![]() (You want them to be approximately the same size so that no one gets outcompeted for food.) As they get bigger, you’ll be able to identify the rowdy males and rehome them back to the fish store. In order to mitigate this territorial aggression, buy 10 to 12 juveniles all at the same time for your 75-gallon tank. Plus, as a type of cichlid, they may start to bully each other if you don’t a decent-sized group. However, they are schooling fish by nature and are much happier when surrounded by a large group of their own kind. For example, dogs are technically pack animals, yet many people keep just one and then leave them home all day by themselves. ![]() Many customers ask us, “Can I keep one discus?” Technically, the answer is yes. ![]() (That’s why people recommend doing all those frequent water changes.) Also, by heating up the tank, their metabolism goes up, you have to feed them more, and then more waste is created. Remember that these fish get big, usually 5 to 7 inches in diameter if you’re doing things right. You can do a 55-gallon tank, but then you’re forced to do a lot of water changes. What Size Tank Do You Need for Discus?īigger is always better, so we personally recommend a 75-gallon aquarium or larger. If you’re focused on breeding and raising discus fry, you need much lower pH and water hardness, but if you’re simply keeping them for enjoyment, these two water parameters aren't as important.Īquarium plants and tank mates for discus aquariums are possible, but they must be able to handle the mandatory hot water temperatures. We haven’t kept German-bred discus yet, but they’re known for tolerating higher pH and harder water. The same thing applies with water hardness discus are usually fine with soft to medium hardness. In our experience, both wild-caught and captive-bred discus do well when the pH levels are between 6.8 and 7.6. The recommended pH can be controversial since many people place great emphasis on this factor. Other environmental conditions to consider include pH and water hardness. So if you want to successfully care for discus, be willing to make this necessary change, which may differ from your normal fish keeping habits. When the heat is kept high, your discus become more active, their metabolisms run well, they grow faster, and they show off better colors. The reason is because the discus farms we get them from usually keep their waters at these temperatures, and when we try to force them to cool down, it becomes a source of discomfort. The easiest trick for keeping happy discus is to raise the water temperature. What Is the Ideal Temperature for Discus Fish? Based on our experiences, this care guide offers practical advice and useful tips for beginners starting their first discus tank. We’ve spent many years keeping discus personally at home, caring for them in our fish store, and helping customers be successful with them. In reality, only a small percentage of people are able to follow those rules, and the rest of the world uses more low maintenance methods. However, they’re notorious for being extremely difficult to keep, with Internet forums often recommending strict practices like 100% water changes every day. It’s certain you will find it most satisfying and enjoyable.Discus fish are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the hobby, known for their spectacular colors and large, circular shape. However, if you do have experience with planted tanks, you needn’t be fearful of giving it a go if you accept the challenge of the extra attention and diligence needed. So, if you have no prior experience with a planted aquarium, you would be well-advised to go for a bare-bottom set-up, at least until you gain experience with discus. Your focus will obviously have to be on the discus. Planted discus tanks entail more work and attention to keeping both elements healthy and thriving. Secondly, for your discus’ sake your water temperature will need to be maintained at no less than 82 F – nothing lower will do – and that can pose a challenge for keeping plants, as many varieties do not do well at that temperature and above. For example, if you were planning to keep eight adults in a 75 gallon bare- bottom tank, you should reduce that number to six in the same-sized planted tank. In this case you’ll want to either increase the size of your tank, or reduce the number of fish you’ll be keeping. The ratio of fish to size of tank will be reduced in this set-up, given the quantity of water taken up by substrate, plants and other décor. It’s a sight to behold and could suit you well, particularly if you have previous experience keeping tropical fish in a planted tank environment. For the hobbyist, there is arguably nothing more attractive than a well aquascaped discus display tank. This second option can be either discus only, or a “community” type tank with some other species of fish.
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