Overstocking Discus?

Hello all, I've recently been posting across the forum about setting up a 125 gallon planted discus tank. I currently have 6 discus in my 55 (recently went back to barebottom bottom, long story) and was wondering how all of you have your discus tanks stocked.

I regularly hear the 1 discus per 10 gallon rule (I'm currently 1 discus over lol) but I assume that is for full grown adult discus. Right now, I have 2 discus that are 4-5 inches, while the other 4 are all around the same size, maybe 3.5".

I was wondering if it's a terrible idea to add more, maybe 3-4, and grow them all out until I move them into my 125 in May. Is it insane to keep 10 decent size discus in a 55 for that long? I would of course be quarantining the new ones for several weeks before they join the school.

 

Evening,
Full disclosure I don't currently keep discus. I have in the past, and even got the buggers to breed. But no longer. I don't think they are as "difficult" as every makes them out to be, but they are a sensitive fish.

I agree you're at/maybe a little above recommended stocking level for your current 55. I don't see any benefit to adding 50 to 66% more bio load to a tank, even if just for a short while. Is there something pressing? New fry you really want? If not I wouldn't risk it, I'd just wait the few months.

Just my 2 cents,

TT

 

Thank you for your input. And yes, a LFS that I go to for my discus orders from Discus Hans and currently has some BEAUTIFUL fish I would love to get my hands on lol. They have an alenquer, a tefe and a flachen green snakeskin all around 4" that I almost brought home the other day. Basically, I know it's not a great idea to overstock and I just needed someone to talk me out of it lol, so thank you. I can get much like a kid in a candy store sometimes with discus.

 

How big is your QT Tank? Is it stable?

TT

 

Thank you for your input. And yes, a LFS that I go to for my discus orders from Discus Hans and currently has some BEAUTIFUL fish I would love to get my hands on lol. They have an alenquer, a tefe and a flachen green snakeskin all around 4" that I almost brought home the other day. Basically, I know it's not a great idea to overstock and I just needed someone to talk me out of it lol, so thank you. I can get much like a kid in a candy store sometimes with discus.

The fever has bitten down hard on you, as it did to me lol. I have 6 discus in my 80 gallon, 3 are full grown wilds (about 7" give or take) and other 3 are smaller juveniles (about 3.5"). I'm definitely looking at getting more wilds ever since I've been looking at wilds lol but what holds me back is their price tag, they get pretty darn expensive. I had 8 in my 80 gallon before up until 2 paired up and started breeding. Now the pair are in a 30 gallon tank to themselves. How long till you get the larger tank and how long would it take for you to get the fish?

 

I don't keep them anymore either, although I understand the temptation. Fight it. Beautiful Discus come around again, and watching beauty die because the tank is too small is no goal to aI'm for.
You are already above what I followed (1 Discus per 15 gallons) and have no "give". You want to maximize your chances of longterm success - don't blow it on a short term reaction.

I was recently offered an incredible deal on some Geophagus young, about the same level of difficulty and needs as the Discus they occur in the wild with, and I managed to talk myself out of it. The tanks weren't ready. If they had been, I would have danced right into that deal.
I don't regret my choice, although I wish I had had the tanks. We are kids in a candy store, but we have to keep our teeth for the future.

 

Hello all, I've recently been posting across the forum about setting up a 125 gallon planted discus tank. I currently have 6 discus in my 55 (recently went back to barebottom bottom, long story) and was wondering how all of you have your discus tanks stocked.

I regularly hear the 1 discus per 10 gallon rule (I'm currently 1 discus over lol) but I assume that is for full grown adult discus. Right now, I have 2 discus that are 4-5 inches, while the other 4 are all around the same size, maybe 3.5".

I was wondering if it's a terrible idea to add more, maybe 3-4, and grow them all out until I move them into my 125 in May. Is it insane to keep 10 decent size discus in a 55 for that long? I would of course be quarantining the new ones for several weeks before they join the school.

Yeah, you already know the answer.
Although I don't think 6 in a 55gl is overstocked by any stretch of the imagination. and in a 125gl I would definitely have 14, just sayin.
BUT just a thought, I would assume you would qt your new fish anyways, doesn't matter whether you get them from same store and they get theirs from Hans, QT has been proven over and over again that it really shouldn't be skipped. Soooooo, pick up another 55gl (either the $ per gl deal at petco or a used tank, used should cost more than $40)
then buy the others and QT them in the new 55 and your ready to go in May.

 

I've definitely been entertaining that kind of option Disc61. However, available space for any additional decent size tank is the biggest issue for me right now. My current quarantine tank is a 40 long which is usually stored in a closet when it's not in use, and occupies my kitchen table when it is lol (I live in a 3rd floor, 2 bedroom apartment). I would have no problem simply setting it up as a temporary home for the 3 discus I want to get, but I'm planning on turning my 40 long into my sump tank to get the 125 running. My 45 is currently stocked with angels that I'm planning on moving in with the discus down the line, and my other tanks are too small and not suitable for discus.

All in all, you guys are all correct. Beautiful fish always come around, and I need to be patient and not rush things until I can provide a stable, permanent home for the discus. After all, I can always order them directly from Hans and pay a little more for the shipping myself if I can't find them locally again. Thank you to everyone for talking me out of it, I definitely have the discus fever

 

s15guppy I bet those are some beautiful wilds though. I've only seen a few in person, and they were full grown, going for $225 a piece I already have my 125, but I'm storing it in a friends basement while I work on it (still have to drill it, install the overflow box and finish the sump/plumbing) I simply do not have any room for it in my apartment, and I'm also concerned about the weight, as I live on the third floor.

 

s15guppy I bet those are some beautiful wilds though. I've only seen a few in person, and they were full grown, going for $225 a piece I already have my 125, but I'm storing it in a friends basement while I work on it (still have to drill it, install the overflow box and finish the sump/plumbing) I simply do not have any room for it in my apartment, and I'm also concerned about the weight, as I live on the third floor.

Wilds are definitely expensive lol but I really fell in love with how they look compared to my domesticated ones, yes, they're beautiful as well but it's just the fact that wilds came the colors they are from nature and not by inbreeding lol. I do appreciate both though but have went towards wilds most recently lol

Photo of my newest green one