Mastering Your Discus Tank: Key Lessons After 3 Years

In this video, I'm going to share with you some of the lessons I've learned from 3 years of experience with starting and running a #discus #fishtank.

00:00 Introduction
01:45 Key Tip
02:05 Tank SIze
02:50 Filters
04:07 The fish
06:50 Water
07:55 Tank decoration
10:47 The little fish

By the end of this video, you'll have all the information you need to start your own discus tank, and you'll be able to revolutionize your fish tank! Thanks for watching!

If you're thinking about starting a discus and want some more info on setting things up, here's some great tips. I've had a discus tank now for three years. I wasn't quite daunted at the switch. A lot of conflicting info is out there and most of it was off putting. But I got discus anyway, and some of that mis information led me down a path I wouldn't take if I was starting again and I knew then, what I know now.

I'm no expert and not claiming to be one, but this is what I have learnt and found works in my three years of Discus fish keeping.

So rather than a standard how to set up a tank for discus, this is how id set one up with three years of experience.

Hope it helps you avoid some of the issues I ran into.

#aquarium #discusfish #tropicalfish #fishkeeping

[graemegorrie]

Good to hear you talking about whirling as it’s one of those ones most discus keepers are un aware of and most are unaware of how to prevent it from happening

[richardbrownmusic]

I had a 260 gallon tank that busted, I was into monster fish(aros, eels, bichirs, etc). It’s always been a dream to have discus so I just bought a 120 gallon with a sump. I’m fixing it up and starting my discus journey! Love the video man

[JasPR]

Enjoyed your presentation very much. Don't feel badly about not having a sump. I have two discus aquariums and one is a 180 gallon with a sump of 70 gallons and the other is a 167 gallon with all canister filtration. The canisters hold a heater but I also used an ehiem with an inline 400 watt heater so no need to have a heater in the aquarium. The canisters I favor now are the Oase 850 biomaster filter- it was a removable profiler sleeve that will make your life easy. It also has a built in heater. My sump is great but it can overflow when filling your aquarium so nothing is perfect. Cheers, JR

[DrSKMetz]

Good advice. After 45 years of fish keeping I just took the discus plunge last week.

[marianolteanu]

It' s verry beautifull the yellow discus. And white..
You have a beautifull discus fish..👋👋🌊

[timhorvat]

Great video. This is exactly the info I like to hear. So many websites just give vague general information for fish that isn’t helpful.

[adamcenteno]

Thank you for debunking other people’s misconceptions about Discus keeping.

[jamiesmith]

The point you make about the auto feeder and the granules is spot on. I used the auto feeder, set on a minimal delivery amount to begin with and timed to release in-between reduced beefheart feeds and they gradually started waiting for the granules… once they stop ignoring and taste the granules they seem to be hooked so it doesn’t take long. I’m also one of the lucky ones with my tap water… almost zero chlorine, minimal nitrate (although I still run it through an HMA) the only problem is the pH, which I have to buffer up, otherwise it’s too soft… great for Discus but not Stendker, which I have. They prefer pH7 and a level of hardness that wouldn’t be ideal for non Stendker bred fish. And yes, an army of corydoras and small fish to eat food remnants, especially if feeding beefheart. 😀

[Alex_Correa]

I've been searching for a long time and am getting 210 gallon for wild angels and discus. Basically everything you said in this video is in my plans! It's going to be lots of money, but I'll take lot's of obstacles out of my way. Sump is a must! Canisters are so small and can fail big time! I basically do a 5 galllon water change every day filter feeding to export uneaten food. That is my normal practice and I don't even count that as maintenance. But because of that, my weekly water changes are about 40-50%. That is for 75gallon system with 10 young Altum angels, which many discus breeders consider much harder to keep than discus. Will keep the schedule with the 210 s they grow and add the discus from the same source. That is the very best. There is absolutely no way to escape from maintenance!!!! Cheers!

[spp]

I have a 5x2x2 tank (150G/550L) with a 3 stage filtration on a 3x2x2 sump. Nothing complicated, the usual sponges, K1 and activated carbon cube and a UV steriliser. I live in a hot tropical city so I don't need heaters. 

I do 80-90% water change once a month and my 5 discus are doing fine. Usually around the end of the month I can see some haziness in the water but most of the people who come home are surprised the water is clear after 1 month of no maintenance.

I think one of the reason for my low maintenance is I am fortunate enough to have my discus eat only pellet food and Australian black worms most of the time. Once every 15 days I give them BH/GH and/or regular shrimp (not freeze dried).

I did loose some fish in the beginning but I strongly concur with your thoughts on spending more upfront and getting it from good breeder. Also, I just wanted to share this as I think discus are not really that brittle and can live happy on low maintenance tanks.

[ReinhardvonHolst]

Liked, loved and subbed. Peace from Berkshire. I used to keep discus 25 years ago when we had to keep them at 6 ph. I had 10 to start with then got rid of 8 when I had a breeding pair. I had to leave the hobby due to moving around so much. I really want to get back into keeping them.

[adamcenteno]

Hey George. Nice to see you blu Discuss is alive and well.

[matthewbrown]

Very good stuff... What foods do you use.?

[nwyk]

I was from a Saltwater Reef tank for over 12 years, and keeping Discus now is a breeze -compare to the latter. just get the biggest Discus you can afford, they're tough as nails. avoid anything that is below 4", you are good.

[TimPronk]

nice information mate, sadly this month I lost 3 of the 4 discusfish suddenly after 6 months having them. I learned a lot in the meantime as well. because I made a lot of mistakes myself as well that causes them to die

[FishShenanigans-]

Thank you for the content love the videos!!
I just started my new YouTube channel!!

[Janstropical]

What color is the yellow with green called. Amazing ❤

[Sept]

I've had a lot of success with the cheap fish and no success with the expensive fifth I think it's just a buyer and the seller you have to know what you're looking for when you have these fish. I agree with buying a bunch of 4 inches in 2 inches. I think i'd better once when you get them small. And they grow with you cause they're very finicky. Also, it is where I find that it is very important to have small schooling fish and the tank. Not only just to clean up but to allow the disgusting note at the environment is safe.

[llomax]

My first round with discus didn't go well at all.... My second round will be a bare bottom and a sump.... Good stuff brother

[josepolanco]

I agree with your. Most of the stuff is said is bull. They are like any other fish. Supporting your channel from mines @joy of fish keeping