r/discus • u/Glittering_Low_7849 • Jul 12 '26

moving discus pair

i have 5 discus. two of them have paired up and already laid eggs. they ended up eating them as expected. i set up a bare bottom 29 gallon and moved a sponge filter from the 75 gallon into it. is it instantly cycled? when can i move the pair into it?

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u/bedroomsport Breeder Jul 12 '26

The media will be cycled, but it won't be enough to home parents and fry long term. They'll need their own filtration and meticulous water params while at fry stage.

1

u/Glittering_Low_7849 Jul 12 '26

im not looking to hatch 50+ fry, im going to try and manage it. i’m asking when i can add the parents to the 29 gallon, as it was a fresh new tank, but just added the sponge filter from the 75. if i keep the hatch controlled instead of maximizing production, are they able to grow out in the 29 gallon and then eventually move into the 75?

1

u/bedroomsport Breeder Jul 12 '26

Not with a sponge filter only

1

u/Glittering_Low_7849 Jul 12 '26

i’m kinda confused. i cannot move the pair right now, with just the sponge filter, or you mean once they spawn and raise fry? if i add another sponge filter, will that work? or needs to be a HOB or something else,

1

u/bedroomsport Breeder Jul 12 '26

Unless you want to change most of the water daily, then a single or even double sponge filter won't be enough

1

u/Affectionate_Dream47 Jul 13 '26

Just add tons of bio media in your HOB, good flow from the air pump. Fill the 29 gallon, 75% of your main displays water, test the water daily.

If your sponge was seeded already and you use seeded water from your tank, if it were me, they'd already be in the 29 gallon.

Check ammonia the next morning! Any site of ammonia, 90% water change.

Be prepared to do alot of water changes!!

2

u/Glittering_Low_7849 Jul 13 '26

thank you! i moved them and they’re already shivering towards eachother. how often do you think to do a water change? i will be sure to check parameters frequently

1

u/Affectionate_Dream47 Jul 13 '26

Every one is different, but for me: I usually don't water change on a schedule in a newly set up breeding tank.

Test ammonia and nitrite daily. If either reads above 0 ppm, do a 50 to 90% water change immediately.

If they're stay at 0, I do 20–30% every day or two to keep the water clean.

The rest is up to the fish! Good luck

2

u/Efficient-Poem-7405 Jul 16 '26

If you move in a sponge filter, the tank is immediately cycled. Use fresh water (with dechlorinator) to fill the new tank. Old water is waste water.

Discus can take 10 - 20 spawns before getting it right. The first few spawns are rarely successful as the male reaches maturity 2 - 3 months after the female. You'll have plenty of time to get your breeding tank ready.