![]() Over the weeks increase the size of the group and if you want to add different ones like cardinals, neons, glow lights, rummy noses etc.Keep a good check on the ammonia and nitrite levels, if they rise do a water change to help the new filters. First buy a small group of tetras and add to the tank. Add stress zyme or a similar product to help keep down the ammonia levels, protect the fish and help the maturing process. The best way to stock a new tank for discus is to set everything up, fill with treated water as described in step two. Because ammonia would go up which would burn the gills of the fish which could make them dash about and may even cause disease or even death. It would be no good running a tank with nothing in it and then adding the discus after weeks or months. Ammonia or waste fish products will need to be present so the cycle can begin. ![]() First set everything up and fill the tank with treated tap water or better still use an RO unit or water purifier and run the tank for 24-48 hours. But the best way and the old favorite is doing it like this. Also good additives can be bought in a bottle to colonize the filter. Other ways can be done by siphoning off dirty water from a mature under gravel tank and then adding the water to the new tank. A good start for a breeding ground for the new colony. When this is done approximately 95% of the beneficial bacteria is washed out into the new tank and is consumed by the newly running filters onto the new media, and hey presto. Ways of speeding up the maturing process are numerous, some to name a few are placing mature filter sponges from old tanks, and then these can be squeezed out into the newly set up tank. Being a retailer time is also important and the sooner the tanks are running the better. This is a very debatable area as it is possible to cheat here and I myself have had to do this in the past to get tanks up and running as soon as possible. With the tank size determined and stocking levels planned how soon can you add your new discus Time is the key word here, because this is what you will need to mature and colonize the new biological filtration system. ![]() I have always found that the bigger the group the less squabbling and fighting there is. Larger ones tend to not be so bad if kept in small numbers but will still need to be kept in good numbers for best results. Small discus especially will sulk if not kept in numbers of at least six, the more the better. Time and time again I hear of small tanks being used for keeping discus and two or three small fish being kept and then the keepers reporting that the discus are shy, hiding away, turning black or not feeding. Even then it is very wise to place the pairs in separate tanks along side each other so they can see other pairs in the neighbouring tanks. ![]() The only exception for this is if you have a bonded breeding pair. ![]() So with this information so far we can see that a tank of at least 60 gallons will need to be used for keeping discus. Also discus being a shoaling species a minimum number of at least six discus will need to be kept. You will need to allow ten gallons for each discus. The first thing to consider before you even buy the tank for your new discus is how big it needs to be. So how do you mature the filters And how long before you can add your discus stock. So you have decided to buy a new tank and you wish to keep discus in it. ![]()
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