essential info

[bluesplenden12]

I've been thinking about getting a discus for awhile, and will soon if my parents let me. I need to know the main requirements for a discus. Tank size, ph, food, temp, and anything else that you think I should know before I get one.  

[luvfishies]

MIN TANK 55g as they are better in groups of 5 or more and they need 10g per fish.

Juvies are fine in pH over 7 and KH/GH 5 or more. For breeding purposes they should have pH under 6.5 KH/GH less than 2

daily waterchanges of 20% or more are recomended as they appreciate lots of food. The warmer temps (84-86) makes cleanliness paramount.

\don't do One Discus, IMO.......they are social.

[fishboy]

I have one discus *in a twenty gallon, he will eventually need a deeper tank though when it is larger. I would say min is a 40 gallon for an adult 6 inch pair. His companions are neons,ottocinclus, and the occasional mirror friend Anyway, discus seem to do best with a Ph of about 6.5-6.8 many claim though that you can have discus in 7-8 if they were raised in that high of a Ph. They like soft water with the Dh around 4-5. I do about 50 % water changes but, make them frequent not in one big water change at once. You may feed them special discus dry discus food but you should give them live and frozen food for a variety in the diet of the fish. Temp should be around 84 F. Background is a must because usually the discus will hide without one. Filtration is of great importance, on my twenty i have one HOB *aquaclear 150 and one aquaclear mini. Good luck, hopefully you will start to love discus as much as i do ;D smiley*

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