Caring for discus Part 2

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[mickey]

we have now reached the stage where the tank is setup, filters are cycled so let's add the discus. This is a big mistake, the tank needs to be running for 6 months before any discus are added, but in this time there is still plenty that we can do. Use this time to ensure that the correct water parameters are being acheived, if not you have time to correct this before the discus arrive.

The easiest way to get the tank up and running is to introduce the tankmates first, it may sound backwards to some people, but this is the way to go with discus. There are many tankmates to choose from but to keep it simple I will only mention surefire ones that I have always used.

I always introduce a selection of corydoras initially, these fish do well in groups and will be the bottom feeders of the tank. There are three species that I find do well in the higher temperatures, these are Adolfi, Schwartzi, and Julii

For the middle swimmers there really is only one choice, a shoal of cardinal tetras. These fish are perfectly at home in a discus tank and look magnificent when they swim as a shoal.Bolivian and German Blue Rams are also great tankmates, they have a fiarly peaceful attitude compared to other dwarf cichlids, so are ideal.

For tank cleaners, I always add bristlenose plecs, some discus keepers will not add these incase they latch onto the discus but I have never had any problems.

Tankmates are in and happy, water parameters are fine so the next step is to start researching which strains of discus to keep and finding reliable suppliers. Take your time choosing the discus, as they are more expensive than most tropical fish you need to be sure before you purchase. I tend to purchase from private breeders and get them to send the fish to me by courier, I always insist in pictures or a video of the actual fish I am buying before any money changes hands. There are several things to look out for when selecting your fish.

Make sure that the fish are not dopey but alert and taking notice of what is going on around them.
Do not buy discus that are lurking about at the back of the tank around the filters, these fish are not happy.
Look at the breathing rate of the fish if it is laboured then they may have gill flukes or othere parasites. Make sure they are breathing from both gills.
Look for defects like short gill covers, distorted mouths or mis-shaped finnage.
Ask to see the fish feeding, they should eat voraciously.

In the next part I will explain the best way to acclimatise these fish and the correct diet for them
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Mick

[Alex]

Interesting article mickey, useful information!

You mentioned bristlenose plecs as good cleaners,



what about just adding regular plecostomas?

[mickey]

you have to be careful which plecs you add to the tank as some have a taste for discus mucus and will latch onto the fish, I have never had any probs with bristlenose, don't think plecostomus plecostomus would handle the high temps anyway

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