# 36g Community... w/1 Discus?



## arKat17 (Apr 9, 2010)

*36g w/1 Discus*​
Good225.00%Bad675.00%


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## arKat17 (Apr 9, 2010)

I usually post in the African Cichlid section of the site so i'm new to the SA/discus realm of fish-keeping. Anyway, here's my background. I have a 75g African Cichlid tank, a 10g community and a 14g community. I recently moved the Africans from a 36g to the 75 so now I have an empty 36g to move my community fish into and get rid of the 10/14g. _So here's the question_:

Stocking List - 36g
1 Male Bolivian Ram
1 Male Gold Gourami
3 Rainbow Tetra
5 Red Tetra
1 Glassfish
1 Bristlenose Pleco

The question is, there's a 3 inch Sunset Orange discus at my LFS that has been there for about 6 months now. Every fish this guy sells is healthy as a clam and it's the only place I buy fish. The point is, can ONE discus survive in a 36g (very well filtrated w/Fluval 405, 70g Aqueon HOB) with community fish?

I plan on putting natural round rocks, a 3-foot-tall piece of drift wood in the middle and Java ferns all over the place. It will be great for the Bolivian Ram for sure, as it will be for the other fish. But is 36g good enough for a discus?

Thank you guys for any suggestions/comments. :dancing:


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

Hi there,

While a 36 gallon tank with the right dimensions is OK for a breeding pair (proven pair) your plan sounds realy bad. Discus is a fish that feels best in groups of 6 or more. Only exeption is a proven solid pair. If you keep one discus it is very likely to waste away becouse it is stressed all the time and have a poor appetite. Two discus might fight all the time except when they are a solid stable pair. Just pick two fish is very unlikely to work. Just pick a male and a female won't necessarily give you a future pair. Put in 3 discus and one will be beaten all the time by the stronger 2.

For the 36 I suggest to get 3 more Bolivians as main fish specie and add the tetras and BN and leave it like that.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Ditto Dutch Dude.....

A solo Discus has little chance of survival. While not a "schooling" fish, they are a fish that exist in colonies and are very stressed when kept solo. The minimum number to keep would be 5 but more would be better.


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## arKat17 (Apr 9, 2010)

ahh Well... that orange Discus has to be one of the coolest fish i've ever seen. I love those black spots on his face, dark orange body and his shape. Awesome.

Well I gotta find me some interesting fish that isn't aggressive to put in my 36g. All that's next is Angelfish, and an elephantnose fish If I could find it?


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## Cvurb (Apr 12, 2010)

How about change the 75G to SA community, now were talking


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

> How about change the 75G to SA community, now were talking


Thats a nice size tank for a group of 6 discus. Before you make final plans make sure you read read read and read abouth discus. Imo domesticated discus are not that dificult as most people claim but they are defenately much more work. Discus need spotless clean water and that takes up most of the extra time. For 6 discus in a 75 you need to do AT LEAST 2 times a week a 50% water change.

If you stick to the 35 I suggest a small group of Bolivians. Those are realy fun fish when kept in small groups.


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## Compressed (Oct 20, 2002)

Spot on Dutch Dude "Put in 3 discus and one will be beaten all the time by the stronger 2."

"Imo domesticated discus are not that dificult as most people claim but they are defenately much more work."

36g is only good for a pair of Discus..and if they spawn..the male needs a new home for awhile.

My I also suggest...when you say yellow Gourami...are you talking about the Trichogaster trichgoterus?. If so, not a good idea..this species can be as nasty as some Mbuna.

You also mentioned Angels..for a 36g I would shot for a pair. Buy 4 or 6 and hope for a pair. Angels can be a nasty to a third wheel.

BTW, How long is this tank? I've kept a few 38g tanks..but not a 36g. In the last few years they have came out with some many different shape & sizes of tanks. What are the dimensions of the your 36g.

If it were me. and the tank is around 36" wide..I would go with

-Four or 5 BRs.
-Six to 8 of the smaller Tetra species
-Two or three Bristlenose

or

-Start with four or six small Angels
-Six to 8 of the smaller Tetra species
-Four or 5 Cories
-1 Bristlenose

Good Luck

http://community.webshots.com/user/fishgeek


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