Do I dare discus? - MyFishTank.Net Freshwater Saltwater Aquarium Fish Forum

AndyL · 02-11-2003, 11:18 PM

Hey folks,

Well after drooling over discus at the LPS's for a while, a bunch came into one of the LPS's and quickly got covered in ich (Poor acclimitization, and radical ph swings from them attempting to 'fix' water conditions)

After a discussion with the owner, I can get all 6 (2"ish) cobalt blues, for the price they were asking for one. (In other words for about the price of a standard angelfish each)

I'm going to be picking up a 55g this weekend anyway...

So do I dare try the discus?

Just in case you're wondering, my ph is 7.6, kh is 11, gh 16. I do have experience using RO/Distilled water to cut tap water (Just to eliminate the this town waters wild swings in kh/gh) But I'd rather keep water conditions as is, rather than trying to soften it.

Opinions?

Andy

wayne · 02-12-2003, 03:12 AM

Well it can be done, thouh it'll be a lot of hassle. With a kH that high you will, I fear, be wanting to mix in RO, (and I usually don't espouse fooling around with water parameters).
Are they still eating - then it's possible. If they're not eating, they're likely doomed. Discus of that size need to eat a lot - if they miss eating more than a couple of days they'll start to waste away, and you wil be really risking stunting them too. If they wate away very much, they end up just hanging around and dying. I've done this before with a single fish, and I found that the only thing it would eat for a long time was bloodworm which I soaked in a vitamin supplement
If they're eating, clean , warm water, good food and lots of tlc should be enough to turn at least some of them around.

Aquaman · 02-12-2003, 07:29 AM

Offers like this from the LFS make me wonder what the dealer's original mark-up on the discus was, to enable him to offer you six for the price of one. (Probably cost plus 1000%).

Regards.

RedTurquoise · 02-12-2003, 10:37 AM

Andy,
How long has the lfs had the discus? If it is only ich that they have, go for it! Ich is the easiest to treat! Setup your tank with a temp of 92F. Acclimitize the discus and do not feed. Start adding salt initially using 1 tablespoon per 10G. Slowly increase over 3 days to 2 tablespoons per 10G. Keep this up for at least one week even if there are no signs of ich!

As far as the water parameters are considered, do not bother with RO unless you are prepared to start right off the bat with the ro mix and continue religiously thereafter. However, it is not nesseccary to do so. Constant water parameters are a must therefore it is absolutely nesseccary to 'age' the water 24 hours.

Now, after the discus have gotten over ich, massive water changes are a must for growth. This means daily if not twice a day water changes are in order. In your case, I would recommend 75-95% water changes.

About feeding, this is were I will cause disagreement. The most important thing you can give your discus after water quality is excellant food. It is the quality not the quanitity! A thing to remember. Therefore, feeding twice a day can be sufficent however a thing to remember again. The discus will not grow as quick nevertheless, the discus will still grow! Feeding lots of food a day is done by the breeders as they need to get their discus sold asap to make some money however for us who plan to grow the discus, growing the discus as quick as possible is not nesseccary. Growth will not be stunted just take a little longer.

An advantage to only feeding twice a day is better water quality can be maintained which is that most important aspect for growing discus.

Anyways, hth! Another thing, Andy! If you do buy them, make it clear to the lfs that if the discus have any other sort of disease, you get refunded. I would only purchase discus that have ich!

YZFR1rider · 02-24-2003, 06:45 PM

Redturquoise has it on the money but I would like to add one thing which is make sure you have plenty of airation in the tank because of the high temp also with the high temp the fishs' metabolism will rise so they will be constantly hungry. Good Luck let us know how they do.

Matt

mjl43 · 03-04-2003, 11:25 PM

Man i loved all this info im getting from you guys on discus.
Im planning starting another aquarium also but can't make up my mind on what type.
What do know is it'll be a 55gal. and either fresh/salt water.
If i go fresh i am think of getting a shoal of neon tettra's then later put in two discus.
Eventually getting to four discus and maybe two blue gourami's.
Tell me what you guys think.

SoulFish · 03-05-2003, 06:49 AM

in regards to aquaman, the price markup is usually around 800%, hold off on the dicus, cycle your tank properly, and get african cichlids, they are great fish with beauitufl colors and tons of personality

bobrob · 03-05-2003, 11:31 AM

I say go for it if ich is all they have. I mean if you like the fish and can treat them right and put the hours in if you want it bad enough your gonna get it and it doesnt hurt that its damn cheap.

Rob1114 · 03-10-2003, 05:59 PM

If you take SoulFish's advice, just remember that the African Cichlids require pretty much the exact opposite water conditions than the Discus do. The africans would need a much higher pH and GH/KH.

I'd pick them over the Discus as well. You can stock them heavier than a discus tank for one, and they are very hardy fish. Probably not as high maintenance as a discus setup either.