FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Ah, empty 55 gallon screaming out discus

Should I bare bottom or should I leave the gravel?? Its a pearly white gravel by Kordons that I just bought 2 days ago.

Filter will be two biowheel 330's. If you convince me to barebottom then there will be 3 sponge filters also.

I'm not 100% how to take care of discus, so PLEASE fill me in on things I'm missing out. I've read the attachments/announcements on the discus page already .

Okay so here it is!
55 gallon
2 penguin biowheel 330s
2 150 watt heater

Yea..thats about it.

If I bare bottom, I'll most likely go with plants in pots and driftwood just to make it more aestically (sp?) pleasing.

PLEASE comment on ANYTHING discus related.

(Oh, If I bare bottom, do I still cycle the tank?)

I'd maybe add one more (cheaper/smaller) HOB filter, as you probably don't want to empty your pockets on a cannister. Setup sounds good other than that. A UV sterilizer is ideal, but by no means neccesary (I don't have one). I'd go with the gravel just because I like the planted look of things. I don't really think the substrate matters all that much. Even with a bare bottom, I suggest a thorough cycling period, as discus just go belly over in non cycled tanks--even after dosing NIC for over a week and a half, we still lost 150 bucks worth of discus at my LFS.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 07-Nov-2004 01:06

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 07-Nov-2004 01:07

I personally go for a bare bottom for easy cleaning reasons. But that depends on how you wanted to keep Discus. If your main purpose is to make nice displays, then you need gravel to plant. But if you just wanted to keep Discus, to grow them fast and well and to breed, bare tank is a better option. The reason being is because you can feed more frequently to boost up growth and at the same time to do frequent water changes to keep your water in high quality. And a bare tank is far more easier to keep clean than a planted tank.

The key to keep Discus to it's best condition is to water change...water change water change....they love new water. Provide them with a stable ph and temp, so do change water with it's water chemistry simlar to your tank water's. The hardest thing to keep Discus is to get them to eat for the first time, so buy a big group say like 8 to 10 to make them feel more secure and to start eating quicker.

If you are going to stock young fish and grow them out, then I would go bare bottom. It is easier to feed the fish 3 - 5 times per day, do water changes and wipe down the tank with a bare bottom tank. You can add plants in pots and driftwood to get away from the stark glass box.

Shift to a fully planted or biotope tank when your fish are 4 to 6 inches in size. Fish feedings will go down to once per day but you will still need to do your water changes and cleaning.

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

also they realy like RO water but you have to find and get this discus stuuf to put into the water as well once its RO.

Malawi,
Discus need stable water conditions. In general, tap water is fine whether the pH is 6 or 8. The key is to maintain the fish in clean conditions, that means water changes. Although discus will live with 10% water changes per week. It is better to do regular, think daily or every other day, water changes of 25% to 50%. The water changes approximate the effects of their river habit.
It is good to reduce water hardness if you have a mated pair that spawn regularly. Dropping the conductivity of the breeding tank below 100ms helps the viability of the spawn. RO mixed with tap can easily achieve the drop in sensitivity without elixirs.
Raising young discus in RO water is an excellent way to ensure that they will be stunted. Young fish need minerals to achieve bone growth so most breeders use tap water to grow out young.

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

Stability is the key to sucessfully breeding/keeping, I have my guys in straight tapwater that has the phospate and chlorine taken out and the ph lowered and thats it.

Trace

but also you can getting chlomain that the water comany has just putting into the water if we were to put our hand under boiling hot water thats what fish feel it is like .

Malawi,

I often use Seachem Prime, Aqua Plus or Amquel to condition my tap water. It is always good to assume that the city has overdosed the water supply with chlorine or chloramines. However, I never use RO, peat, black water extract or any of the other things that many "experts" say that you "must" have. I just provide a clean environment with frequent water changes and the darn things spawn!

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