Recommended tank size for discus

[Anarchist]

I'm new to discus, and wondering what is the minimum tank size to keep a pair of 8inch discus as they are breeding to seperate them from my main tank

currently i'm housing 14 discus( 2x 4inch red turqoise, 10x 1inch leopard juv, and 2x 8inch blue turq) in a 6ft x 2ft x 2.5ft tank together with 9 ranchus, 2 clown loach, 4 corys, and 10 tetras.

also i'm thinking of downgrading my tank to 5x3x2 planted tank would it be overcrowded?

[Hollowman]

1 adult to 10 gallons

But I'm more interested in seeing an 8" discus, how do you measure them? :shock:

[Anarchist]

sorry i laast measured, the size is about 17cm from top fin to bottom fin

[Hollowman]

Unfortunatley, that is not the correct way to measure a discus. There are 2 ways:

SL (standard length) = tip of nose to base of Caudal (tail)
TL (total length) = tip of nose to end of Caudal (tail)

All importers will give you a length in SL not TL. That is how you should be quoted when you buy a fish.

hth
Still wanna see pics though

[Anarchist]

here's the picture

[BobbyBruce]

I'm just wondering why you are concerned about overcrowding by downsizing.

Your total volume remains the same, 5 x 3 x 2 = 30, and 6 x 2 x 2.5 = 30. Works out to bout 870 litres I think. 14 discus would need 560 litres. If you have large ranchu you would want at least the same amount of water per ranchu, so 560 + 360 = 920. That's without considering the clowns, corydoras and tetras.

Might be a bit overcrowded already.

Regards,

Bob