Discus

kyawgyi1968

Discus are not that difficult to keep when you buy adult bigger that 4". At that size they can resist of most of the diseases.
You can keep them in the community tank, they adept well. Like other fishes, you can change the water 30% every week. They are very colourful, difficult strains. After you keep discus, you won't like other fresh water at all. Keeping is just easy( more easy than other fishes). They live till 7 yeras old, just change water 30% regularly. temp can vary 25 to 30'C.
Diffucult part is to get the max size. So that's totally different with keeping. thank must be barred bottom, change water 50% twice a day. Feeding them with beef heart mix with vitamins every 2 hours. Have to prevent some diseases under 4" size. Most common diseases are spiro and gill diseases. They can be like 6" in 12 months.
Good luck!!
Kyaw

crazy4fish

thanks for the reply! that was really helpful. why does the tank have to be bare bottom if you want them to grow to ful size?

crazy4fish

are there certain strains of discus that are hardier than others?

Elahrairah

I started my Discus tank when I saw an add on Craigslist selling babies for $10 each...about 1.5 inches long. How could I pass that up?

I bought 5 of them and put them in a 29 gallon tank with 5 Khuli loaches, 5 Otos, and about 15 neons.....lots of plants and wood...all lights, air pumps, etc on timers, even the blue nightlight.

I change 50% of the water weekly using R/O water with CO2 and fertilizers added...and being in SoCal, I only need a heater a couple of months per year...it's actually too hot this week even (maybe). I don't have a chiller.

I don't feed beefheart, etc. Only chiclid pieces and occasional dried bloodworms and tubiflex worms and whem I'm feeling real generous, I'll hatch some live brine shrimp...which only the neons seem to like.

After about 9 months, I had 3 left (two died once each on two separate week-long vacations I took. I don't have proof, but I think it was a "dominance" thing. I honestly believe they noticed I wasn't around and the autofeeder was on and took it as a cue to go feral), but those three are now up to 5 inches long and two were moved to a 60 gallon tank. The one I left behind would have been the "next" one to go should I go on vacation, he is about 3.5 inches long. Plus I knew they needed more space and took it as an excuse to buy a larger tank.

Long story short. If you keep them in a large enough tank, and keep the water clean often, and don't put in agressive tank mates, you should do fine....plants, rocks, wood, etc shouldn't be a problem unless it prevents you from keeping the water clean...

herefishy

I have had the best luck with discus I've purchase from Jack Wattley. Expect to pay a premium price, but, in turn, you get a premium fish. here is his website. www.wattleydiscus.com

crazy4fish

thank you all so much for sharing your advice and experiances! :D you have all helped me a lot.