Guides to keeping discus.

[HuttShun]

Hmmm got nothing to do so just post this for fun. Maybe in future got use for new members who interested in keeping discus. If u guys think that i like to show off go ahead and think, I don't care. Good Discus keepers please correct me if i'm wrong.

Guide to keeping discus.

1)Make sure u have a at least (to me) a 2.5ft tank. Remember, the bigger the better.

2)Make sure you cycle your water properly, i cycled my tank for 1month with two sponge filters. You guys can choose to use other filters but make sure you cycle your tank and also make sure that the flow rate of the water is not so powerful, as discus don't like strong currents. The filter i recommend are sponge filters. ( I'm not too sure about this, so maybe someone can help me with the cycling of water?)

3)After finishing your cycling go and do some fish shopping, the place i recommend is "Chai Discus Farm" ( www.chaidiscus.com.sg ) I bought almost all my discus from there, they provide excellent service and they also produce good quality fishes. If u have any questions you can ask them.

4)Equipments: A heater ( discus prefer warm water and they do trive better in warm waters. if u have a heater maybe you can set it to 30 degree celsius)
P.H pen ( discus prefer low ph about 6.5 to 7? Please correct me if i'm wrong. you can choose not to get this. )

After having all your equipments and stuff ready. It's time to go and shop for discus!

1) get your discus from reputable aquariums. Other aquariums may con you into buying stunted discus.

2)After getting your fish, wait for it to settle down first, then try feeding a LITTLE bit of food to it. if it eats, then the discus is already stabilzed

3) get discus in a small group, they feel more comfortable living in small groups. abt 4 to 6 in a 2.5ft tank. of course when the tank is bigger u may want to add a few more into your tank. just make sure that they don't get too cramp.

Raising juveniles

1) as i said get your discus from reputable aquariums. if u plan to get a juvenile it is essential to feed it more often or they will get stunted.

2) checking for stunted discus, you look at their size of the body, if its small eye small body, then its not stunted, but if the size of the eye is big, its stunted. ( i'm not sure abt checking for stunted discus)

Breeding discus

1) If u get a confirm pair of discus, do not be too happy, they may be a pair but not a breeding pair.
2) if u intend to breed discus make sure that u have a lot of fish tanks. not too small not too big. maybe about 2.5ft or 3ft for breeding them.
3)if u spot a pair, u may want to seperate them into another tank, preferbly about 2.5ft to 3ft. get a breeding cone and wait for them to breed.
4) If they successfully breed and the offsprings are still eggs, u may want to add some metalyn blue to prevent the discus eggs from getting fungus.
5)if the fries are hatched do not feed them, they will feed on the slim on their parents body, but when they are slightly bigger you may want to seperate them and pump them wif food. juveniles can eat brine shrimp or blood worm.

Feeding Discus

1)you may want to feed dry food for discus. that is fine. but a mixture between dry and live food are the best.
2)Brine shrimp
3) blood worm
4) beef/ pig heart


If u have any more questions you may want to post it and i'll try to help you
And again as i said PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

Regards,
HuttShun

[HuttShun]

*Forgotten to add something*

Maturity of discus
1) Males will take 1.5years to mature
2)Females will take 1 year to mature
(some people say blue diamond take 2yrs to mature but i don't know)

Breed of discus

1)its up to ur own personal preference i like solid colour discus especially bluediamond and super melon
really, its up to ur personal preference

CHEERS,
HuttShun

[HuttShun]

*Another thing to add Sorry.*

Type of tank
1) For me i'll just make the tank simple by doing it bare. its also easier to maintain rather than to have a planted tank
2)if u really wan to introduce discus to your planted tank, they will also look nice. but only disadvantage is the the tank is more difficult to maintain.

Tankmates for discus

1)Discus are cichlids and all cichlids are terrortorial so its best to keep a only discus tank.

Temperament of discus
1)Discus will maybe chase other discus or other fishes in your tank. that is normal.
2)It is good if u keep a group of discus of the same size as when they feed, the bigger discus may chase away the smaller ones and the smaller ones will not get a chance to eat.

Regards,
HuttShun

[HuttShun]

Changing water

1) discus is the only fish( i think ) that can take massive water change. u can try to change everyday 10% or 20% or 1 week change one time. discus can take up tp 50% water change and it is good for them.
2) after changeing water, add anti chlorine and chloramine

Originally Posted by HuttShun

Changing water

1) discus is the only fish( i think ) that can take massive water change. u can try to change everyday 10% or 20% or 1 week change one time. discus can take up tp 50% water change and it is good for them.
2) after changeing water, add anti chlorine and chloramine

Hey Huttshun,

Thanks for your most informative post. I just started on discuses... and wanted to know how you (or anyone else who reads this post) maintains their pH stable? Do you just keep checking it all day? That's currently what I'm doing now.. i check my pH like 3 times a day at least.... even when I'm at work.

So when u do your waterchange, how do you make sure the pH is stabilised, esp. if you do a 50%? Or does this all come with experience?

Thanks,
Tonks

Originally Posted by Tonks

Hey Huttshun,

Thanks for your most informative post. I just started on discuses... and wanted to know how you (or anyone else who reads this post) maintains their pH stable? Do you just keep checking it all day? That's currently what I'm doing now.. i check my pH like 3 times a day at least.... even when I'm at work.

So when u do your waterchange, how do you make sure the pH is stabilised, esp. if you do a 50%? Or does this all come with experience?

Thanks,
Tonks

Hi Tonks, saw your post to bro Huttshun. Hope bro Huttshun does not mind but just to share my experience, fishes will acclimatize to the water conditions after awhile (including pH). I've kept discus in pH of 8.2-8.6 (western part of sg) as well as 7.2-7.4 (eastern part of sg) and transferred them in between as well. No issues as long as the transfer are done slowly. What I'm saying is it would be better to condition the discus to your tap water pH than to constantly meddle using chemicals to bring the pH down to book standards. Having said, if you're still keen to drop the pH or maintain over a regular period (3-6mths depending on size of tank) can consider Sera peat. Put it in the last compartment of your filter. pH will drop quite rapidly (i was using a 2ft) to as low as 4.5... more suited for wilds than domestic breeds. During the trial period, my discus were quite stressed out with the pH drop (darting around, showing stress bars etc) so eventually i've stopped using it. Could be attributed more to the rapidness in the drop rather than the actual difference but I just felt that I should go back to basic. If you want, you can put the bag in the tank/container used for aging water. The pH drop won't be so drastic overnight and could contain good trace elements. All said, clean aged water is still the best. Don't have to worry too much about pH. Hardness is only important if the eggs don't get fertilized by a mature proven pair. Enjoy the process and hope to see you around in the forums

Originally posted by HuttShun
no la... not expert only 13yrs old.. still got a lot more to learn.

Change more water, if not will stunt.

[Aqua-fanactic]

Bro HuttShun,

What is happening when I see my discus gill moving oneside more than the other, it this a disease or just bloodline problem? Thanks in advance.

[HuttShun]

Originally posted by Aqua-fanactic
Bro HuttShun,

What is happening when I see my discus gill moving oneside more than the other, it this a disease or just bloodline problem? Thanks in advance.

hmm u mean like for example the left gill move 2 times but the right gill move 1 time?
is it eating properly? fins clamp?

[Aqua-fanactic]

Erh, nope, I meant I can see one side of the gill movement more than the other. i.e. the gill opens more on one side during breathing. Eating wise is ok, fins are well open too.