earlyriser Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Lot's of really good advice here. Whatever works! Discus are not all the same,especially when you talk of wild ones. Quite often domestic strains are far removed from the conditions the species lives in in the wild. And to echo an above post, unless you're breeding water hardness and to lesser extent ph mean very little. In fact juveniles grow much faster and bigger in hard water. If your fish are doing o.k growing and feeding, keep at it. Warm clean water is the only requirement needed by al discus. That's my humble opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 My Discus lay eggs on a regular basis in regular aged Calgary tap water. I have had wrigglers numerous times, but due to the fact that they are in a community tank, the eggs/fry always become a snack. I have tried to move the bredders to their own tank a few times and they pout and refuse to eat, much less breed so I leave them in their community setting. I would rather have happy Discus. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 (edited) My Discus lay eggs on a regular basis in regular aged Calgary tap water. I have had wrigglers numerous times, but due to the fact that they are in a community tank, the eggs/fry always become a snack. I have tried to move the bredders to their own tank a few times and they pout and refuse to eat, much less breed so I leave them in their community setting. I would rather have happy Discus. Tammy Well siad Tammy, success is having happy discus. Really sorry if my post seemed preachy, there has been alot of good advice given up top. Discus are not hard to keep, but they do have specific requirements that will make it much easier to have happy healthy fish. I get very passionate about it because I learned the hard way - My first tank mix was 6 jeuvie discus, 5 boesmani rainbow, 3 acaras, 3 bolivian rams and various plecos. They all died a slow and painful death as they got sick and I tried everything (new bare bottom tank, water aging system, many tricks to get them eating). The only survivor was one little runted blue diamond that Tammy owns now - what a survivor. I don't want you to go through the same thing as I remember how much sleep I lost when my fish were sick. Tammy, I would love to talk to you about the tank conditions that you had for wigglers and your hatch rates. Your experience has surely outstripped mine, from what I have heard you have saved some really sick fish and grown out some monsters. Please post pics. Early riser, I would love to see some pics of your discus. I will borrow an SLR and take some pictures of my current grow outs. Geleen, I agree on the 55 regarding stocking ect. I only suggested a 55 they are small enough to be set up quickly and can be set up for under $200 with filter and heater if you watch your pennies. The best solution in my mind would be 6 adults in that 90 gallon and move everyone else out. An understocked tank of beautfiul glowing fish can be very attractive. I had a planted 90 with 2 adults and dithers and it was stunning. Firestorm - I am sure that you will do a great job with your fish. It sounds like you are on your way to a real case of multiple tank syndrome. You may have to focus your hobby a little more on a few less species of fish. This is very hard to do for all us of though. Good luck, Kevin Edited April 7, 2008 by Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 LOL actually kevin the reason for having so many different types of species would be my bf's fault. And now I am the one who has to clean up after his mistakes. And yes I love all different types of fish, and currently have 6 tanks in total. If I keep the discus in the 90 I will probably leave the rams in there as well, and maybe a couple of the ottos. The reason I bought an RO system, which I got for a great deal on ebay, is because I wanted to eventually try and breed my discus, which most people said I will need that type of water. Tammy I would also love to hear what your water conditions are like to have them breed in our water, but the wild caught might be more difficult to breed than the domestic. Or I might try and go for a 75 gallon for them, since I have found one place (Francos aquariums) to have great deals on their tanks. But maybe i'll find a better deal on buy and sell. I noticed the last time I was in Golds they also were setting up some tanks that they will be selling (still don't know where denis finds room for any of this stuff lol). I will most likely be buying an eheim shortly for the 90 gallon, so I can take the filtration from there and use it for the other tank. I only want my fish to live healthy long lives, and love to relax watching them. I am totally having the multiple tank syndrome, but can't get my dream tanks of around 200 gallons each until I live somewhere with a basement. Sigh.....if only I could have a nice huge discus colony in a 200 gallon Actually I have big dreams of all of this. Right now I am trying to gain the experience with all different types of fish, then one day I would love to start getting breeding groups and start my own business of breeding top quality fish. I hope to eventually afford to get either wild caught or F1's, then breed those myself to have the best quality. Right now it all seems so distant, but that would be awesome to do, and maybe even open up my own store, having great quality fish bred by me But for now, I am still in the learning process, but young enough to be able to live out those dreams. Thanks guys Caressa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CORVETTE Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Great info on Discus, once the negitivness stopped the info started flowing in i would sticky this , I've kept Discus for ten years and those are nice, good buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Great info on Discus, once the negitivness stopped the info started flowing in i would sticky this , I've kept Discus for ten years and those are nice, good buy. A sticky is a good idea, but only if the posts were consoliated and edited - there was just too much negativity at the start. Unfortunately, very few people read discus tips and actually believe them. Nearly everyone, inlcuding me, have to learn the hard way. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 I have learned some very valuable info about discus from you guys and I cannot even say in words how much I appreciate the advice from people who know more about them than I. I think I will pick up a 55 gallon and move some of the fish over there. But would my 4 angels do well in the 55? It will probably be a 55 tall. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Your Angels will be fine in a 55G. This is the best site I have found for excellent advice. I am just glad to pass some of what I have learned here on to others. :thumbs: Once you move the other fish out, look into getting some dithers for your Discus. I have a school of Cardinals (24) and my Discus are out much more...they used to hide alot too. Have fun! This hobby is so addictive...started with one 25G tank and now have 18 tanks just over 600G. Talk about MTS! Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Yes I was thinking of doing that. Well one of our new discus has been eating, but only blood worms so I will try soaking their food tonight in blood worm juice. I am still worried about the other because he still hides alot and I have not seen him eat yet. What other suggestions would you have for getting him to eat? There are some good deals on buy and sell right now that I am going to make some phone calls tonight about their tanks. So I am hoping to pick up at least a 55 for all but the discus, rams, and ottos. The rest should do fine in the 55 I hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Yes I was thinking of doing that. Well one of our new discus has been eating, but only blood worms so I will try soaking their food tonight in blood worm juice. I am still worried about the other because he still hides alot and I have not seen him eat yet. What other suggestions would you have for getting him to eat? There are some good deals on buy and sell right now that I am going to make some phone calls tonight about their tanks. So I am hoping to pick up at least a 55 for all but the discus, rams, and ottos. The rest should do fine in the 55 I hope. My advice would be to think about the environment these discus came from - in the wild and since then. The discus you have came out of an environment so bizarre in the wild that it is nearly impossible to create. This is speaking from experience, I was there in 1993. Since then they have been been held in plastic, concrete and glass holding tanks with nothing but lots off other fish in them. So the discus have never seen gravel, aquatic plants (only submerged terrestrial plants) and they most likely have always had many more discus around them. Added to that, you are changing their diet and likely the temperature that they are being kept in. To help with this situation I would transfer at least one seasoned filter to the 55 gallon tank (this is key as discus absolutely require mature filtration media. Keep it without decorations. Match temperature with your existing tank. Transfer all of your discus to the new tank. Use the new tank to raise the temperature over a week to 88 F, this will stimulate their appetite. You transfer the discus that are eating because they learn from the example of the other fish and it will keep them more comfortable. With a barebottom tank you will be able to treat if needed for any medical reason and do lots and lots of water changes. Once your discus are absolutley on track (it may take 2 months or more), then you can decide where you would like them to live. Just my thoughts, Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 great idea kevin, I never thought of that. Right now we have the temperature at 84, and I am hoping to get that other tank in the next couple of weeks. Today I saw the one come out of hiding a little more, so tonight I am going to try and soak the food in bloodworm juice, but if that doesn't work for now I will also try the garlic method. Maybe if I could find the NLS discus formula that would be better for them and they might like it better than the NLS cichlid formula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 great idea kevin, I never thought of that. Right now we have the temperature at 84, and I am hoping to get that other tank in the next couple of weeks. Today I saw the one come out of hiding a little more, so tonight I am going to try and soak the food in bloodworm juice, but if that doesn't work for now I will also try the garlic method. Maybe if I could find the NLS discus formula that would be better for them and they might like it better than the NLS cichlid formula. There is minimal difference between the 2. Now that my discus are on it, the NLS is wonderful. However it is not easy to convice discus to try it. I would say that NLS would be the last food I would train the discus to. Good starting foods I have found are Tetra crisps, Tetra bits, or Tetra Earth worm flake with mysis. I am not a Tetra fan and I feed NLS to all of my other tanks, but the discus seem more willing to try these alternatives. My latest batch started on the Tetra crisps and now they will eat anything. By the way, make sure that there is plenty of aeration in your tanks. The waters ability to hold gas goes down as it gets warmer. The discus may like it, but they breath much faster in warmer water as well. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Yes we do have extra aeration happening, and all the fish seem to be breathing normal with the higher temps. We have not lost a fish yet due to having to have it higher, which is also great they have been able to withstand it. I actually have some tetra color here we had bought before trying the NLS, so would this do for now? They didn't really seem to eat that either so I will try and soak those in the blood worms tonight. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 (edited) I still feed Tetra Color Bits to our Discus. It was the first dry food we could get the juvies to eat (they also had frozen bloodworms). I soaked the bits and some flake in bloodworm juice for about a week , then gradually cut down the amount of fluid until they ate the dry stuff on their own. All of our Discus still prefer Tetra Color Bits over NLS though they eat both. Our Discus also pick at NLS H2o Stable wafers and they can stay in the aquarium for a whole day. I know alot of Discus keepers don't use bottom feeders in their tanks but I prefer to have a few Corys or such in our tanks to clean up what the Discus don't eat. Especially when trying to get them started on dry food. It keeps the amount of food rotting in the tank to a minimum. I know they create waste of their own, lol, but I think it is a better waste than rotting food. Sterbai Corys (for example) love the warmer temp of Discus tanks and they are great little clean up crews. Tammy Edited April 10, 2008 by Fish_Frenzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Thanks tammy, right now I have about 4 ghost shrimp, they seem to do quite a good job with eating leftovers. And they hide so well none of the fish ever really bother them. I will check into them for when I move my discus. I will try with the food like you did, I just don't want the one to starve, he is still not eating and he hides more than the others. But another of our discus when we first got him he hid all the time, and wouldn't eat for quite some time. It is the only discus left from the first 3 we bought, and he now comes over to the glass if I am close. So I am hoping the same might go for this one. Right now we have the wardleys spirulina wafers which don't last as long, the discus don't really like it but my africans do I will try and pick up a jar of the NLS wafers this weekend. I am looking for the NLS discus formula but I haven't seen it in any stores, I can only find it online. I just want to avoid paying more because of shipping. Do you know of any stores you have seen carry it? I wish Pisces carried the NLS if they did that would be one place I would look since they usually have a larger variety of things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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