# what is the smallest size tank for 2 discus



## dannyw711

hello im new to discus fish

i have a 30 gallon tank, is that large enough for 2 discus fish?

:-? 
thanks


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## josmoloco

No, I would do 45 minimum. They are big fish and need pristine water quality. For a 30g you could do 
single angelfish
3-5 corry cats
6-10 tetras
opcorn:


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## redblufffishguy

Danny,

A 30 gallon tank is plenty big for your discus. I will get tons of people saying that I am wrong, but the fact is, I have kept them long term in 20 gallon long tanks for the purposes of breeding them. They do very well in a 20.

Another member of this board currently has 3 pairs, kept in 3-20 gallon long tanks. (one pair per tank) He breeds the heck out of them in those tanks.

So, 30 gallon, will work great, just make sure you have adequet filtration, keep the other fish to a minimum, and do plenty of water changes.


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## Number6

are we talking about a mated pair? or two single Discus. 
If this is a mated pair we are talking about, then I could agree with Redbluff. If this is some desire to go buy two baby/young Discus from the pet shop for a 30g tank, don't waste your money on the second Discus. It'll be dead soon enough... just buy one and enjoy IMHO. Add some cardinal tetras and plants and enjoy your new wet pet! :thumb:


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## dannyw711

no this is a pair


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## Number6

dannyw711 said:


> no this is a pair


 if you are buying a mated pair (proven pair is even wiser IMHO) then a 30g can work fine. A 55g is even better of course, but 30g is an often used size for a mated pair.

If this is your first attempt at Discus, make sure you read up on all the articles on sites like simplydiscus.com 
:thumb:


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## Dutch Dude

A 30 gallon cube is perfectly fine for a *proven pair*. Imo a wide of only 12 inch is realy tight,....doable but not recommendable. A wide, height, length of 16 is OK.

If your new to discus I suggest to do a lot of reading and start of with domesticated discus. I suggest at a 30 gallon over a cramped 20 gallon. Redblufffisguy,....not everyone is expirienced enough to manage to keep fish healthy in a tight 20 gallon. Although I know people pull it off and breed discus in such a condition I still think it isn't wise to suggest things like that. Imo it is only for the well expirienced discus keepers. If I'm correct Jack Wattley used to breed his pairs in a 29 standard tank.

Now if you plan on breeding discus or if your completely new to discus I suggest a bare botom tank.

Ruurd


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## redblufffishguy

I totally agree, I use 20 longs because that is what I have available in my fish room. I am not suggesting he use a 20, just that the 30 will work. I also agree that a 45 or 55 will work better, it just is not a requirement.


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## Drewster42205

I Kept my pair in a 46bow


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## Dutch Dude

Redblufff,....it was not intended to offend you but sometimes "we" have to be careful how to put things on here. Some people only read what fits their hopes so thats why I mentioned it.

A 30 or 40 is nice for a young pair. Those lack in expirience and the face where the wigglers becomes free swimming can give some issues. Parents need to learn to signal the small free swimming fry so they attach to their flanks and start grazing of the secretion. Often young pairs lack that ability. In a smaller tank the fry bump easier into the parents and for that a larger chance to attach. Once they are attached it doesn't make a diference on raising their brood if the tank is a 30 gallon or a 75. Cubic tanks are the best imo and that is what most breeders use as well. Some people pull of in a 20 gallon like Redblufff but this is only suitable for the well expirienced breeders and discus keepers.


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## DeadFishFloating

Hey guys,

Not interested in participating in what size tank is suitable to keep a pair of Discus in for life.

I would like to ask *dannyw711* how does he know he is buying a bonded pair, and does he understand what a bonded is.

I rarely see a bonded pair of Discus for sale in a LFS. The ones I have seen, have been older fish, and not really ones that I would want to buy.

If these Discus are not a true bonded pair, you are just as likely to pick two males or two females, as you are likely to pick out a male and female. As Discus are a cichlid, if this is not a bonded pair, there is a good chance that they will have a scrap over which fish is the dominant one. Quite often a sub-dominant cichlid can be harrased to death by the dominant one.


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## dannyw711

i go to a very worthy LFS and they said they can get me a pair by looking at the discuss tanks they can see fish that constantly stick together.


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## Dutch Dude

Peter (DFF) made a very good point. Even a proven pair can make each other life miserable. My pair of red turq's do have quarrels as well mostly over the children. Ripped fins, teared up nose (from lip lock) and I have to seperate them a few times (egg crate divider). Two males can give a real mess and like Peter mentioned,....the dominant one can chase the sub dominant to death. This is why discus do best in small groups. They are cichlids and a lot of people seem to think they don't show cichlid behaviour. I can assure you they do!

Now a very very important thing,...don't ever trust a lfs,....no mater how reputable they are! Fish stores sell fish for a living! So they intend to sell as much as posible. Send you home wit expensive equipment, lots of meds and other stuff you don't need. No one can see in a large set up if 2 young fish are a pair or not. The only way one can tell for sure is when they spawn and the eggs hatch. Two young males can swim side by side for most of the time just like two females. Two females can behave like a pair perfectly. A male and female is not a pair by the way. I would not trust the lfs! What ever you do,...make sure you can seperate the two fish if nessesary. Egg crate or filter foam sheets come in handy.


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## dannyw711

yes i have a spare 20 gallon ready to go


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## gage

With that, every minimum tank size for any fish you read about is an opinion. Discus grow to 8" if not bigger, and I would not be caught dead keeping them in less then a 50g, and even then, I would like do 75g minimum.

Most people that use 20g are for the purpose of putting the pair in there, spawning them, then putting them back in the normal tank with the group, which they prefer. Putting 2 potentially 8" cichlids in a 20 or 30g permanently IMO sounds ridiculous.

IMO if you can have 2 discus in a 30g, then why can't you have a single severum in a 30g? 99% of poeple here will say a severum grows to 8" max, and 99% of them will recommend a 55g minimum. So how people say 2 discus in a 20 or 30 is ok, but not even a single severum, is beyond me.

but hey, what do I know, I don't own discus


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## Dutch Dude

Gage,...discus is a breed on their own and can not be compared to a severum. Severum don't live in groups, do have a large body mass, come with very diferent temperaments and behaviour.

People often say they have 8 inch discus but in the real those are not that common.

Breeders like Discus Hans keep pairs of discus in 20 gallon cubes permanently. No problem as long as the water is spotless clean, good qualety food and a good pair bond. Now thats one of the experts in discus. Jack Wattley is an other living legend. He breed discus in 29 standard US tanks. For the average discus owner I mentioned a save size tank. I do always recommend large water changes. The smaller the tank the more often a water change have to be performed. I do 90% wc every day on a grow out tank and every other day 70% on the adult tanks. If one is experienced enough and can make the water changing commitment it is no problem at all to keep a pair in a 30 cube tank or even 6 adult discus in a 75 standard tank.



> but hey, what do I know, I don't own discus


Thats fine but I should think you need to gather some more info before you can make coments like that.


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## Cichlid-Power

dannyw711 said:


> hello im new to discus fish
> 
> i have a 30 gallon tank, is that large enough for 2 discus fish?
> 
> :-?
> thanks


 *I would not put the question this way, ask yourself how big do I have room for, or what can I afford!! You must give the fish good space. This is better than think if......
Alf Stalsberg :fish: :fish: *


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