FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I've been reading those forums since I posted this thread.

They are awesome for information and so far I've found two discus breeders within an hour of me.

I have another question too I forgot to add in my original post... my local Petco has some gorgeous "Opaline" gouramis which are basically just a variation on the blue gourami. Would it be safe to put one with discus?

Chris,

Both Hans and Joe have been super to work with... I will buy fish from them any time. The discus were fat, healthy and easy to acclimate. Sorry, I live in Kalamazoo, MI.

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

i would suggest getting a quatine tank anyway. it is important to qt the new discus for a few weeks before adding them to your tank because if there is a problem you are not infecting your whole tank and the fish will be easier to treat in the smaller tank. plus it is always good to have a qt tank on hand just in case something happens. all you need is a 20g tank a heater, light and sponge filter.

bob, how were your dealings with joe and han's, i have heard good things about them. You don't happen to live in md do you, your name sounds familliar.


chirs

Rewd,

Gor to http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40593. He has discus for sale in Baltimore. Hans also has his operation there and you can view two hobbyists/breeders in one trip.

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

Bob,

I've been browsing those sites and GreatLakesDiscus.com has some beautiful fish. He doesn't list his stocking lists tho... what are his prices usually like? I'm going for 3.5-4" because they seem to be the best value (I know I shouldn't be cheap, but $$$ is a limiting factor).

Also, thank you very much for your advice and suggestions. It's extremely appreciated.

Rewd,

I have had good experiences with Jeff at DiscusFarm.us (LA), Cary at GreatLakesDiscus.com (Detroit) and Joe at EnchantedDiscus.com (DC).

Visit SimplyDiscus.com, DiscusAsAHobby.com and AquaForums.com. These sites are more or less dedicated to discus hobbyists. I personally enjoy going through the buy and sell sections to see who has available fish and equipment.

You can also post that you are looking for fish, the type, size and your location. I always like to see what I am buying as it gives me a chance to talk to the breeder or hobbyist and talk about the hobyy.

Last edited by Bob Wesolowski at 28-Nov-2004 16:48

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

5 is the exact number I had planned on. I think anything above that would cause a nasty overstocking issue when the fish reach full size, right? Especially if I want to have two angels and some other misc. small schools.

I'm in NW NJ. I found a breeder called Keystonediscus.com which is about an hour and a half away from me. They sponsor simplydiscus.com I believe. Ever heard anything about them?

Edit: after re-reading their stocking lists they dont have much and only about 1-3 of each variety. So much for them...

Could you also recommend any good online breeders?

Last edited by Rewd at 24-Nov-2004 17:00

I consider 2" fish to be juveniles with 3" - 4 " fish to be sub-adults. If you want them to grow consider feeding them 2 to three times a day with attention to your water changes. Stock a minimum of 5 fish to keep aggression down between the fish. If you want more fish, your tank can cvonservatively support up to 9 sub-adult discus. Water temps should be a minimum 82 up to 88F.

Let me know where you are located and I might be able to help you with names of breeders. LFS fish have a tendency to be poorly maintained...

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

I was looking at between 3-4" depending on where I get them from. Anything bigger then that and the cost is just way more then I want to spend especially if I want to get a few of them.

What size discus will you be purchasing?

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

I think your suggestion about adding the Discus first is better, however my problem is I don't have room for a QT tank. I think it might be better to add all of my dither fish first so if any are carrying any nasty diseases I can take care of it way in advance of getting my discus.

If I add the discus first I run the risk of infecting them with any parasites the other fish might be carrying as I add them.

I don't see a problem with adding the gouramis but if you are going to do discus. Get them first and let them set-up shop before adding more fish. It's an economic decision in my mind. Discus are expensive, I don't want to waste my money.

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

I've been searching for a centerpiece fish for my new 75G and there's nothing more beautiful then discus, IMHO. I've been keeping aquariums for many years so I know what I'm doing. These discus will be the most "advanced" fish I've kept so far.

So anyway, I hadn't planned on discus when I set this tank up (it's cycling as we speak) so it's fully decorated. I have a sand substrate and it's moderately planted but at this time all the plants are still new and not very big. I have three pieces of driftwood; one is a stump type thing that reaches almost to the top of the aquarium and the other two are two large branchy pieces. Various rocks and then the plants. I've read alot about barebottom tanks being better for Discus but this tank is already decorated so that's out. I keep seeing it recommended for "growing out" discus. What exactly does that mean? If it's better to have no subtrate to get your discus to grow faster I'd rather have the substrate. A little confused on that one. Doesn't bother me if they grow a little slower as long as it's safe for the fish.

My pH is somewhere between 7.2 and 7.6 and it's stable as far as I can tell. I don't know how hard the water is here because we've recently moved to this area and I haven't gotten a test kit to check it yet. We run off well water so chlorine isn't an issue. I run an Eheim Professional II 2026 canister filter which is rated up to 92gallons. Is that sufficient for Discus? The spray bar is mounted on the right most side of the tank and pointed down slightly to lessen surface movement (to avoid C02 loss).

Right now I keep the tank at 77F. I understand discus require higher temps. Would 80F be ok? I think all the other fish would be ok in those temps and it would still be good for discus.

I understand water quality is a massive issue with discus and I'm prepared for that. My python syphon and easy access to a close sink make changing water a breeze on this tank.

For tank mates I'm planning on a pair of wild caught blue rams and various tetra species: cardinals, neons, etc. Definitely cories for the bottom to keep the sand clean. And I have about a dozen guppies in this tank already. Also, I think maybe a trio of angel fish would be stunning with some Discus. Are they compatible? I'd like to get them small so they aren't a threat to the tetras. Maybe if they are raised together they will be less likeley to attack the neons as they mature.

And sorry for the long post... I want to research these fish and get as much info as I can before I drop $200+ and discover I'm in over my head with these.

Last edited by Rewd at 12-Nov-2004 23:46

Rewd,

You should check SimplyDiscus.com and DiscusAsAHobby.com for information on these fish. The sale section is particularly good for finding fish that are being sold by hobbyists in your area and to get a feel for providers of quality fish.

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

Great, thank you all for your help! Discus here I come...

I would focus on the discus then build a community. My reasoning is that the discus are going to put a much larger dent in your wallet than any other fish in your tank. With that, get them established and happy with a clean-up crew.

Once the discus are established, add a school or select specimens. I do encourage you to quarantine any additions to the tank for a period of 2 to 4 weeks. It's always good to have a hospital tank and you never know what beasties can be picked up from breeder to wholesaler to LFS by a fish or how stressed they are before coming to a hobbyist.

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

All of the dither fish I plan to get are larger then a mouthful at the LFS I'm getting them from so that's not a concern. Mostly what I'm worried about is stressing out the new discus. Would it be better to add them to an established community or add them first and build the community numbers up after the discus are added?

Depends on the dither fish. Small cardinals should be allowed to grow until they are more than a mouthful. Rams and corys can be added at any time just like bristlenose.

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

Great, thanks everyone!! Just gotta give this tank lots of time to establish itself properly.

For discus tank mates should I have them all in the tank before I add the discus or after?

Rewd,

Excellent advice from both Trace and Week End. Discus should do fine with the information that you stated in your post. I maintain my tanks at 84F to 86F without problems and my water changes are from the tap.

Good luck!

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