# Tankmates for Discus



## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Similar to my post in the CA forum. Planning on getting a 6ftx18"x18" tank and wandered what a good group of tank mates for discus would be for a tank that size? Some corys obviously and maybe some kindof Syno. But what else?


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

*Dutch Dude*'s post from this thread, Discus and tetras would be a good starter read.

Alternatively you could use the search function in this forum, just type in Discus, and you'll come accross dozens of threads. In particular I'd pay attention to the recent contributions of *Dutch Dude* and any posts by *apisto master*.


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## rickztahone (Nov 5, 2008)

i have 7 rummy nose tetra, also have kept cardinal tetra, glo-lite tetras. i also have about 9 corydoras, 5 albino longfin bushy nose plecos. red cherry shrimp and ghost shrimp. they are all there pretty much as a cleaner crew. i have a 125g tank currently and have 7 discus, no problems what-so-ever. i started on this this site initially but was recommended onto simplydiscus.com due to them being solely based on discus. check it out


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

In addition to the post DFF linked to I like to point you to the fact that Discus are very beautiful fish and definitely a fish that catches they eye. For that alone you don't need to have lots of small fish. The discus it selves are already making the tank very interesting and nice to watch. Like I mentioned in the other post not all tetras and cory's and pleco's are suitable. Of the Cory's there are only a small number suitable and the most common and very nice looking are the C. sterbay. Suitable pleco's are the small bristle nose and Peckoltia species. Suitable tetras are Cardinal, rummynose but also some unsuspected like the glow light and head and tail light tetra that seem to handle temps of 28C surprisingly well. As for the gostshrimp and cherry shrimp,....they might end up very well as life foods for the Discus :wink: I put in abouth 50 cherryshrimp every 2 to 3 months and all of them get eaten!

I keep 6 almost adult discus in a 75 tank with some plants (3 small poor growing Echinodorus bleheri and 7 nice growing Echornia azurea), in the plant aria abouth 1 1/2 inch sand layer and in the front only 1/2 inch sandlayer without plants substrate and only some plant sticks near the roots of the echinodorus. The inhabitants are 1 BN pleco (dolichopterus) and an unknown Peckoltia specie, 5 Apistogramma hongsloi II (2m, 3 fm) and if they manage to keep out of sight of the discus some cherry shrimp.


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## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

Dutch Dude hit it right on the head. You don't need a lot of other fish with discus. Looks like your tank is going to be a 125g. I would recommend 8-10 discus, 2-4 bristlenose plecos, 6-10 sterbia cory's. If you want tetra's you could do either a group of rummynose or cardinal's, but I wouldn't do more then 12-15 of them just to give some movement.

Some other fish that work well with discus that are not thought of are african butterflies, and leopard tenopoma's.

My tank is a heavily planted 72g
6 adult discus
1 leopard tenopoma
2 african butterflies
2 albino bristlenose pleco's
6 sterbia cory's

I think that is plenty to look at.


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## rickztahone (Nov 5, 2008)

Dutch Dude said:


> ...they might end up very well as life foods for the Discus :wink: I put in abouth 50 cherryshrimp every 2 to 3 months and all of them get eaten!


i forgot to mention that i kept my cherry shrimp in a QT box inside my tank to grow them out some. also, i have juvies and not adults. i have yet to lose one cherry shrimp or ghost shrimp, and they are a great clean up crew. i have also kept german rams in the past. i do agree about discus being able to be in their own tank because they are so beautiful but when you have a 125, 7 juvi discus look quite lonely.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

> i forgot to mention that i kept my cherry shrimp in a QT box inside my tank to grow them out some


 The good thing abouth that is you will be assured the specie can go on becouse a number of them are save from getting eaten and at the same time they produce youngsters that are perfect live food for discus.



> i do agree about discus being able to be in their own tank because they are so beautiful but when you have a 125, 7 juvi discus look quite lonely.


 7 juvi in a 125 will be lost in a tank that size. The best thing is to buy more youngsters and select the best shaped healthy looking and largest 7 discus when they are abouth 4 to 5 inch. You can make a deal with an lfs to return the remaining discus. In the end you will be left with 7 nice adult discus and thats a nice number imo.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

When I had mine I used cardinal tetras, threadfin rainbow fish, s/a wood cats & clown loaches.


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