Discus Tank Setup

[Twood]

Hi Team - I am planning to setup a discus tank in the near future, and I want to keep it as simple as possible. I'd love to hear from anyone out there who has setup a relatively simple discus tank and had success. Here are my plans - would love to get any feedback and recommendations.

Tank: 75 gallon with pool filter sand as substrate, live plants if they can withstand the temp (Java Fern and Amazon Sword)

Filtration: two sponge filters

Temperature: 84 - 85

Water: tap water - usually come out in the 7.6 pH range

Planned water change routine: 1 water change per week

Stocking Plan: 8 - 10 discus, starting at 3 - 4 inches, likely removing 2 - 3 as they grow

Has anyone out there had long term success with a setup like this? I've heard so many strong opinions about discus on the internet and would love advice and pictures from someone who has actually done something like this. Thanks in advance for any input!

Edited July 26, 2023 by Twood

[Fish Folk]

Why yes! Yes I have. Near enough to what you describe that I can confidently encourage you forward. I use a 55 gal and more recently a 40 gal. 75 gal is perfect though. I just never had the space. I use two large sponge filters, and added air-stones. I keep my tank ca. 83-87 degrees F.

Here's the smaller 40 breeder I just set up. These are young Discus -- a trio that's been together awhile. I have a couple Rams and tetras in here too. Valisneria Americana, Anubias, Amazon Swords, Bronze Crypt, Tiger Lotus, Java Fern, and Aponogeton. I use two heaters, three sponge filters, and added air. Hot and flowing. pH is mid 7s (like yours). I also just use tap water.

Here's my 55 gal. I've kept up to 7x Discus in here together. Got too crowded. Just two large Sponge filters. A hoard of Malaysian Trumpet Snails. I'm not going to say, "This is how you do it!" It's just an option that's worked out fine for a couple years...

Edited July 26, 2023 by Fish Folk

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@Fish Folk is the current stocking wild or from a wild line? Have you noticed any difference (assuming the current stock is wild) from the wilds to the man-made?

[Fish Folk]

On 7/26/2023 at 12:03 AM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

@Fish Folk is the current stocking wild or from a wild line? Have you noticed any difference (assuming the current stock is wild) from the wilds to the man-made?

I just buy cheap ones from Asian farms through my LFS. Wild-caught fish are always finicky. F1, F2, etc. get easier to accommodate to various parameters.

Edited July 26, 2023 by Fish Folk

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@Fish Folk Interesting. I would assume that wilds would be more accommodating than man-made strains. Just goes to show that you never really know and what works for you works for you!

[Andy's Fish Den]

I have kept discus for many years, and have never done them the way the rest of the internet says that you have to. Right now, I have a 75 gallon that has  6 discus in it, two wilds and 4 domestic strains. I was always partial to the wild ones, but over the last few years have started liking the domestics. I keep my tank 82-85, it is planted, I have mesh bags with aquasoil in them along the back of the tank and then there is a layer of Caribsea peace river substrate, its a little bigger grains than sand, but not as big as gravel. There are sword plants, jungle val, and a few crypts in the tank, It is filtered with a small canister filter, a sponge filter and one of the old school box filters with filter floss in it. There are some black rams, two wild caught scalare angels and a few cardinal tetras in the tank with the discus. The only problem that I have with the other fish in the tank is the angels are so aggressive when feeding, I have to watch to be sure that the discus get a fair share, because a couple of them are a little on the shy side. 

[Twood]

On 7/26/2023 at 12:00 AM, Fish Folk said:

Why yes! Yes I have. Near enough to what you describe that I can confidently encourage you forward. I use a 55 gal and more recently a 40 gal. 75 gal is perfect though. I just never had the space. I use two large sponge filters, and added air-stones. I keep my tank ca. 83-87 degrees F.

Here's the smaller 40 breeder I just set up. These are young Discus -- a trio that's been together awhile. I have a couple Rams and tetras in here too. Valisneria Americana, Anubias, Amazon Swords, Bronze Crypt, Tiger Lotus, Java Fern, and Aponogeton. I use two heaters, three sponge filters, and added air. Hot and flowing. pH is mid 7s (like yours). I also just use tap water.

Here's my 55 gal. I've kept up to 7x Discus in here together. Got too crowded. Just two large Sponge filters. A hoard of Malaysian Trumpet Snails. I'm not going to say, "This is how you do it!" It's just an option that's worked out fine for a couple years...

Thank you so much for the insight here. This is exactly what I was looking for. The internet has strong opinions on this, so I wanted to see if anyone had taken the simple approach. I think I am going to try and build something just like this. 
 

what is you doing water change schedule like and what do you typically feed?

On 7/26/2023 at 6:39 AM, Andy's Fish Den said:

I have kept discus for many years, and have never done them the way the rest of the internet says that you have to. Right now, I have a 75 gallon that has  6 discus in it, two wilds and 4 domestic strains. I was always partial to the wild ones, but over the last few years have started liking the domestics. I keep my tank 82-85, it is planted, I have mesh bags with aquasoil in them along the back of the tank and then there is a layer of Caribsea peace river substrate, its a little bigger grains than sand, but not as big as gravel. There are sword plants, jungle val, and a few crypts in the tank, It is filtered with a small canister filter, a sponge filter and one of the old school box filters with filter floss in it. There are some black rams, two wild caught scalare angels and a few cardinal tetras in the tank with the discus. The only problem that I have with the other fish in the tank is the angels are so aggressive when feeding, I have to watch to be sure that the discus get a fair share, because a couple of them are a little on the shy side. 

Thanks so much for the feedback here - this is very encouraging. Do you have any pictures? What is your water change and feeding schedule like?

[Fish Folk]

On 7/26/2023 at 11:39 AM, Twood said:

what is you doing water change schedule like and what do you typically feed?

I change about 30% once a week. That’s it!

I feed mostly frozen foods — Brine Shrimp, Mysis, Krill, Blood Worms. Every once in awhile I feed live foods — White worms, Black worms, Earthworms, etc.

[jwcarlson]

Just dropping in to say that there's nothing simpler than a bare bottom tank (especially for grow outs). 😄

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 7/26/2023 at 11:39 AM, Twood said:

what is you doing water change schedule like and what do you typically feed?

 

I do a roughly 30-40% water change once a week. I feed a wide variety of foods to all my fish, but the discus love frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. They also get pellets, flakes, vibra bites, if I can get them, live blackworms. 

II have kept discus like this for many years, and have had some spawn and lay eggs, but none have hatched in the planted tanks, but I have pulled the pair and spawned them the way most everyone does, the pair in a 20 high tanks, bare bottom with painted sides, and raised fry in bare bottom tanks. I just don't think that if my goal is not to spawn and raise babies that they need to be kept in such a sterile environment. 

[Twood]

On 7/26/2023 at 6:37 PM, Fish Folk said:

I change about 30% once a week. That’s it!

I feed mostly frozen foods — Brine Shrimp, Mysis, Krill, Blood Worms. Every once in awhile I feed live foods — White worms, Black worms, Earthworms, etc.

Thank you so much for all the great info! Appreciate your feedback!

@jwcarlson - fair point! I’ve thought about that as well. Still debating between sand or bare. I’ll get some pictures up after I get it up and running. Appreciate the feedback!

On 7/27/2023 at 6:39 AM, Andy's Fish Den said:

I do a roughly 30-40% water change once a week. I feed a wide variety of foods to all my fish, but the discus love frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. They also get pellets, flakes, vibra bites, if I can get them, live blackworms. 

II have kept discus like this for many years, and have had some spawn and lay eggs, but none have hatched in the planted tanks, but I have pulled the pair and spawned them the way most everyone does, the pair in a 20 high tanks, bare bottom with painted sides, and raised fry in bare bottom tanks. I just don't think that if my goal is not to spawn and raise babies that they need to be kept in such a sterile environment. 

Thanks for the insight! Super helpful! Really looking forward to getting this tank setup. I may start a thread on the build. 

[Shadow]

@Fish Folk @Andy's Fish Den is it normal to keep them at a higher pH? I know I have seen several blackwater tanks with them as the feature fish and I know tannins definitely bring the water pH sub 7.0 hence me always believing they like a lesser pH like GBRs. 

Really dig the insight here and cheers to @Twood for starting it! 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

My blackwater tank has shown, like, 0 movement in parameters from adding tannins. That being said, my water is basically blackwater out of the tap, minus the tannins. I would EXPECT that higher pH/harder water would shift from adding tannins, but also EXPECTED my parameters to go down even further and all it’s really done in 5 months is tint the water. Who knows 🤷‍♂️. Someone with hard water experience would be better than my $0.02, but just wanted to share my thoughts. 

[Shadow]

On 7/28/2023 at 9:20 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

My blackwater tank has shown, like, 0 movement in parameters from adding tannins. That being said, my water is basically blackwater out of the tap, minus the tannins. I would EXPECT that higher pH/harder water would shift from adding tannins, but also EXPECTED my parameters to go down even further and all it’s really done in 5 months is tint the water. Who knows 🤷‍♂️. Someone with hard water experience would be better than my $0.02, but just wanted to share my thoughts. 

Yea I know that the tannins released from many leaves I use in my shrimp tanks drop the pH to 6.6-6.8 range. 

[Twood]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:13 PM, Shadow said:

@Fish Folk @Andy's Fish Den is it normal to keep them at a higher pH? I know I have seen several blackwater tanks with them as the feature fish and I know tannins definitely bring the water pH sub 7.0 hence me always believing they like a lesser pH like GBRs. 

Really dig the insight here and cheers to @Twood for starting it! 

Thanks @Shadow. There are so many people out there talking about how you have to keep discus. I figured there are likely even more people that are keeping them successfully and just never talk about it. I am super excited to get back into it. 

I remember when I was growing up, my brother and I were super into aquariums, and a family friend gave us a discus from one of his tanks. This was like a holy grail for us - we could have never paid for a discus. We honestly knew next to nothing about it, and threw it into a heavily planted 40 gallon community aquarium with tetras, angelfish, parrotfish (yes, a huge parrotfish), and everything in between. We didn't turn the temperature up high or anything - the discus lived for years and did really well. We were even running a makeshift CO2 reactor 24 hours a day using yeast, sugar, and water mixed in a 2 liter bottle and coming into the tank via an air stone. I got to thinking, if I was able to keep discus going as a 12 year kid with no knowledge, it has to be easier than the internet is making it out to be haha.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 7/28/2023 at 8:30 PM, Shadow said:

drop the pH to 6.6-6.8 range.

This is where my tanks normally sit. I expected the botanicals would take me closer to 6.0, but 5 months in I’m still in the 6.6-6.8 range 

[Shadow]

On 7/26/2023 at 5:39 AM, Andy's Fish Den said:

I have kept discus for many years, and have never done them the way the rest of the internet says that you have to. Right now, I have a 75 gallon that has  6 discus in it, two wilds and 4 domestic strains. I was always partial to the wild ones, but over the last few years have started liking the domestics. I keep my tank 82-85, it is planted, I have mesh bags with aquasoil in them along the back of the tank and then there is a layer of Caribsea peace river substrate, its a little bigger grains than sand, but not as big as gravel. There are sword plants, jungle val, and a few crypts in the tank, It is filtered with a small canister filter, a sponge filter and one of the old school box filters with filter floss in it. There are some black rams, two wild caught scalare angels and a few cardinal tetras in the tank with the discus. The only problem that I have with the other fish in the tank is the angels are so aggressive when feeding, I have to watch to be sure that the discus get a fair share, because a couple of them are a little on the shy side. 

What size canister filter do you use? I was thinking if I did this type of tank, I'd likely use a canister to increase the cleanliness of the water along with a couple sponge filters plus air stones. Def will be using similar plants as my mother java ferns have a ton of sprouts to harvest/plant plus I just love Jungle Vale/Crypt Balansaes & Amazon Swords...well and usually Flamingo Crypts as I love their color pops. Pretty sure my water is right at 7.0-7.4 but usually whenever I plant a tank it drops to 7.0ish and I add a little crushed coral as a buffer. Don't think I will be doing this though with this tank. Anyways, just curious and wanting to pick your brain more. 

On 7/28/2023 at 9:39 PM, Twood said:

Thanks @Shadow. There are so many people out there talking about how you have to keep discus. I figured there are likely even more people that are keeping them successfully and just never talk about it. I am super excited to get back into it. 

I remember when I was growing up, my brother and I were super into aquariums, and a family friend gave us a discus from one of his tanks. This was like a holy grail for us - we could have never paid for a discus. We honestly knew next to nothing about it, and threw it into a heavily planted 40 gallon community aquarium with tetras, angelfish, parrotfish (yes, a huge parrotfish), and everything in between. We didn't turn the temperature up high or anything - the discus lived for years and did really well. We were even running a makeshift CO2 reactor 24 hours a day using yeast, sugar, and water mixed in a 2 liter bottle and coming into the tank via an air stone. I got to thinking, if I was able to keep discus going as a 12 year kid with no knowledge, it has to be easier than the internet is making it out to be haha.

Such a cool story, cheers for sharing! Very neat on the homemade makeshift CO2 canister. Now there's loads of them they sell on the internet, its hilarious. Most of my larger tanks just have the good ole bottles from the local gas company with the Co Op set up. 

[Fish Folk]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:13 PM, Shadow said:

@Fish Folk @Andy's Fish Den is it normal to keep them at a higher pH? I know I have seen several blackwater tanks with them as the feature fish and I know tannins definitely bring the water pH sub 7.0 hence me always believing they like a lesser pH like GBRs. 

Really dig the insight here and cheers to @Twood for starting it! 

If you’re working with wild-caught Discus, they may require very specific parameters. Mine live fine with pH that varies from 7.6 down to 6.0.

For breeding purposes, one key is very soft water. Most tanks with soft water drift lower with pH because the water lacks buffer.

Stendkar Discus lines from German breeders are marketed as being able to thrive in more varied conditions. But all of mine come from Asian farms, and are just fine.

The key difference with Discus is their need for a warm tropical tank environment, and the corresponding tendency for their slime coat to be sensitive to bacterial infections. Bacteria multiply where temperatures are warmer. This is why water must be changed out. But no need for more often than once a week… unless you’re raising 100+ Discus juveniles in a tiny tank, feeding beef heart 3x times daily…

[Twood]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:49 PM, Fish Folk said:

If you’re working with wild-caught Discus, they may require very specific parameters. Mine live fine with pH that varies from 7.6 down to 6.0.

For breeding purposes, one key is very soft water. Most tanks with soft water drift lower with pH because the water lacks buffer.

Stendkar Discus lines from German breeders are marketed as being able to thrive in more varied conditions. But all of mine come from Asian farms, and are just fine.

The key difference with Discus is their need for a warm tropical tank environment, and the corresponding tendency for their slime coat to be sensitive to bacterial infections. Bacteria multiply where temperatures are warmer. This is why water must be changed out. But no need for more often than once a week… unless you’re raising 100+ Discus juveniles in a tiny tank, feeding beef heart 3x times daily…

Thanks for the continued insight here @Fish Folk - pending I can find a stand (or build one), I hope to get my 75 Gallon up and filled with water by the end of next week. Its go time!

[Shadow]

On 7/28/2023 at 9:49 PM, Fish Folk said:

If you’re working with wild-caught Discus, they may require very specific parameters. Mine live fine with pH that varies from 7.6 down to 6.0.

For breeding purposes, one key is very soft water. Most tanks with soft water drift lower with pH because the water lacks buffer.

Stendkar Discus lines from German breeders are marketed as being able to thrive in more varied conditions. But all of mine come from Asian farms, and are just fine.

The key difference with Discus is their need for a warm tropical tank environment, and the corresponding tendency for their slime coat to be sensitive to bacterial infections. Bacteria multiply where temperatures are warmer. This is why water must be changed out. But no need for more often than once a week… unless you’re raising 100+ Discus juveniles in a tiny tank, feeding beef heart 3x times daily…

NICE!!! Thanks so much! Yea, I am do weekly water changes on all my tanks, usually 20%ish but with these I would likely increase it to 30% range. I also am a nut about preparing water overnight. I like to run air stones in it after dechlorinating. I have about 8 Home Depot buckets I bust out before water change Saturdays! 🤣

[Fish Folk]

Here are some photos of my cheapo Discus. I’ve never paid more than $40 bucks for one…

[Twood]

Wow! These are incredible @Fish Folk. Did you start with smaller ones and grow them out? I'm having trouble finding even small ones for less than $40. There are some online options - but not finding anything great local. Where have you had most luck? What size did you go with?

Edited July 29, 2023 by Twood

[Fish Folk]

On 7/28/2023 at 11:01 PM, Twood said:

Wow! These are incredible @Fish Folk. Did you start with smaller ones and grow them out? I'm having trouble finding even small ones for less than $40. There are some online options - but not finding anything great local. Where have you had most luck? What size did you go with?

I just order small ones from my LFS. Some of mine were 50-cent-piece sized. Other times, my LFS manager would give me a deal. Bear in mind that I spend plenty of money there. I live in northern Appalachia. No one wants to spend money on fish here. Hard to sell Discus at all.

Out in D.C. I’ve seen Discus go for $300-$500 / ea. At fish club auction I’ve sold mine for $100+ / ea.

I’ve kept mine with Electric Blue Acaras…

And at other times bred Rams in the Discus tank…

[Twood]

On 7/28/2023 at 11:14 PM, Fish Folk said:

I just order small ones from my LFS. Some of mine were 50-cent-piece sized. Other times, my LFS manager would give me a deal. Bear in mind that I spend plenty of money there. I live in northern Appalachia. No one wants to spend money on fish here. Hard to sell Discus at all.

Out in D.C. I’ve seen Discus go for $300-$500 / ea. At fish club auction I’ve sold mine for $100+ / ea.

I’ve kept mine with Electric Blue Acaras…

And at other times bred Rams in the Discus tank…

Awesome! Thanks for the insight. I am going to ask around my LFS’ and see if I can find some interesting ones at a good price.

[Shadow]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:14 PM, Fish Folk said:

I just order small ones from my LFS. Some of mine were 50-cent-piece sized. Other times, my LFS manager would give me a deal. Bear in mind that I spend plenty of money there. I live in northern Appalachia. No one wants to spend money on fish here. Hard to sell Discus at all.

Out in D.C. I’ve seen Discus go for $300-$500 / ea. At fish club auction I’ve sold mine for $100+ / ea.

I’ve kept mine with Electric Blue Acaras…

And at other times bred Rams in the Discus tank…

Do you keep both GBRs and Blue Acaras in the same tank? How does that work out? I thought about doing the same thing, but in a previous thread someone thought it might be difficult due to combating parameters.