Discus and Figure 8 Puffer

Will 5-6 discus get along with one figure eight puffer! I used to have one but I moved from mass to texas! I loved him soooo much. Will this combo work? Also he lived for wuite some years and I never added salt.

 

No, that combination will not work. You'll notice chunks of your Discus disappearing.

 

is there any other puffer that would work? also what other fish is good to go with my discus

 

Puffers are generally not good community fish. Every once in awhile, you'll find an individual that does okay with tankmates, but the tank mates usually need to be agile enough to discourage the puffer from trying. I've even heard of a dwarf puffer killing an adult oscar by taking little bites out of it, over and over again.

Unsure about discus tankmates. I've only ever seen them in species-only tanks. Doesn't mean it can't be done, just that I've never seen it.

 

I'm a little confused about your current stock. Do you already have the discus, as your aquarium info says, or do you plan on getting them? If your aquarium info is correct, and you already have the discus, then you have no room for more fish. You will actually have to get a bigger tank in the near future.

What tank size are we dealing with?

 

I'm a little confused about your current stock. Do you already have the discus, as your aquarium info says, or do you plan on getting them? If your aquarium info is correct, and you already have the discus, then you have no room for more fish. You will actually have to get a bigger tank in the near future.

What tank size are we dealing with?

If you look closely his aquarium info says "Six Discus (in the near future)". But still a 35g is way too small for 6 Discus.

There is no puffer that I know of that will live peacefully with Discus. As Sirdarksol mentioned, Puffers are not community fish. I have only ever managed to get puffers to live with other puffers or very fast moving fish like Giant Danios.

Other fish that go really well with Discus are: Cardinal Tetras, Rummynose Tetras, most Loaches, Harlequin Rasboras, Rainbowfish, Dwarf Cichlids, and most Tetras.

 

Okay

Thanks for the help!

 

I believe torpedo barbs also work. I think those fish are soo pretty!

 

Anytime . Have you decided what you're going to do?

 

Yes. This summer I am going to prepare my fish tank (I am actually starting now) for 6 discus. I know people say that this will be too small but Like recommended, I am giving each discus 5 gallons. After my tank is ready, I am going to get rid of my biological maintainer as I like to call him (Jack Dempsey). I am ordering from hans discus usa. After I recive my discus I am going to have them float for 10 minutes (give or take). Then the rest is going to happen as the days pass! My discus types I am getting are...
Blue Diamond
Cobalt
Fire Red
Marlboro Red
(and what discus keeper wouldnt have) a pigeon blood

 

Sounds like an interesting project. Do you plan on upgrading as the Discus get larger??

As for your acclimation process, I suggest trying the drip method because that seem to do a lot of good while the plop and drop method can shock the fish. Just my opinion though .

 

but Like recommended, I am giving each discus 5 gallons. After my tank is ready, I am going to get rid of my biological maintainer as I like to call him (Jack Dempsey). I am ordering from hans discus usa. After I recive my discus I am going to have them float for 10 minutes (give or take). Then the rest is going to happen as the days pass! My discus types I am getting are...
Blue Diamond
Cobalt
Fire Red
Marlboro Red
(and what discus keeper wouldnt have) a pigeon blood

love the choice of fish, the Marlboro is awesome from Hans.
I would respectfully disagree on the 5 gl for one Discus, the rule ( or guide) is 1 discus for every 10 gl. you can push the limits a little
with daily water changes but not that much I am afraid.
acclimation, floating yes, but for more like 40 minutes to allow the water in the bag to come to the Temp in your tank, I would then do a drip for an hour as rogue said above, this allows the fish to become adapted to your PH level in your tank.
good luck and keep us posted.

 

thanks for everyones help. I have never heard of the drip method. Can someone please tell me how to do it?

 

alright, I use a 5 gl bucket I got at petco. ( and IMO with Discus it would be a brand new bucket for me, not used for anything else)put your fish in the bucket along with the water in the bags, once you have all the fish in there along with the water you can begin the drip. I use air line tubing. make sure it is long enough from inside the tank then out and into the bucket. put one end into the tank and make sure you fasten it somehow so it doesn't come out ( you will want to walk away because you should drip for about an hour) I use a piece of clear tape attached over the tubing then onto the black brace at the top of the tank. once you feel good the tubing will stay in place then tie a knot in the other end of the tubing, right near the end of the tubing, then start a siphon into the bucket. the water will start coming out fast, tighten the knot so the stream of water begins to slow down. continue to tighten the knot until the water drips at a steady pace. not a stream but a fast drip. at that point fasten that end of the tubing to the inside of the bucket so the drip is out away from the side of the bucket. that is my way, I am sure others will have a different view.

hope it makes sense to you.

 

then do you dump the water with the fish back in the tank?!

 

No, you do not replace the fishwater to the tank. You just top the tank up when you're done. I usually do a 3-5 hour drip acclimation because I'm paranoid lol. Here's a good video except I disagree on how long you should float the bag (30-40 min is best) and the part about it being okay to add the water the fish was shipped in to the tank -

 

Good morning,

I also use the Drip Acclimation (provided in the video above by Rogue) Method for all new fish.

Please, do not forget about Quarantine if these fish are going to be added to an already stocked tank.

Best wishes for your Discus adventure!

Ken

 

No, you do not replace the fishwater to the tank. You just top the tank up when you're done. I usually do a 3-5 hour drip acclimation because I'm paranoid lol. Here's a good video except I disagree on how long you should float the bag (30-40 min is best) and the part about it being okay to add the water the fish was shipped in to the tank -

Thanks so what I got from this was...
1.) Float fish for 30-40 minutes
2.) Deposit fish and water into a 5 gallon bucket
3.) Hang tubing in tank and bucket, tie a loose knot on the tube.
4.) Start siphon and quickly tighten knot to a fast pace drip
5.) Let it go for 40 mins

Do I have to dump out half the water once it doubled in the bucket as it says in the video, then keep dripping until it doubles again?! And will dripping for 40 minutes make a lot of my water disappear in my tank?! I have two 5 gallon buckets, should I fill another one up so once the fish are transferred in the tank I can add that water right away?!

 

yes I would say that just about covers it. but don't cut the time short. at least an hour and as Rogue said, more is better in this situation.
if you use the 5 gl bucket it will not come close to making a dent in your tank water. (even if you go 3-5 hours)remember, you tighten the knot until it is dripping, it should not be a steady stream. you will not need to dump any water out of the bucket. and then use a net to put them in the tank. never use any of the bucket water to put back in the tank, top the tank off with fresh conditioned water.