54 Gallon Corner Tank Build (Discus)

Really nice yellow discus

(s)He's my fav

 

Great looking discus! Really like the first blue in second pic. Does Kenny have a web site? Does he always have fish or just a few times a year? Dont see much on the SD site.
Your yellow is keeping color . Good looking discus!

 

I LOVE the white one!!!

 

Great looking discus! Really like the first blue in second pic. Does Kenny have a web site? Does he always have fish or just a few times a year? Dont see much on the SD site.
Your yellow is keeping color . Good looking discus!

Thank you! I mean Kenny does have a website but he usually doesn’t post anything. He usually posts them monthly but he hasn’t posted them, I would email it to see what is going on. But then again the virus is probably holding them back so that may be the reason. Also thanks, my whole diet has been shifted to fit the yellow and it seems to of worked.

I LOVE the white one!!!

Finally! A white fan!

 

Is it safe to mix kenny discus with yours? I mean (just guessing) but i presume they are asian since it is yellow and you have hans discus and i thought from something Barbra posted that mixing them can cause death ?

Great looking discus! Really like the first blue in second pic. Does Kenny have a web site? Does he always have fish or just a few times a year? Dont see much on the SD site.
Your yellow is keeping color . Good looking discus!

 

Is it safe to mix kenny discus with yours? I mean (just guessing) but i presume they are asian since it is yellow and you have hans discus and i thought from something Barbra posted that mixing them can cause death ?

I think they are all kennys.

from what i know it can cause death but 86 ssinit has hans and asian fish in his tank.

 

I think they are all kennys.

from what i know it can cause death but 86 ssinit has hans and asian fish in his tank.

Although he will deny it, I consider 86 ssinit an expert so that doesn't surprise me

That aside, when I was researching the species I came across numerous builds across numerous forums where people had mixed sources and lost all of their fish. There are numerous explanations and theories but no definitive answer as to why this happens.

 

Well this sucks. Lost one of my German Rams, still no clue what happened. I’ll try and get a close up on a paper towel, it was eating fine and everything the other day and I saw nothing wrong with it.

 

My fault?

 

deleted. Wrong thread.

 

Well for some reason I never get alerts from this thread . As to the ram. It happens! They are tough fish to keep. Probably just stress from store to you. Rams are fragile fish and many are poorly bred. I’ve lost many like you just did. Ballon rams nevered lived for me. They looked great we’re eating than dead. It just happens. If they get through the stress part they will be fine.

As to mixing discus. Yes I’ve also read of many failures. I got lucky. I did qt each new group and I guess that’s what did it. If I get more they won’t go in the main tank. It’s full and I’m not going to mess with them. They’re all happy.

Rolla I’m no expert! My secret is water quality. The more water changed the better. This also works with all fish . Next with discus qt anything going into your main tank. Even plants. I’m not afraid to move anything i have in or out of any of my tanks. But if it’s new fish go into qt and plants go into my shrimp tanks. Shrimp eat everything off of them. Then into my 90 so the clown loaches can eat all the snails then into the discus tank .

 

rams + power outage = death.

 

Well for some reason I never get alerts from this thread . As to the ram. It happens! They are tough fish to keep. Probably just stress from store to you. Rams are fragile fish and many are poorly bred. I’ve lost many like you just did. Ballon rams nevered lived for me. They looked great we’re eating than dead. It just happens. If they get through the stress part they will be fine.

As to mixing discus. Yes I’ve also read of many failures. I got lucky. I did qt each new group and I guess that’s what did it. If I get more they won’t go in the main tank. It’s full and I’m not going to mess with them. They’re all happy.

Rolla I’m no expert! My secret is water quality. The more water changed the better. This also works with all fish . Next with discus qt anything going into your main tank. Even plants. I’m not afraid to move anything i have in or out of any of my tanks. But if it’s new fish go into qt and plants go into my shrimp tanks. Shrimp eat everything off of them. Then into my 90 so the clown loaches can eat all the snails then into the discus tank .

As you know there are a lot of people who are over confident and quite stringent about discus. Myself personally, I've picked up a ton of subtle nuances and insights from your journal hence the accolade.

As for the WC's with discus. Sure. I mean, that's a given for this species. But specifically when it comes to mixing sources I'm not sure that matters. In most cases I've seen read and heard about QT is the first step but it still and often ends in a loss of stock. It's to the point where personally, I wouldn't attempt it or recommend it with any form of confidence.

 

Lost one of my German Rams, still no clue what happened.

It happens, I lost one myself. Mine was recently purchased in QT and the 3rd day just floating? Not sure of the cause, could have been stress caused by the delay -Extra day shipping, will never know? The mate is doing fine.

I’m not afraid to move anything i have in or out of any of my tanks. But if it’s new fish go into qt

Agree, I move my fish around from tank to tank. Sharing nets, python, driftwood, etc... I am very cautious when adding anything new and even when I purchase from coralbandit a source I trust, his fish get QT.

As for the WC's with discus. Sure. I mean, that's a given for this species. But specifically when it comes to mixing sources I'm not sure that matters. In most cases I've seen read and heard about QT is the first step but it still and often ends in a loss of stock. It's to the point where personally, I wouldn't attempt it or recommend it with any form of confidence.

Agree

 

Rolla are you saying you would’nt recomended qt?

 

Ok so here is what I would like to do in terms of stocking.
Add like 11 - 16 Rummynose Tetra, for a total of 15 - 20?
Add like 8 - 11 Kuhli Loaches.
Ideas? I think I would like to not do anything crazy an just go upon what I have.
So this is what stocking would be like,

6x Discus
15 - 20x Rummynose Tetra
8x Kuhli Loaches
3x German Gold Rams.

 

Seems like an awful lot of fish for a 54 gallon.

Ok so here is what I would like to do in terms of stocking.
Add like 11 - 16 Rummynose Tetra, for a total of 15 - 20?
Add like 8 - 11 Kuhli Loaches.
Ideas? I think I would like to not do anything crazy an just go upon what I have.
So this is what stocking would be like,

6x Discus
15 - 20x Rummynose Tetra
8x Kuhli Loaches
3x German Gold Rams.

 

Seems like an awful lot of fish for a 54 gallon.

Yeah, I was just seeing what everyone would say. How should I improve it?

 

Rolla are you saying you would’nt recomended qt?

I'm saying I wouldn't recommend mixing discus from different sources.Even with a QT tank as I've seen that end in disaster too many times to mention.

Yeah, I was just seeing what everyone would say. How should I improve it?

I think the 10 Gal per discus rule is a decent guide. I'd add a small school of neon tetras as dithers as opposed to runny as they create a smaller bioload.

 

I'm saying I wouldn't recommend mixing discus from different sources.Even with a QT tank as I've seen that end in disaster too many times to mention.



I think the 10 Gal per discus rule is a decent guide. I'd add a small school of neon tetras as dithers as opposed to runny as they create a smaller bioload.

Ok thanks, so should I maybe get the rummynose school up to 6 or 8? Then get a school or like 6 - 7 Neons?

 

I wouldn't recommend neons. They like their temperature in the mid 70s. Rummynose or cardinals are a better fit for a discus tank, as they can take the heat. I'd stick with the rummynose, just lower the numbers a bit. 10-12 maybe.

 

Personally I would skip a CUC and get a bushynose pleco?

 

Sorry when I say neons I mean "cardinal tetra." There are a lot of tetras that do well at discus temps so I'd suggest going with whatever looks best to you. Just keep the school under 15 and you should be ok bio wise.

 

Yes Rolla I’m with you on the mixing and it’s a shame. When I started this the first time in the late 80s the goal was to mix. The Asian discus were new on the market. The Germans were the holy grail of discus. But getting both in the same tank was great. And there were no problems. Things have changed a lot and it’s a shame. There also were a lot of American breeders. Not so many any more. It’s cheaper to import.

 

I thought you mixed successfully ?

Yes Rolla I’m with you on the mixing and it’s a shame. When I started this the first time in the late 80s the goal was to mix. The Asian discus were new on the market. The Germans were the holy grail of discus. But getting both in the same tank was great. And there were no problems. Things have changed a lot and it’s a shame. There also were a lot of American breeders. Not so many any more. It’s cheaper to import.

 

I’ve mixed successfully

 

Yes Rolla I’m with you on the mixing and it’s a shame. When I started this the first time in the late 80s the goal was to mix. The Asian discus were new on the market. The Germans were the holy grail of discus. But getting both in the same tank was great. And there were no problems. Things have changed a lot and it’s a shame. There also were a lot of American breeders. Not so many any more. It’s cheaper to import.

I’ve mixed successfully

I came across a discus in a lfs and was basically stunned by how beautiful they were in person. Up and until that point I'd never actually seen one in person. My tanks were always planted with tetra and apistos and a centrepiece. But being in the hobby I knew in advance that it'd take some research and I spent a lot of time asking questions but mainly reading through builds.

One of the things that stood out was the horror stories that came from mixing. And they always followed the exact same trajectory.

1. I saw a discus I could resist
2. Help! My discus are dying one by one

Mixing successfully is no easy feat. And one that I personally can't recommend/give advice on. If I came across someone who insisted on mixing, be it this forum or others, I'd send them your way. As for me, I'm locked into the same retailer/source unless I start a complete new build and keep equipment separate...

 

Its tough there's no scientific literature on the subject of the discus "plague". Only a list of symptoms but no treatments and most frustrating is there is no identified organism or virus involved so basically anyones guess is as good as anyone else. I personally think its viral but I have no actual experience with the disease whatever it may be, fortunately.

 

Yes I’ve mixed successfully. Did I get lucky? Is this mixing thing a lie to keep people buying from the same seller? Are the people who mixed and had problems not keeping there fish as healthy as they should? I don’t know. Yes my fish mixed well with no problems. But as stated there are so many who have had problems. For me it’s qt for 4 weeks before I added them. Also I had a pair of Cory cats in the q t tank the whole time. So if any had something it was there on the Cory’s. I do believe this happens with beginners and buying from pet stores. I would say any pet store discus has already been mixed.

Most pet stores discus shouldn’t be bought. Most do not keep them by themselves. If you see discus in community tanks stay away. Some stores do know what there doing And keep them by themselves. But they don’t feed them correctly. These stores it’s best to buy from when the fish just comes in.

H farnsworth where are your other discus from? I remember you bought from DM but didn’t know you bought more. You holding out on us? .

 

Haha nah the first discus I bought were from a LFS in Leb NH. Three weeks later I bought 6 from DM. I threw some pics in the Discus Gang thread.

 

Ah you went the same way as me. My second set came from a Hans. Just looked a the DM site and nothing I’m interested in. Seems like the prices are very high on discus now . Kenny’s is putting up a list. Going to see what he has and decide what to do next. How are your discus doing? What siz3 are they now? Are the DM fish outgrowing the store bought?

 

Growth rate seems to be mixed pretty evenly between the two groups, some faster some slower. I just looked at DM it does seem that they are considering a business model change. Stopped most of the deals they do on assorted discus.

 

I think that’s across the board with sellers because of Covid. May take a month or so to get back to normal.

 

What’s covid?

 

German Gold Rams Dying in QT Help - | 459652 | Freshwater Fish Disease and Fish Health

 

What’s covid?

Corona-virus?

 

Oh yeah Covid is corona! From what I understand the town in queens and the beer company sued to have the name changed .

 

Here you go guys! I would hurry up if you were waiting because they go fast! Just for you guys that were asking me.

 

No I ordered allready now just waiting to here if I got what I ordered

 

No I ordered allready now just waiting to here if I got what I ordered

Sent you a PM with everything you need to know.