FishProfiles.com Message Forums

okay ..quick question. 10 gallon tank ..
How would a couple of Discus fish do in there?
Ive been looking at all the ideas people give me for fish and i love them all, but i also came across these and their my favorite ..so? Ive seen that their kind of expensive but ..i dont care.
And how well do they get along with others.. Bacause if they dont work well of if my hopes to work out ..then Ill just get another 10 gallon tank ..or 20 ..and put some in that ..

Discus get way to big for a 10 gallon, or a 20 gallon. Additionally they need excellent water quality and aren't exactly what's considered beginner fish.
This FAQ may be of some assistance.

^_^

They need at least (bare minimum) a 30 gallon tank, and about 15 gallons per fish (in addition to what space other fish take up). They also need excellent water quality and are very skittish and tempermental. Active fish disturb them. Discus get a good 7" long, and are deep-bodied, which is a big reason why they need such a big tank, plus they are cichlids so they can get territorial. If you want to try a fish that is pretty like the discus in a 10 gallon tank, blue rams can fit better, as could dwarf gouramis. They will also do well with a school of smaller fish. Hope that helps!

><>

Discus get really big (about 8 inches from head to base of tail). A 30 gallon is the SMALLEST I would put a dicus in, and like superlion said, about 15 to 20 more gallons for EACH additional dicus. You have to also worry about any other fish that you might put in there.

Also, Discus are VERY demanding fish. They require the best of water quality, and water parameters that are pretty hard to get, and even harder to maintain.

when i looked at them on the internet all it said were they 2.5 inches. confused. but.. thats okay.Maybe later. okay but! what about frogs...Dwarf frogs. that would be cool.

African dwarf frogs would be ok in a 10g, as long as it is completely covered. What else are you putting in there?

]&lt;]Dani&lt;]&lt;

2.5 inches is probably the size they will be when they're shipped.

-Keith

http://www.ozarkgames.com

lets see,

an apple snail, 2 or 3 cory cats, 1 sparkling gourami, 3 platys(maybe)

I figure 6 will be okay just because i think they will be pretty spread out in their areas, all the cory cats i looked at are always at the bottom of the tank (is this right?) apple snail..hes never gunna take up much room and i figure he aint gunna be swimming around everywhere, sparkling gourami and 3 platys..the gourami with have friends...just ..not of his kind..lol

If you get cories, get atleast 6 PER SPECIES. They are a shoaling/schooling fish and will be very stressed if they don't have company. They don't show their wonderful personalities when they're in small groups anyway...

If you want cories, 6 would be good in a 10g, and maybe some other surface dwelling fish with them

hmm ..well then ..what other kinda of fish can i get only a couple of that stay close to the bottom

Possibly a Synodontis catfish? I dunno how big they get, but they look similar to cories, and I beleive they're territorial...

Synodontis get WAY too big for a 10 gallon... my Syno. eupterus is at least 6 inches long and even the upside-down cats get a good 4 inches...

Perhaps a good alternative to cories would be a small group (say three) of ottos. Or a hillstream loach (as long as the water is not in the high range).

><>

...not to mention the fact that most of the smaller end synos prefer some sort of company.

As I said...I didn't know how big they get...but now I know....Thanks

Hillstream loaches are really picky about low temperatures and good water conditions, and are definately not a beginner fish! They're a coldwater fish and shouldn't be kept with tropicals (I made that mistake). Both of mine died after a few months because of stress and high temps. I'll be getting more sometime when I have the money, now that I have a coldwater rivertank set up for them

I think otos for a bottom feeder... well they're more of a stuck to the side of the tank feeder they're nice and small and do a good job cleaning

oh and about those platys... just remeber they're livebearers and multiply before you know it

i have a 15 and a 10 gallon tank and am having a blast atm. i have 1 pair of kribensis in one tank and their fry in the other tank with a few corries. it is very fun and exciting to breed fish and this is an easy fish to get to spawn. and after the babies get to a good size you can exchange them for credit at your lfs wich should pay for all their food and leave a little extra for other things that you will get addicted to.

just a thought



chris