![]() You can always go to your local library and borrow books but I find it useful to have at least one Discus guide within easy reach for reference. It is worth getting your hands on some Discus literature such as Discus Made Easy or The Golden Book of Discus Fish Care to keep as reference. Not only they form stable, bonded pairs (that will chase everybody else from their side of the aquarium) but they take care of their young and are very good parents. Discus breeding requires pretty specific water conditions, including very slow moving water and pretty low pH. If you want to keep and breed Discus fish you will need to inform yourself and plan ahead. pH between 6.3 and 6.5, but can be up to 7 depending on breeder and stock conditionĭiscus Breeding and Discus Reference Books Discus fish with young.0 Ammonia, 0 nitrite, low nitrates (fully matured filters).Desirable Water Parameters For Keeping Discus Fish However, if you are very unexperienced, other beginner friendly fish may be a better option. If you want to produce the best tank setup for Discus just ask your breeder and try to match their water parameters and water changes routine in order to minimise the stress of your fish.ĭiscus are delicate fish, but nowhere near as delicate or difficult as they used to be thanks to modern equipment and a better understanding of what makes fish healthy. Chlorine and metals need to be removed and this is why most people keeping Discus will suggest the use of either RO water or a carbon filter.Īlways keep in mind that fish dislike change. It is worth keeping in mind that Discus are incredibly sensitive to dissolved metals and impurities often present on domestic tap water. But if all you want is a happy shoal of Discus in your tank, as long as your water is not extremely hard or alkaline you should be fine provided you choose European bred specimens. Asian Discus fish are generally more comfortable on very soft, acidic water and if you intend to breed them you will need to provide that environment. While Discus prefer soft, acidic water, and are more comfortable when they have it, they can live and thrive in slightly alkaline water which is calcium rich. Technology and filtering hardware has evolved a lot since then. However, while this may have been a problem in the 80s and 90s when a large part of Discus literature was written, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep Discus on a modern aquarium unless you are an expert. Remember to do a water change before you add your fish to your newly cycled aquarium! Discus Water, and the RO Debate English: Discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) at The Pet Fair in Myyrmäki Hall, Vantaa Suomi: Kiekkokaloja Lemmikkieläinmessuilla Myyrmäkihallissa Vantaalla (Photo credit: Wikipedia)ĭiscus are picky about their water, there is no two ways around it. ![]() Keep in mind that at low pHs Ammonia will become Ammonium, which is not useful as bacteria food. Since Discus prefer acidic water and aren’t a hardy fish, the best way to cycle a discus aquarium is doing a fishless cycle. Air stones are often needed, as the high temperatures mean the natural oxygen content in the water can become too low.īefore adding fish the aquarium needs to be cycled. An exception to this is a paired breeding couple, which should be kept on their own as they become really territorial. An estimate of 10 gallons per Discus is preferable, and you will most likely need at least 6 Discus per tank in order for them to feel safe. Since the Discus are relatively big fish, you will need a large aquarium so they can swim and play around. It may live, but it won’t thrive and it won’t be happy. They are a shoaling fish, which means having a single, lonely Discus is a terrible idea. Brightly coloured red Discus fishĭiscus fish prefers a temperature between 28C to 30C, which is hotter than many other popular freshwater fish such as guppies. However, most of the discus fish stock that you can buy at fish stores is captive breed, and as such they are more tolerant of less-than-amazonian water conditions that you’d be led to think. As most south american fish, the discus enjoys soft and acidic water. Their vertical stripes allows them to blend with the submerged tree roots near the shore that they prefer. The native environment of a discus fish are shallow streams and small lakes around the Amazon river and its tributaries. However, they have some pretty specific requirements so keep reading if you want to keep Discus on your freshwater aquarium. With a distinctive disc shape and bright colors and patterns, the discus are a favourite fish among fish keepers who also refer to them as pompadour fish. Native to the Amazon river basin, Symphysodon is a genus of South American cichlids native to the Amazon river basin. For those who believe that freshwater aquarium can’t match marine in regards to brightly colored fish, I want to introduce you to the Discus fish.
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