Discus Fish come in three major groups, the Symphysodon aequifasciatus (Common Discus), the Symphysodon discus (Heckel Discus) and the Symphysodon tarzoo, which is a relatively new fish to the game. That is just in there for you fish nerds, and because I am the genius. Discus are notoriously tricky for tank lovers to keep, they are amongst the more expensive of the freshwater fishes for enthusiasts to pursue, and keeping a tank full of these bad boys going will take time, patience, and tons of money. It is all well worth it to be sure, but defiantly have your aquarium in good practice before biting the bullet on a Discus school.
Varieties of Discus
Most likely you are dealing with the Common Discus and the Heckel Discus, and they are fairly easy to distinguish between the both of them. About five inches long and as much as ten inches tall at full height, they can get large enough to be quite impressive. These fishes come in red, brown, blue, and green varieties and are one of the most spectacular fishes in the freshwater tropical aquarium world.
Naturally Occurring Discus Fishes
These Cichlids are native to various places in the Amazon, which really amazes the pants off me considering how easy to kill they are in captivity. They have amazing color, and are cultivated by fish collectors the world over for their color and quality, and there is a huge industry in Asia for cultivating and raising wild Discus for the aquarium trade. They eat about anything they can get their little lips on, bugs being a huge hit for the fish and small fry of other fish are also a winner for this fish species. The wild species seem to keep their Discus fish secrets to themselves.
Tricks to Keeping the Discus Tank Alive
Like most South American tank species, the Discus fish can be rather nasty if they feel so inclined, and though are beautiful in a tank to behold, they should probably be kept as an aggressive species. If nothing else, their value and sensitive nature are enough to encourage this. Generally, Discus prefer temperatures to weigh in at about eighty four degrees Fahrenheit, and will lose their resistance to disease at about seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. They enjoy acidic water, and keep the PH between 5.0 and 6.0. Discus tropical fish enjoy frequent water changes, and soft water.
Discus Fish Breeding and Reproductive Care Healthy Discus Fish
The trick to getting a flirting pair to spawn, I have been told by professional Discus fish breeders, is if your Discus fish are in eighty four degree Fahrenheit water, take half of it out and dump in fifty percent seventy five degree Fahrenheit water. This will shock these tricky buggers right into spawning. The fry will hatch after being laid on a flat rock or similar surface, and then feed off of the slime excreted by the adult fish. If the fry are being eaten by a parent, it is usually the female so if this is your problem remove her and let the father raise the fry on his own. While looking for Discus fish for sale, look for nice fishes with clear eyes and a robust appetite.
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