gia@ihuxy.ATT.COM (Phung) (11/24/87)
Hi, Does any one out there have/had any experience with Discus fishs? I'd like to hear your side of story on raising Discuses. Mine goes like this: I have a 55-gallon setup with under-gravel filters covered with ~2.5 inches of gravel. The filters are operated by two 400-gph power heads. I used a lot of artificial plans. I was told NOT to put any rocks/woods in the tank as it can be difficult to clean the tank. With that size tank, I use two 150-watts heater to keep the water temperature constant, between 82-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Discuses are originated from S. America and survive better at higher temperature. A large air pump (size of the Whisper 1000, sp?) is also used to create a lot of air bubbles in the tank. With the above setup, I raise six discus. The discuses are cross breed between the Brown and Turquois discuses and have a vibrant blue and red colors. They're about 8 months old and about 3.5 inches in diameter. I feed them basically formulated frozen beefheart at least 3 times a day with occasional supplement of live Tubiflex worms. They seem to be healthy and happy where they are. I change half of the water twice a week and hydro-clean the tank when I do. Because of the frequent water changes, the tank appears rather cloudy. I began to look for a filter that can clear the water and was recommended the Magnum 330. I've also looked at the Eiheim (sp?). They both seem to be good for my purpose. My question is: have you had any experience with these or any other filters that would serve my purpose? Well, that's my story. What's your experience in raising Discuses. I'd also like to hear from you should or should not do based on the above. I hope to bread them some day and will keep you posted. Ad-Thank-vance Jeff Phung ATT-BL IH-6M-208 Naperville-Wheaton Road Naperville, IL. 60566 (312) 979-4864 Email: ..ihnp4!ihuxy!gia
sterling@cbmvax.UUCP (11/25/87)
In article <2277@ihuxy.ATT.COM> gia@ihuxy.ATT.COM (Phung) writes: > with occasional supplement of live Tubiflex worms. They seem to be > healthy and happy where they are. I change half of the water twice a ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > week and hydro-clean the tank when I do. Because of the frequent water ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > changes, the tank appears rather cloudy. I began to look for a filter > that can clear the water and was recommended the Magnum 330. I've also > looked at the Eiheim (sp?). They both seem to be good for my purpose. > My question is: have you had any experience with these or any other > filters that would serve my purpose? > > Jeff Phung > ATT-BL > IH-6M-208 > Naperville-Wheaton Road > Naperville, IL. 60566 > (312) 979-4864 > Email: ..ihnp4!ihuxy!gia Jeff, I'd recommend reducing your water changes to 20-25% once a week and take it easy on the bottom filter... give it a chance to mature and your cloudy water will get crystal clear. I assume you're using #3 natural gravel, right? ;-) I'd keep wood out of the tank as suggested but a bit of sphagnum peat moss might lower the PH a bit and make your Discus happier. Rocks are okay but be sure they don't have sharp edges and are not of a type that might dissolve contaminents into the tank. You've made the right moves in tank size and fish load and under-gravel filter ... now give the tank a chance to mature. I had a 240 gallon tank setup for over 8 years without doing anything but 25% water changes once a week. When I finally had to break down the tank I noticed the gravel smelled like fresh garden soil... no fishy odors at all!
richard@gryphon.UUCP (11/26/87)
In article <2861@cbmvax.UUCP> sterling@cbmvax.UUCP (Rick Sterling QA) writes: > > Jeff, I'd recommend reducing your water changes to 20-25% once a week and > take it easy on the bottom filter... give it a chance to mature and your > cloudy water will get crystal clear. I assume you're using #3 natural > gravel, right? ;-) I'd keep wood out of the tank as suggested but a bit of > sphagnum peat moss might lower the PH a bit and make your Discus happier. I'd just like to point out that ceder ROOT will do the same trick, lower the phm and impart a nice "black water" tint to the water. It also has antibiotic properties, which, considering the close proximity to tubifex (NOT 'flex' :-) might be a plus. I've read willow root and bark have the same properties, but I've had no direct experience with this, just the ceder root. Recommended. -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."
dalka@ihlpg.UUCP (11/30/87)
> Xref: ihlpg alt.aquaria:17 rec.pets:1929 > > I feed them basically formulated frozen beefheart at least 3 times a day > with occasional supplement of live Tubiflex worms. They seem to be > healthy and happy where they are. I change half of the water twice a > week and hydro-clean the tank when I do. Because of the frequent water > changes, the tank appears rather cloudy. I began to look for a filter > that can clear the water and was recommended the Magnum 330. I've also > looked at the Eiheim (sp?). They both seem to be good for my purpose. > My question is: have you had any experience with these or any other > filters that would serve my purpose? > changing half the water twice a week sounds like overkill to me and in fact might be bad for the fish. Its very tramatic for a fish to be given that much new water so often. I have a 55 gallon and I change about 7 gallons every 2 weeks. I have a hagel fluval 403 canister filter and used to have a magnum 330 I highly recommend a hagen fluval over the magnum. The hagen 203 or 303 are probably the same size as the magnum. They seem to cost more but buy the time you buy all the extras on the magnum that you need and come with the hagen they are the same or cheaper. The hagens are better made, quieter and have fewer moving parts. I think the same is true for the ehiems but have no direct expierience. I was told that replacement parts are harder to get for the ehiems and they seem to cost more but I'm not sure. made -- Ken Dalka (Bell Labs) ihnp4!ihlpg!dalka IE 2F-518 (312) 416-7437