My first attempt at discus keeping

[kevin89]

I brought these guys home to my new 60 gal tank for about 2 weeks now.  They are eating like crazy.  They love the beef heart and Hikari dried brine shrimp and blood worm.  I have a pleco in there right now but I read that plecos tend to suck the slime coat off of the discus at night & Bristlenose ones are better tankmates.  I am looking to get one this weekend.  Anyone selling an albino bristlenose?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

mike at sunny's had some abn not sure if he has anymore and if i recall tropical emporium has some too.

might wanna look them up and call first.

[kevin89]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

thanks, I'll check them out.

[kevin89]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Do you have an address or phone number for either one of these places?

[Ellen]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

They're very pretty!

Ellen

[wvgdiscus]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Nice looking discus.
What size tank are they in & is it a fully planted tank?
They look like they are all young teenagers.

Walter

[kevin89]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

It's a 60 gal tank.  The tall plants in the back are fake.  I have some small live plants in the front.  They're doing OK.  I don't know much about live plants.  The discus are juveniles - about 2.5" - 3".

Kevin

[wvgdiscus]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

You sound like I did when I 1st started. Plants & discus no better two combination in freshwater. I wish you the best of luck with you new baby.

[szidlon]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Nice looking little group you have there!  I still struggle with plants as I'm not a patient person and want instant jungle which just doesn't happen with plants, at least not mine.  Is there a particular reason you want an albino bristlenose?  I have just the plain jane brown bristlenose, I have looked at the albino, just haven't purchased one yet.

[ritababe]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

How are the discus doing?

Where did you buy them?  

Rita

[jwyde]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

I thought “eureka” when I saw this thread, because I’m looking to find an algae solution for my discus tank right now (I couldn’t find a forum dedicated to discus ).  But then I was disappointed when I saw there was no solution at the end.  I’m looking for a fish that doesn’t get too big, and for that reason don’t want to go the pleco route (I’ve got one now, and he gets along with the discus, but is growing & growing!).  I like the suckermouth cats (Otocinclus Catfish) or the algae eaters (Chinese or golden), but from what I read they are no good as they will harass the discus (because they are one of the few species that excrete milk from their skin to feed their young).  Have other people seen this behavior?  I would think that it wouldn’t happen if they weren’t breeding, but maybe discus are still tasty?  I’ve been referred to the Bristlenose Pleco but, man, are they ugly (they creep my wife out ). What are you discus owners out there doing?

[szidlon]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

I have the bristlenose plecos.  I don't think it matters if the Discus are breeding or not it's the slime coat the algae eaters are after.  

Here's a Discus forum

Simply Discus

[wvgdiscus]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Clown loaches work with discus. You will need to quaratine them for a couple of weeks to make sure they are not carring any diseases

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

You can get smaller plecos than the Bristlenose. Ive got 6 plecos that shouldnt get more than 3-4".

Clown loaches arent going to clean the glass, but if you buy them small it'll take a long while for them to grow big.

[jwyde]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Hey, wvgdiscus, thanks for pointing me to the the Discus forum.  

Brownsnoutuk, for some reason I didn't realize there were plecos in that size range.  Perhaps because I always see the common pleco being sold.  It's no surprise to me, though.  Mother nature makes all sorts of interesting creatures in all shapes & sizes.

I'm gonna head on over to the discus forum & see what types of plecos / algae eating fish leave the plecos alone.