Can Discus,Tetras and Shrimp live happily together

Can Discus,Tetras and shrimp all get along well together in my tank (500 litres).

Decided that Im not going for Angel fish now,as I have been informed that the Angel fish will end up going for the tetras and eating them,as they get bigger and grow up.

Also,my daughter now wants some Discus in the tank,as she thinks they are really nice.And I have to admit,that they do look pretty cool indeed.

So,will and can Discus,Tetras and Shrimp all get along in my tank?

Many thanks.

Shrimp = Discus Food.


Kev.

ok i have wild discus, angels, tetras and shrimp in the same tank with no problems what so ever, i have the bigger bamboo shrimp in which wont be eaten by discus or angels, also my tetras have never been touched, as for discus now a days the domestic strains are very hardy in comparison to a few years ago i'd say go for it, stay away from wilds till you get more expierence they are not as forgiving. cycle your tank well and take your time over it and you should be fine, and do regular water changes 10-20% a week and things should go fine

Hmmm,,some mixed replies there.

Might give it a go anyway.

Lets take the shrimp out of the equation for a second.

Will Discus and Tetras get along together anyway??

cardinals and discus is the classic mix, but neons emperors etc should be fine

pjd30 wrote:

So,will and can Discus,Tetras and Shrimp all get along in my tank?

Many thanks.

all depends on size. big eats small. a big shrimp will probably eat very small discus and tetras and vice versa. tetras and discus are carnivores but will only eat what fits in their (quite small) mouths. some of the shrimps are omnivores and again will eat what they can manage size wise. get the sizes in proportion and they should co exist.

Thanks for that,was hopin to get young enough fish and watch them adapt and grow over time in the tank.

Maybe just 3 Discus as I saw what size they grow to this morning,but the pet store chap and my girlfriend assured me that Discus are a timmid fish and rather shy.

I think I will give the discus,tetras and shrimp a go,and see how it goes.

As you have said,I just have to get the size and balance right,and all "should" be fine and dandy.

Thanks again.

I wouldn't go for 3 Discus. If you don't have the space for 6 minmum I'd give them a miss. As already stated, they're not fish for beginners.

I can't comment on the shrimp inclusions....

However, I would tend to agree with Sheag.

There are a lot of myths and snobbery about Discus, it's about time to get rid of the myths and snobbery (which are often either made-up by those who have disastrous experiences OR are copied directly from a 1930s book on fish keeping).

Ordinarily, Discus might not be a fish that would go anywhere near the top of the list of recommended fish for a beginner. But someone starting out can do some homework, and get it right if they follow the basic needs.
But as Sheag says....forget about Wild Discus for now....and I would agree with that fully, as I would agree with forgetting about starting with Altum Angel Fish or many other wild caught fish.

What might be a good idea is to simply set-up the tank with a few tetras....eg Emperor tetras make great fish and good discus 'friends' (for want of a better word).
After a few weeks add some cardinals and sterbae corys.
Let that system run for a month or 2....if all is OK, then eye-up some good quality but cheap discus.

Keep the water in tip-top condition and give a good varied diet.

If you start with duff fish, then you'll end up with even duffer fish.

There is no need to spend the earth on what claim to be 'quality' discus either.

Avoid darkened, or slimey, or thin (look at the shoulder area head-on), or overly big-eyed fish. Look at their faeces...if stringy then avoid.

Discus in good health are alert fish and are relaxed in the water if it is in good condition....buy alert fish.

ian

Thanks for that advice,some good info for me to take in and digest there.
Thanks.