I started in something smaller than a 10 gallon), them move them to a 10 gallon bare bottom tank then to a 20 gallon and then hopefully into a 55 gallon low tech planted tank (could be a 75 gallon though). I'm going to feed them mainly beef heart in the beginning then mix in beef heart and worm flake later.


For 7 fish, your breeder has given you excellent advice. I would suggest though, that your young ones might be better off starting them in the 10 gal right off the bat, rather than the smaller refugium, if only for the fact that multiple, fairly frequent transfers to other tanks while young can tend to stress them more than they need to be. And the smaller tank will likely need more frequent cleaning and closer attention to parameters, based strictly on water quantity.



VeeSe said:


> I know nothing about discus but find it interesting that they can stunt simply by being raised in a planted tank. Why is that?


There are a variety of reasons, but the use of a BB tank as opposed to planted mainly boils down to swimming/exercise space to build appetite in young fish, the ease of maintaining higher water quality in it, ease of rigorous tank cleaning, ability to feed messier (but more nutritious) foods, in a bare-bottom tank. 
Example: feeding beefheart mixtures can easily cloud & pollute a planted tank, whereas BB allows all uneaten food to be vacced up readily & fully.
(Also provides a much easier observational and medicating environment, if necessary).
A BB environment allows discus growth to as full a potential as possible, whereas the routines involved in maintaining a planted tank, (One example is fertilizing plants & the use of CO2)- which may not be conducive to optimum fish growth).
Also planted tanks do not usually receive the rigorous and religious cleansing possible in BB, further aggravating growth possibilities.
That's about the best way I can put it. Although there are other reasons, but I don't want to write a book & bore you.
Hope that answers.


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## Deahttub (Apr 17, 2011)

In my experience wih discus, the biggest issue is when you first get them. Usually, hey have bacterial infections etc...if you want to have discus, i reccomend either an agressive quarentine, or buing direcly from a breeder(probably the best method)...i also agree with what was posted about water quality...


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

discuspaul said:


> For 7 fish, your breeder has given you excellent advice. I would suggest though, that your young ones might be better off starting them in the 10 gal right off the bat, rather than the smaller refugium, if only for the fact that multiple, fairly frequent transfers to other tanks while young can tend to stress them more than they need to be. And the smaller tank will likely need more frequent cleaning and closer attention to parameters, based strictly on water quantity.


That is what I was thinking but he says they would feel more comfortable being closer together. The thing with the refugium is it shares water with whatever tank it is in (it has a powerhead to flow water in from the main tank) so I have it in the 10 gallon at the moment. I will be getting these discus next week so I'm pretty psyched.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

lipadj46 said:


> That is what I was thinking but he says they would feel more comfortable being closer together. The thing with the refugium is it shares water with whatever tank it is in (it has a powerhead to flow water in from the main tank) so I have it in the 10 gallon at the moment. I will be getting these discus next week so I'm pretty psyched.


Well, being closer together when quite small is ok advice, but they'll grow quickly, and will appreciate the extra space that will indeed be needed as they are in the 'quarter' size and larger. But go with your gut feel.
You're doing all the right things, so I'm confident you'll be successful.


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## snail_chen (Jul 13, 2007)

I keep 7 adult discus in a 75 gallon heavily planted tank for over a year. I find it easy to keep high water quality as plants will take care of the waste. Can you believe that I do not have to change the water ( I have over twenty years of tropical fish - but not discus - keeping experience and am an aquatic plant collector and seller) even though I am feeding them beef heart every day. And my plants also grow like weed with so much nutrients in the water column.

However i have to admit the Downside with planted: discus tend to hide and are shy; some have peppering on their body. Since I got them as adult I cannot say whether they will be stunted.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

snail_chen said:


> I keep 7 adult discus in a 75 gallon heavily planted tank for over a year. I find it easy to keep high water quality as plants will take care of the waste. Can you believe that I do not have to change the water ( I have over twenty years of tropical fish - but not discus - keeping experience and am an aquatic plant collector and seller) even though I am feeding them beef heart every day. And my plants also grow like weed with so much nutrients in the water column.
> 
> However i have to admit the Downside with planted: discus tend to hide and are shy; some have peppering on their body. Since I got them as adult I cannot say whether they will be stunted.


You are quite right - they can do well in a planted tank so long as you do all the right things. 
Your last sentence is key - if they are mature/adult size - no problem.
But if they are young ones - more often than not, you could have difficulty with proper, full growth potential - and the results could be disappointing - as many discus keepers will attest to. You just need to be careful and have good tank cleaning/maintenance routines. And yes, plants can help with maintaining good water quality.


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## snail_chen (Jul 13, 2007)

I want to add that you probably do not have to use RO water for discus as long as you do not plan to have them lay eggs for you. But higher temperature Will make them happy.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

yeah my water is very soft (2 dKH and dGH) forgot to add that.


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## snail_chen (Jul 13, 2007)

lipadj46 said:


> yeah my water is very soft (2 dKH and dGH) forgot to add that.


That is a bless for you. I wish my water is as soft.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

And that should be no problem for keeping discus.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

well I got my juvies from joe gargas. These are the "dime" sized F2s he is selling on aquabid for $15 each with free priority mail shipping. Afew comments... First I bought 5 and he sent 6 just in case one did not make it (all are healthy), second these "dime" sized discus are more like quarter to silver dollar sized, finally his packaging was top notch, fitted styrofoam box with each discus in their own thermo-sealed kordon bag, these fish could live at least for a week I bet in their shipping box. I've read some negative comments about his prices/size and priority shipping but I think that I got a fine deal. Now lets see if I can keep them alive and growing!


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Congrats - they look real nice. Do you know what strain(s) the parents are ?
Give them good frequent feedings, regular large daily wcs if you can, and some TLC, and they'll be 'big boys & girls' in no time.
As I said before, don't hesitate to PM me if I can be of any help.
Best of luck. 
Paul


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## nikonD70s (Apr 6, 2008)

lipadj46 said:


> well I got my juvies from joe gargas. These are the "dime" sized F2s he is selling on aquabid for $15 each with free priority mail shipping. Afew comments... First I bought 5 and he sent 6 just in case one did not make it (all are healthy), second these "dime" sized discus are more like quarter to silver dollar sized, finally his packaging was top notch, fitted styrofoam box with each discus in their own thermo-sealed kordon bag, these fish could live at least for a week I bet in their shipping box. I've read some negative comments about his prices/size and priority shipping but I think that I got a fine deal. Now lets see if I can keep them alive and growing!



discus are easy, atleast to me they are. one important thing is to get them from a good source that have healthy stocks. then your already a big step ahead. often time people think discus is hard is because they start off with poor quality discus that they often buy from LFS which most of the time sell bad ones that are stunted and doesnt have proper care. so when they die they assume discus are hard to keep.

its not recommended to have young discus in planted establish tank is because juvie discus requires lots of water change and food for best growth or they can be stunted and not grown to there potential. so its best to grow them out in a bare bottom tank cuz its a lot easier to clean. with juvies your goin to have to waterchange everyday and feed 5-10x times a day for optimum growth.

also depending on strains. discus can peper up in planted tanks especially with dark background and substrates. the brighter the layout of your tank the brighter the discus will be. unless you get albino's.the dont peper up or have any black markings so you can keep them in darker tanks.

from the above pic of your discus. they appear to be not good quality as you can see they are already peppering at that stage. they will most likely have peppering the rest of there lives or even pepper up some more. but if you dont mind it then its alright. but as for quality goes they are not good.

not trying to be a jerk or anything and it sounds a lil harsh but im just telling you the truth of discus. in my opinion if you really want discus in a planted tank. start off with adult discus. easier to maintain. and get them from a better source. i would recommend vendors over at simplydiscusforum and look under kenny chung in daly city. he is one of the top vendors on there and have shipments every month.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

discuspaul said:


> Congrats - they look real nice. Do you know what strain(s) the parents are ?
> Give them good frequent feedings, regular large daily wcs if you can, and some TLC, and they'll be 'big boys & girls' in no time.
> As I said before, don't hesitate to PM me if I can be of any help.
> Best of luck.
> Paul


Parents are a red domestic female and a wild tefe green male. Here is a vid:

http://tbas1.wiredtron.com/index.php/topic,1298.0.html

Thanks for all the help, I'll let you know if I run into any trouble. They are eating beef heart, baby brine shrimp and flakes so that is good



nikonD70s said:


> from the above pic of your discus. they appear to be not good quality as you can see they are already peppering at that stage. they will most likely have peppering the rest of there lives or even pepper up some more. but if you dont mind it then its alright. but as for quality goes they are not good.
> 
> not trying to be a jerk or anything and it sounds a lil harsh but im just telling you the truth of discus.


I think you might be trying to be just a little jerk but that's OK. Gargas is a great breeder and has been doing this for a long time. As far as the peppering, yeah the pic was 10 minutes after dumping them out of the bags. Time will tell what they will look like but I'm not that worried about it as this is all a learning experience for me (and a pretty inexpensive one at that).


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

lipadj46 -
I don't believe that's peppering at all - just the genes coming through from the parentage.
Don't worry about it for now. Give them good care & let them grow out & see what you get.
And I don't believe they're not good quality either. Their shape is not unusual for their age and size. The determination of the quality of those fish is far too early to tell.
Do your thing, and I sincerely believe those fish could turn out better than you might expect.
Keep up the good work.
Regards & good luck, 
paul


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## Cody6511 (Jul 8, 2011)

I have to agree with everything Paul said. I feel also that they are a simple fish to keep as long as you can invest the required time that they need for proper care. Also wanted to say that anyone that wants discus think about buying the ones that the breeder intended to cull. That is what I did and all 9 are now happily doing great and their only "defect" was that they didn't have "champion" quality potential.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

discuspaul said:


> lipadj46 -
> I don't believe that's peppering at all - just the genes coming through from the parentage.
> Don't worry about it for now. Give them good care & let them grow out & see what you get.
> And I don't believe they're not good quality either. Their shape is not unusual for their age and size. The determination of the quality of those fish is far too early to tell.
> ...


Thanks, yeah I'm not really worried about it, from everything I have read they are in the too young to tell stage. I'm just going to have fun with learning a new aspect of the hobbie. Whether they turn out to be perfect specimens or to be abominations we shall see. On a side note I have noticed that some percentage of discus folks are REALLY into these fish  thanks again


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

for growing out can a floater be used? such as water lettuce or water hyacinth? just for extra nutrient soak? I would love to get discus but the price of 50-60 per head of what I want is quite a bit to fill my 100


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Sure it can be used - don't know about adding any nutrient element though - but might give a little shade & make discus feel just a touch more comfortable (from the lighting) - thats about the best you could expect. But hey, give it a go - nothing wrong with it.
If you can afford it, shrimpnewbie - go for it - you have a great tank size for it - it's very satisfying and I don't think you would regret it.
And for what it's worth, I'll be here to help, if you ever need me.


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## nikonD70s (Apr 6, 2008)

shrimpNewbie said:


> for growing out can a floater be used? such as water lettuce or water hyacinth? just for extra nutrient soak? I would love to get discus but the price of 50-60 per head of what I want is quite a bit to fill my 100


you can if you want, but no need to since your most likely going to do waterchange pretty much everyday for grow outs. so your water would be clear. for $50-60 each thats the price of semi adults to adults...depending on what strain and quality. i used to have 8 albino discus in my 135g at $100 each. choose wisely since theres so many strains. 

old discus


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

nikonD70s -
Those are very good-looking fish ! Love them.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

i like the orangeish discus with the bright blue stripes, my favorite even if common =] not sure of the name


thanks for the info, and by nutrient soak I meant taking up some of the ammonia and nitrates, the shade will be added benefit I guess, anyone know a good place to get babies in socal? would prefer they not go a long journey =]


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Yes, the floaters would probably help do that - although there shouldn't be a need for them if you have a BB tank, are doing large frequent wcs, and have a good sponge filter.

Looking for discus fry in So Cal ? -
Kenny's Discus in Daley City, Ca. is probably one of, if not the best, for discus in the U.S., according to numerous experienced discus keepers on the simplydiscus.com forum. However, don't know if he breeds his own, or has access to good fry from other So Cal breeders - you could check with him, he'll probably know.
He's a very successful, reputable importer of Forrest discus from Malaysia.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

okay thanks a lot, is there a south american variety? I may have read wrong but always assumed they came from there. =p


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## nikonD70s (Apr 6, 2008)

discuspaul said:


> nikonD70s -
> Those are very good-looking fish ! Love them.





discuspaul said:


> Yes, the floaters would probably help do that - although there shouldn't be a need for them if you have a BB tank, are doing large frequent wcs, and have a good sponge filter.
> 
> Looking for discus fry in So Cal ? -
> Kenny's Discus in Daley City, Ca. is probably one of, if not the best, for discus in the U.S., according to numerous experienced discus keepers on the simplydiscus.com forum. However, don't know if he breeds his own, or has access to good fry from other So Cal breeders - you could check with him, he'll probably know.
> He's a very successful, reputable importer of Forrest discus from Malaysia.





shrimpNewbie said:


> i like the orangeish discus with the bright blue stripes, my favorite even if common =] not sure of the name
> 
> 
> thanks for the info, and by nutrient soak I meant taking up some of the ammonia and nitrates, the shade will be added benefit I guess, anyone know a good place to get babies in socal? would prefer they not go a long journey =]


thanks paul, and paul is correct. kenny over at simply discus is the top vendor on that forum. he has 1-2 shipments every month imported from forest from over seas. he isnt a breeder just imports and sells them. but im sure he has some small ones for sale. and he can prolly hook you up with a great deal for left over's hes wanting to get rid of. although most of the time his shipment sells out fast. there are south american varities of discus. those are wild discus.

here his vendors page. you can email or call him and ask what he has.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forum...-s-Discus-(Kenny-Cheung)-Daly-City-California

if you want local in socal close to you. bill in rialto is your best bet. heres his page. you can contact him and arrange an appointment for you to go check out his stock and hand pick some juvies.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forum...mpire-Discus-(Bill-Schroer)-Rialto-California


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

wow thank you, i'll check them out once I get this parasite under control and start my 100 =]


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

shrimpNewbie said:


> okay thanks a lot, is there a south american variety? I may have read wrong but always assumed they came from there. =p


Just to clarify - all Discus have originated from the wild in tributaries of the Amazon river in S.A.
Most discus available these days are not wild-caught in S.A., but farm-bred in various countries of the world, and Malaysia just happens to be one the best and most prolific countries for domestic discus breeding & exporting to the rest of the world, particularly to N.A.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

discuspaul said:


> Yes, the floaters would probably help do that - although there shouldn't be a need for them if you have a BB tank, are doing large frequent wcs, and have a good sponge filter.
> 
> Looking for discus fry in So Cal ? -
> Kenny's Discus in Daley City, Ca. is probably one of, if not the best, for discus in the U.S., according to numerous experienced discus keepers on the simplydiscus.com forum. However, don't know if he breeds his own, or has access to good fry from other So Cal breeders - you could check with him, he'll probably know.
> He's a very successful, reputable importer of Forrest discus from Malaysia.



Daly City is in SF, Nor Cal, not So Cal. Bing Seto, Dick Au both reside in the SF area and have more than few comments and books on the subject.
I've gotten some of their culls for cheap, but they and others here have good stock if you wanna pay for it.

I think CO2 is FAR more a factor and feeding/food in planted tanks than ANY nutrient issues, other than NH4.....which is absent in planted tanks.
Folks worry too much about nutrients and not enough about the REAL killer, CO2.

I'm also not sure that stunted smaller discus are "bad" per se, Bonsai are not bad either and large fish in a smaller tank does not look good either.
Depends on the aquarist goal there...........And folks like to add/cram many fish into a small tank.

I've bred discus, set up massive tanks for them, and measured the planted tank parameters going back 15-20 years now. Myths abound strongly still with plants and these fish.


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## buddy.chucky (May 12, 2012)

*I bought 16 quarter size discus,*

my question is can i use tap water i believe it has flouride, for very small size discus i also have sand that i bought from a swimming pool place that very small granule that i added about a month ago deciding to buy african fish, i have raise dicus before i sold them and they were adults,to make this story short ,do i have to remove the sand and make it bare,and buy bottle water from a super store 1.25 for a five gallons ,thank you mike


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

discuspaul said:


> Yes, the floaters would probably help do that - although there shouldn't be a need for them if you have a BB tank, are doing large frequent wcs, and have a good sponge filter.
> 
> Looking for discus fry in So Cal ? -
> Kenny's Discus in Daley City, Ca. is probably one of, if not the best, for discus in the U.S., according to numerous experienced discus keepers on the simplydiscus.com forum. However, don't know if he breeds his own, or has access to good fry from other So Cal breeders - you could check with him, he'll probably know.
> He's a very successful, reputable importer of Forrest discus from Malaysia.


Bill @ inland empire discus usually has good fry available and is more local. Seen all his barebottom tanks and they look great. He also sells good beefheart flake a good stable diet.

I got all my Adults from Kenny, they look awesome, I dont' think he sells fry though.


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## LS6 Tommy (May 13, 2006)

snail_chen said:


> Can you believe that I do not have to change the water ( I have over twenty years of tropical fish - but not discus - keeping experience and am an aquatic plant collector and seller) even though I am feeding them beef heart every day. And my plants also grow like weed with so much nutrients in the water column.


Not to be insulting, but your tank will eventually crash. Guaranteed. You MUST do regular water changes. When all you do is add new water you are concentrating all the dissolved solids, any waste pollutants & chemicals left from evaporation. Eventually the tank will be saturated with them & it will just stop "working". Just about no one has yet to keep a perfect self contained biosphere that needs zero water changes...

Can you get away with diminished water changes with a large plant load? Yes. Can you eliminate them? No.

Tommy


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## Quesenek (Sep 26, 2008)

They aren't Challenging per se but the challenge being that you have to take care of them daily without fail until they grow into adults.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

I was the op on this thread about a year ago so will give my 2 cents on raising young discus. Out of the 7 Joe gargas discus I started with 3 are alive at 5" and of the 6 stendkers I started with 3 are alive at 6" (one just jumped to death last week). I have done daily water changes since I got them and still they found interesting and varied ways to die from columnaris to flukes to flagellates to jumping. Now that I am experienced and have made all the mistakes, I can raise up juvies without deaths and can deal with the regular issues quite easily. But still they will keep you on your toes


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

I will toss this out here because I feel like it should be said, dime-quarter size discus is a little small for a beginner. You can do it, but they're much less forgiving about errors, and there's so much more you can do (or not do) to mess up their growth for the rest of their lives.


I would suggest buying like 2.3-3 inch discus, then just do a lot of water changes and feeding and wham bam you've got good discus.

Also, a 55 is small in my opinion, I'm sure you'll agree when they get to adult size. 7 fish that can be six to eight inches in a 55 with plants is a little crammed, a 75 is much more suitable.


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## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

I got my 3 discus from the same person. He sent me 4 
For $30 shipped that's a real deal.

I keep my discus in tap water with a ph of 6.5
Kh n gh at 4-5 drop. 

I dose npk +fe, water change 50% a week.
Feed them 2 cube DIY beef heart food, 3 time a day.

I have 1 7inch black ghost, 1 catfish. 6 rummy nose, 6 cory, 2 Otto.


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## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

Any info you read online about discus isnt true.
Mostly the part where it say keeping discus is hard.

I'm going to grab 6 super red from the same person in a couple week.


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Man you gotta change more than 50% weekly. That ain't cool. Like cleaning your room once a year as a kid, stuff gets dirty.


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## Warlock (Feb 28, 2012)

TWA said:


> Man you gotta change more than 50% weekly. That ain't cool. Like cleaning your room once a year as a kid, stuff gets dirty.


yep


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

In.a.Box said:


> Any info you read online about discus isnt true.
> Mostly the part where it say keeping discus is hard.
> 
> I'm going to grab 6 super red from the same person in a couple week.


Get back to us in a year


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

In.a.Box said:


> Any info you read online about discus isnt true.
> QUOTE]
> 
> What isn't true, is that sentence.


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## Tillerjockey (Jan 30, 2013)

I don't find my discus to be any more or less challenging than any other fish. I was afraid to try them but finally decided to go ahead. I've got 6 in a heavily planted 55 gallon tank with some guppies and assorted tetras. All get along. I really like them.. they look great and like to interact with me when I'm near the tank. Feeding them is also fun. Most of the time they get flake food, but once a week or so I give them frozen blood worms as a treat. They also forage and seem to eat algae or some other plant material. My tank is at 76 degrees, pH = 7.5. Nitrates less than10. I only change about 10% of my water twice a year, just because I think I should. hardness is around 5-6. If you have good plants and a good thick substrate, I don't think frequent water changes are required. They seem happy. I'm going to go to 150 gallon tank so I can get more discus. I got mine from Mac's on line. They were very customer friendly with excellent communication and the fish arrived in a heated container, healthy and fresh. It took them a few days to get over the stress of being in a new tank but they finally started to eat and have been a delight to have. I also had a power outage this winter and the temp dropped to 62 degrees in the tank before the power came back on. All the fish survived nicely.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

Tillerjockey said:


> I don't find my discus to be any more or less challenging than any other fish. I was afraid to try them but finally decided to go ahead. I've got 6 in a heavily planted 55 gallon tank with some guppies and assorted tetras. All get along. I really like them.. they look great and like to interact with me when I'm near the tank. Feeding them is also fun. Most of the time they get flake food, but once a week or so I give them frozen blood worms as a treat. They also forage and seem to eat algae or some other plant material. My tank is at 76 degrees, pH = 7.5. Nitrates less than10. I only change about 10% of my water twice a year, just because I think I should. hardness is around 5-6. If you have good plants and a good thick substrate, I don't think frequent water changes are required. They seem happy. I'm going to go to 150 gallon tank so I can get more discus. I got mine from Mac's on line. They were very customer friendly with excellent communication and the fish arrived in a heated container, healthy and fresh. It took them a few days to get over the stress of being in a new tank but they finally started to eat and have been a delight to have. I also had a power outage this winter and the temp dropped to 62 degrees in the tank before the power came back on. All the fish survived nicely.


Almost 5 years old...... lol

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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Would really like to see a photo of that tank & fish today. Probably non-existent.


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## DavidZ (Nov 17, 2009)

I second what Paul said, lets see.

Lets be honest here, the trick is to raise the discus from dime to 8 inched in the 55gl, I love magic.
Then we go into quality of stock, not all discus are created equal.
Plus skimping on water changes, is impossible.
With discus you get what you pay for, and the work you put in.
That is why most will buy from reputable source.
It's simple if you do not want to put in the work, don't get discus.
If you want to get them to 8 inches in 55GL, stop dreaming.
There is no magic to growing discus, its simple, don't cut corners.

If you want to take it easy, get 4.5inch plus from someone like Kenny and a large tank with extra filtration, have a drink and enjoy.
You can even put them in an established planted tank.

By the way Bill has one of the best beef flake on the market, no joke!


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