# Discus in a Pond.?



## moedeang (Apr 14, 2006)

Is it possible to keep discus in a backyard pond during the summertime.? I think so.


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## northtexasfossilguy (Mar 6, 2009)

I think your biggest factor is going to be temperature. You would probably be best off with a chiller and a heater both at work day/night to keep the narrow range of temperatures needed for those fish.

The design of your pond should be more barrel like and less saucer shaped, so that you have less evaporation, and a deeper pond will be cooler and more discus-friendly. You also must control the pH to keep it at 6.0-6.5, I use Discus Buffer by SeaChem. You will probably be well off with a densely planted bottom as well.

You will probably need lots of shade plants around it too. 



 This is a video of some native Amazon creeks/ponds that might give you an idea to how it could look.

I think you would be better off with pond fish ultimately, because the best view of the discus is from the side, not the top, in my opinion. Also I would start off with some cheap fish that require about the same parameters, like small neons or other tetras. To bring them back in during the winter might also be traumatic to the fish, but I'm no discus expert.


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## northtexasfossilguy (Mar 6, 2009)

uh and ... anythings possible.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

One of the local discus breeder had actually had discus in a pond outside. They were put in the pond when they were babies if I remember correctly. She never saw them again until one sunny day she saw quite a few of them darting out of the plants.

She never did anything special to the water. Never tried to specificaly feed them or anything. During winter they must have passed away.

--Nikolay


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## debbiedo7 (May 6, 2009)

How sad that they left them in the pond to freeze :Cry:


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## DiscusD (Jan 24, 2005)

I would say that a problem with keeping them in a pond would be temp of the water. I have had a large tank in the back yard A major problem I had was to have the water warm enough esepcially for discus. 
Rember they need atleast 82 degree water. But you would hardly ever see them and they dont look like much from the top. I have know someone here that threw a couple of culls in a barrel they did live but didnt do very good. I have also know of someone that put some in a pool. But once again you can not get them back out at the end of the summer. As far as water paramters I would not worry about that. Discus A very strong just keep them in good water. They are only fragile in bad water. Just be sure to do water changes if you want them to do very good.

D'Wyatt


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