Who Gives A Fish Forums

Temp's important, but don't forget lighting. My 75 gallon has low LED light, 8 hours a day. Discus are less stressed with dimmer setups. Temp's at 85°F, and they're out more since I dialed back the brightness.

raid wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:01 pm Mine are at 82°F. 40 gallon, sponge filter, no plants. They're small, maybe 2 inches. Not growing fast. Feeding flakes once a day. Should I raise the temp?

Definitely raise it. Juveniles need 86°F to grow properly. Also, upgrade to a bigger tank soon, 40 gallons is tight for discus long-term. They'll stunt in small spaces.

oizeT wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:08 pm Thanks for the tips. Mine are around 4 inches, not sure on age. Got them from a local breeder 3 months ago. I do 30% water changes weekly, but might up it if that's not enough. Heater's got a 0.5°F variance, so it's pretty steady.

At 4 inches, they're likely 6–8 months old. Up the changes to 50% twice a week, and you'll see better growth. Also, consider adding a protein-rich food like beef heart.

Seconding swiftly on the beef heart. My discus went from meh to mega after switching. Mix in some garlic guard to boost their immune system. Temp's at 86°F, and they're crushing it. Tank's a 75 gallon with canister filtration, and I'm lazy with water changes, but they're still thriving.

Consistency beats perfection. My 180 gallon runs at 85°F year-round, with monthly 50% changes. Discus are breeding, so it's working. Key is matching your routine to your setup. If you can't do daily changes, invest in better filtration and stick to a schedule.

Magpie wrote: ↑Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:37 am

raid wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:01 pm Mine are at 82°F. 40 gallon, sponge filter, no plants. They're small, maybe 2 inches. Not growing fast. Feeding flakes once a day. Should I raise the temp?

Definitely raise it. Juveniles need 86°F to grow properly. Also, upgrade to a bigger tank soon, 40 gallons is tight for discus long-term. They'll stunt in small spaces.

Exactly. Stunting's irreversible. If you're stuck with a 40 gallon, rehome them or upgrade ASAP. Discus need space to develop properly.

My 90 gallon's at 87°F, and the discus are monsters. Fed beef heart, brine shrimp, and pellets. Water changes every 3 days, 50%. They're paired with sterbai corys, which handle the heat fine. Just don't slack on the changes, or you'll regret it.

Okay, I'll raise the temp to 85°F and feed more. Can't upgrade the tank yet, but I'll look into it. Using a 200W heater, so it should handle the increase. Thanks for the advice.

Good call, raid. Also, add a second sponge filter for extra bio filtration. It'll help with the smaller tank. Keep an eye on ammonia, especially if you're feeding more. Discus are sensitive to spikes.

Temp's one thing, but don't ignore tankmates. My discus were stressed until I removed the angelfish. Now it's just them and some tetras in the 75 gallon, temp at 84°F. They're way more relaxed.