Discus and Heaters

[Chris McMahon]

My Discus seem fasinated with my heater. They hang around it all day. I've even seem one swim between the heater and the tank wall! (Giving me a heart attack at the same time)

I've moved the heater, in case it was the spot in the tank rather than the heater, but my discus all switched ends with it. I don't think they are cold, I've got a digital themometer and have the tank set at 29-30.

I'm just waiting for the day when I see a huge burn on one of my discus.

Does everyone's discus do this?

[Mattzilla]

i havn't had this happen before....but....
maybe there is an inconsistancy in tank temp. maybe adding another heater will even out the temp in the tank.
or maybe they see it as a hiding place when they are scared??? is there anywhere else for them to hide? i have found that discus love to just get away from all the action from time to time so a good little hiding place comes in handy for them

hth
matt

[Chris McMahon]

maybe there is an inconsistency in tank temp. maybe adding another heater will even out the temp in the tank.
I've just added another heater at the opposite end. I'll see if this helps.

or maybe they see it as a hiding place when they are scared??? is there anywhere else for them to hide? i have found that discus love to just get away from all the action from time to time so a good little hiding place comes in handy for them
The heaters and the canister's intake / spray bar are the only other things in the bare-bottom tank. So that could be it too.

I've ordered an external in-line heater, so hopefully I can remove both internal heaters, if the external one works ok.

I've also ordered a few plants, so that should give them something to hide behind. I went looking for a bit of driftwood yesterday at all the LFS, but nothing took my fancy.

[Proteus]

A geat idea for bare bottom tanks is to get a small ceramice pot, 1/2 fill it with gravel and place a plant in there...

That way you get the benefits of a bare bottom tank... with plants!!! :wink:

[kevkoi]

Or plants (anubias/Java fern) on driftwood!

.... like how we do at SLS.

[Chris McMahon]

A great idea for bare bottom tanks is to get a small ceramic pot, 1/2 fill it with gravel and place a plant in there

Or plants (Anubius/Java fern) on driftwood!
Two interesting ideas.

I've seen those "tray" type pots at the local nursery that sound like they might work for that purpose.

I've also seen those "driftwood creations" at most of the LFS. Seems they take a $8 plant and a $8 piece of driftwood and sell it for $35. I've ordered 12 Anubius, 2x Java ferns and some Java moss. With some driftwood I could have a go at making my own.

[Proteus]

as seen in another thread...

http://www.discusforums.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=210

[flukes]

OMG Kev, are they the leopard spots and the pigeon straited in that pic?? These are the ones you have advertised?

[kevkoi]

Those are the Leopard spotted SNAKESKINS and that other fish in the back ground is a Golden leopard spot (that fish sold to an ADA member). The Striated pigeon is as clean as that fish, much larger and much better shape than that one.

That Show grade Striated Pigeon was sold yesterday (to a lovely couple that reads this forum, and absolutely loves their discus! :wink: ).... and if all goes well, will be entered in the end of the year Discus show.... I have very high hopes for that fish!!!

I've still got 5 more large Leopard spotted snakeskins just like those in the pic, but they've grown bigger than when the pic was taken and the stress bar over the eyes have completely faded.

:)

Yes, u can buy an anubias or java fern and tie it to a driftwood piece for far less than the ready made pieces. The draw back is the time it takes to stop the wood from leaching tanins. ;) It may take months to stop the wood making the water brown. Then the next thing is that tying the plant to the wood.... it will take another couple months b4 the plant completely root anchors itself on the wood. But yes.... if you've got the patience, DIY, and save some money to get some nicer discus. :lol:

[Chris McMahon]

as seen in another thread...Yeah I saw those but not the effect I want. I was thinking of those pots that are only 6 or 7cm high, around 30cm x 30cm.

[Chris McMahon]

Just an update. I planted the h e l l out of the tank. :lol:

I used pool filter sand as a substrate. It's miles easier to plant in than my 3mm pebble tank. I'd even say it's a pleasure to plant compared to a chore with pebbles. The sand flows around the roots, almost like it's taking hold of them. The white color doesn't seem to bother my discus as they could see the white polystyrene through the bottom before anyway.

Put in 12 Anubius, 2 java fern & java moss on rocks, lots of stem plants (over 80, 2/3rds of which will be moved into another tank soon). I planted all the Anubius together down one end of the tank, with a free swimming area in front. It's like a little shady grove for the discus. They hang out there when they're not stuck in the corner closest to me begging for food.

I've also replaced my 2x 300w internal heaters with a single 300w external one. The 300w external one was $50 reduced from $110. It keeps the temp much more stable than the 2x 300w internal heaters and recovers from water changes faster.

Plus, there's no chance of it burning out. When the canister filter is not pumping water, it just heats the water in the tube to the set temp and switches off.

And most importantly, for me at least, there's no chance of a heater burn on my discus.

The only equipment I've got in the tank now is the spray bar and inlet for the canister filter, and the probe for the digital thermometer.

[Tryhard]

Its funny that your filter sand is white - the stuff in my tank is a reddy/brown

[kalebjarrod]

chris,

where did you get the external heater from on the GC?

Ryan

[Chris McMahon]

where did you get the external heater from on the GC?Mail order. (http://www.boroniaaquarium.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=17_184&products_id=3004) I'll be ordering another one, maybe two. I'm quite pleased with them. I forgot to mention they also come with a 2 year warranty.

[Chris McMahon]

Its funny that your filter sand is white - the stuff in my tank is a reddy/brownThat looks quite good too. Mine is like white beach sand, only more course. It was labelled grade "B1" whatever that means. $10 per 20kg bag - bargain. I didn't bother to wash it, as I did a small sample in a bucket and there wasn't much cloudiness. I dumped two 20kg bags into my 48x15 tank and that gave a substrate depth of 6cm. The next morning water was crystal clean.

It also have a lengthly warning on breathing the dust. So don't. :D

[flukes]

Hydor external heater is $50 at boronia in melbourne not sure if they do mail order should do.

[chrissyoscar]

Yeah they do mail order that's how I got mine. They charged me $10 delivery.

Oscar

[Chris McMahon]

Seems a few people missed this - I gave a link in my post on where to buy the heaters. Go back to it, see the coloured text? Notice how it underlines when your mouse hovers over it? Did you try clicking it? :)

[flukes]

sorry mate. Didnt think Melbourne had exports, not like we have anything that the rest of oz wants!! Well we do now!!! Now all we need is some decent discus.
Oscar lets set up shop, kev can get us started!! Wont ya Kev!!