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i read the discus guide and i feel i know the water requirements of discus, i know a lot of other basic stuff about them, but i lack a few other bits of necessary info.
do they have to be kept is schools? will a single discus thrive in a community tank setup?

they prefer being kept in small shoals, with 3 being minimum

While they don't *have* to be kept in schools, it is best for them. Though discus will bully each other like pretty much all other cichlids, in a school there won't be just one weak individual getting all its lunch money stolen, so to speak. Generally the more discus, the better.

These fish tend to not do well in community setups. There are often compatibility issues with the other fish (nipping, temp requirements, etc.) and the water quality in a community tank is usually not kept up to discus standards. People tend to let their tanks go a bit more than they would if the aquarium was set up specifically for discus. It is best to plan a fish tank around discus, instead of just adding them because they're nice looking. Your typical smorgasbord aquarium usually doesn't have as much thought put into it as something set up for a certain purpose.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

i have a chance to get a really cool juvie cobalt discus. i have a fairly new community tank that i think one would fit into nicely. i keep the water up to optimim conditions for them. my ph is around 6.8, gh 5, amm 0, nit 0, trate 0. i do weekly water changes and use keta pang peat nuggets to keep it blackwater. i also have a decent chunk of wood in there and many fake plants. there is minimal light. i have a 24" NO fl. bulb. i dont even have a "regular" gravel substrate. it is a 3d foam substrate with gravel glued to it, so i dont have any detritus get under it. i have a pentair lifeguard af94 mechanical filter rated for 200g. with my sump and pvc, filter and tank, i am near 50g. the tank is a aga 37g. 30x12x24 tall. very cool tank. even my non-fish loving wife loves it.
i have a school of cardinals and a small school of neon dwarf rainbows so far. looking to add one small (2" discus. tell me if it isnt possible to keep it alive and thriving.

The problem is tank size. Thirty-seven gallons won't be much space for an adult discus, much less a school of them. Though you surely seem to keep on top of water quality, your system is just not large enough. Though they are not exactly active fish, discus reach the size of small plates. Some folks may hold a different opinion, but mine is that it shouldn't be done.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

fair enough. that is what i wanted, your opinion. i have never kept them and wanted to know someone elses opinion before i just went out and did it. i will be scrapping the idea of a discus in this tank.

Pssst, Acei, over here!

The general rule of thumb for adult discus is 1 fish for 10 gallons of water, make that clean water. Now, a juvenile discus doesn't need 10 gallons of water because he is much less than 5 or 6 or 7 inches, right? Right! The danger is that he will grow up and then you need to get him a better home.

So, can you keep discus in your 37? Absolutely, but they will need great water conditions - think 50% water changes at least once each week, preferably twice each week. Since they're juveniles, think of them as teenagers. That means they should be fed 3 to 5 times per day much like teenagers. However, that means to get great water conditions, you need to do - water changes!

Three discus is the minimum number of discus to have two discus. With three discus, it is much too easy for the cichlid temperament to take over and have two fish bully one fish. Consider having a minimum of five discus.

Can it be done - I did it in a 30G planted tank with 7 juvies. Five lived to breed and now occupy a 125 with 5 other discus. Recipe is clean water, clean tank and good feedings.



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"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

thanks for the replies everybody. i just got done reading a great article in AFM and it seems my setup would work, at least for a deent amount of time. but, i decided against it and i am just going to grab a juvie angelfish instead. i really dont have the funds right now to grab a school of discus. the tank needs a standout fish and i think it should fit the bill. thanks again for the great tips.