shrimp paste
Mon Feb 28, 2005, 03:13 AM
Hello to everyone,
Firstly this is a great site, loads of information for the newbie to discus raising. Thank you! I have been a passive viewer for sometime now and thought it about time to get registered and really benefit from the resources and contacts available on this forum.
Here is my story,
Got my first aqaurium about 4 years ago from my LFS. It was one of thouse hexagon shaped things, about 90l. I had success and fun raising the normal tropicals like angels, sword tails, tetras etc. Last sep I first noticed Discus in my LFS. Couple hundred dollars later, and after ensuring the lfs that i really was diligent with my water changes I went home with 4 discus.
Well they seemed happy in there new small home, growing steadily and maintaining nice colors \ fins. I started reseaching and learning as much as I could about these beautiful fish, and to date have not had a casulty.
Well about 3 weeks ago I come home from work and my hexagon tank is standing there looking like a bloke at a urinal. Yep, the seem had gone and the tank was in the process of emptying all 90l of H20 on to my carpeted floor. Not to mention the little discus looking more and more worried as the australian drought set in.
Out came the esky, plugs in sinks and baths, buckets everywhere, fish net, etc etc....
So the discus are in my esky (laying sideways), all my sinks and tubs are occupying the water that didn't make it to the floor, and I'm sitting there saying "Now what are you going to do?".
Have a beer!!
No what do I do.... ok, so it's off to the LFS again.
I always knew I needed a larger tank for my discus, was just waiting for the spare dollars (hahahahahahaha), so I had found the catalyst or it had found me, and I was now going to get that big tank.
Well i managed the Aqua One 120, it's about 285l with the built in wet \ dry in the hood and lights ready to go too.
Back home, another beer, fish still alive, just hiding in a corner of the esky and listing heavily (p.s. The beer was coming from the fridge, not the esky).
Next problem, this tank is so bloody big, I don't know where to put it. Anyway, the reorg was overdue, and the tank found a nice clean wall that will be a great display location.
I finally had it filled (re-used old water), no substrate, and ready for my esky discus to be re-deployed by about 2am the next morning.
Well that was about 3 weeks ago now. My discus have never looked better, but must be a little lonely in that vast space of emptiness.
Since then I have been doing more research and reading on how to aquascape this thing.
I was really keen on the gravel \ sand option fully planted, but most in the know are advising my against this. I think i might leave it bare bottom, just add some more potted plants etc. Already got some nice planted driftwood from the last tank in there too and maybe some nice large river stones.
The photos on this forum of some of the bare bottoms look great, and might be a better choice for a novice discus owner.
Achievement this weekend!
Visited Slippery Little Suckers - awesome, and thanks for all your help \ advise KevKoi (I think that was you I was talking with)
Found a great 150l water storage bin for ageing.
Filled the esyk with beer.
Well thanks to all again, looking really forward to hanging around this forum, learning some fish stuff and having fun.
Cherz,
Shrimp Paste.
Firstly this is a great site, loads of information for the newbie to discus raising. Thank you! I have been a passive viewer for sometime now and thought it about time to get registered and really benefit from the resources and contacts available on this forum.
Here is my story,
Got my first aqaurium about 4 years ago from my LFS. It was one of thouse hexagon shaped things, about 90l. I had success and fun raising the normal tropicals like angels, sword tails, tetras etc. Last sep I first noticed Discus in my LFS. Couple hundred dollars later, and after ensuring the lfs that i really was diligent with my water changes I went home with 4 discus.
Well they seemed happy in there new small home, growing steadily and maintaining nice colors \ fins. I started reseaching and learning as much as I could about these beautiful fish, and to date have not had a casulty.
Well about 3 weeks ago I come home from work and my hexagon tank is standing there looking like a bloke at a urinal. Yep, the seem had gone and the tank was in the process of emptying all 90l of H20 on to my carpeted floor. Not to mention the little discus looking more and more worried as the australian drought set in.
Out came the esky, plugs in sinks and baths, buckets everywhere, fish net, etc etc....
So the discus are in my esky (laying sideways), all my sinks and tubs are occupying the water that didn't make it to the floor, and I'm sitting there saying "Now what are you going to do?".
Have a beer!!
No what do I do.... ok, so it's off to the LFS again.
I always knew I needed a larger tank for my discus, was just waiting for the spare dollars (hahahahahahaha), so I had found the catalyst or it had found me, and I was now going to get that big tank.
Well i managed the Aqua One 120, it's about 285l with the built in wet \ dry in the hood and lights ready to go too.
Back home, another beer, fish still alive, just hiding in a corner of the esky and listing heavily (p.s. The beer was coming from the fridge, not the esky).
Next problem, this tank is so bloody big, I don't know where to put it. Anyway, the reorg was overdue, and the tank found a nice clean wall that will be a great display location.
I finally had it filled (re-used old water), no substrate, and ready for my esky discus to be re-deployed by about 2am the next morning.
Well that was about 3 weeks ago now. My discus have never looked better, but must be a little lonely in that vast space of emptiness.
Since then I have been doing more research and reading on how to aquascape this thing.
I was really keen on the gravel \ sand option fully planted, but most in the know are advising my against this. I think i might leave it bare bottom, just add some more potted plants etc. Already got some nice planted driftwood from the last tank in there too and maybe some nice large river stones.
The photos on this forum of some of the bare bottoms look great, and might be a better choice for a novice discus owner.
Achievement this weekend!
Visited Slippery Little Suckers - awesome, and thanks for all your help \ advise KevKoi (I think that was you I was talking with)
Found a great 150l water storage bin for ageing.
Filled the esyk with beer.
Well thanks to all again, looking really forward to hanging around this forum, learning some fish stuff and having fun.
Cherz,
Shrimp Paste.