![]() Note that something in between these two methods typically doesn’t work very well. This is the best way to keep “decorative discus”.īoth methods ensure the water is low in bacteria and very clean. Ammonia and nitrites should be zero, but the nitrates can float up. This is where each adult discus has at least 100 square feet of well-established, uncleaned, mature filter media surface area. “Competitive discus” are generally raised this way.Ģ, The “ultra-filtered way”. ![]() It has bare bottom tanks, large water changes with RO water every day, cleaning the bottom and sides of the aquarium with every day or even more. This is where everything is frequently changed and cleaned. In turn there are two good ways to keep discus:ġ, The “ultra-clean way”. There are two distinct types of discus husbandry, the “competitive discus” and the “decorative discus”. What I find absolutely astounding is that all these varieties are descended from wild fish which looked like this: Symphysodon aequifasciatus Tarzoo Rio Tefé Brazil Two Types of Discus The photos above should be enough to make any hobbyists have a serious issue with their wallet. I won’t get into the names that all the breeders in Germany and Southeast Asia have come up with. ![]() If you have 10 or more Discus fish in an aquarium, you’ll need to make sure the tank is massive because these fish prefer a great deal of space.Here is a random montage of different discus varieties: On the flip side, overpopulation in a small tank can also cause aggression. If you only have three to five fish, the largest will naturally bully the others. Underpopulated tanks can also often result in aggressive behavior. In general, Discus fish are calm and peaceful but are known to be aggressive during breeding, especially if there are not enough females to go around. Image Credit: Juan Carlos Palau Díaz, Pixabay Aggressive Behaviors Since they need to live in schools of at least five fish, their tank will need to be no smaller than 50 gallons. They will usually reach their full size within 3 years. They prefer naturally soft, warm, and slightly acidic water, with a pH of between 5.0-7.0, hardness between 18 to 70 ppm, and temperature from 82-86 degrees Fahrenheit.ĭiscus fish can live up to 15 years in captivity and can reach surprisingly large sizes in that time! They typically grow 4–6 inches in length, but some captives are known to get up to 9 inches. Water Parametersĭiscus fish originate in the freshwater rivers of South America, and the key to happy, healthy fish in captivity is to match these conditions as closely as possible. They will usually stick to the middle levels of their tank but will often rise to the top or sink to the bottom to feed or forage. Where Do Discus Fish Prefer to Live in the Aquarium?ĭiscus fish are free-swimmers, meaning they enjoy the open water, but they need the option to hide too, so the addition of plants or driftwood in their tank is essential. Since Discus fish are known to be easily stressed, calm, peaceful, and docile fish species can help your Discus stay calm too. ![]() While Discus fish don’t necessarily need other species of fish in their tank, they will certainly add a different look to your tank and will make it far more diverse and attractive. ![]() What Makes a Good Tank Mate for Discus Fish? Image Credit: PiqselsĪny fish that don’t get too large but are not small enough to be viewed as prey will make great tankmates for Discus fish, provided that they don’t have environmental needs that differ too much. ![]()
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