Discus Aquariums – How To Setup A New Aquarium For Discus Fish
Prior to bringing your disus fish home, you need to start working on setting up your discus aquarium. It is a mistake to think that you can prepare your aquarium once you already have your fish.
A cultured sponge filter works well in discus aquariums. If you don’t have the time for the filter to naturally culture, you can use a bacterial starter culture to speed up the process. Either method will work fine, just make sure that the tank doesn’t have excessive water flow. In nature, discus fish live in
calm water, so do you best to mimic this.
You can keep discus in a completely bare tank, but I usually put a thin layer of gravel on the bottom. The discus seem to like it better. You can also add driftwood, plants, or ceramic pots, but they are not required. If you choose to add plants, make sure they can tolerate the warm water. Your discus fish like the temperature to be around 80 degrees F, so be sure that your plants can handle the heat. Nothing special is needed for lighting. I simple fluorescent strip will give off enough light for the plants, as well as the fish.
If you are planning to keep a quarantine tank, then keep it bare. And, if this is your first time keeping discus, I recommend that the initial tank be setup like a hospital or quarantine tank. These type of discus aquariums should have nothing more than water, heater, filtration, and lighting. The reason for this is to minimize variables while your new fish become acclimatized. You also need to observe them closely in the beginning, so you don’t want them hiding in the cracks and crevices. After about 30 days, you can start adding gravel and plants.
Discus aquariums need some common sense preparation in advance in order to be successful. Most importantly, is ensure proper water quality and habitat. You also need to learn how to properly acclimate new discus to your aquarium. I encourage you to learn more about the specifics of setting up discus aquariums. Topics such as food, water chemistry, and choice of tank mates are all critical to your success. Good Luck!
