Getting Started with the Discus

The adventure of the discus is only for experienced aquarists. Because the breeding of these fish requires many financial and human investments. It would be very risky to go into this business without a confirmed experience in this field. For that, you can make your weapons on animals that are easier to breed, but also less expensive to buy. The purchase of an aquarium to accommodate discus is quite possible, provided that you respect a few principles.

What is the Discus?

The discus is a fish belonging to the family of American Cichlidae, its natural habitat is in South America or the Amazon. It needs a rather high water temperature, this one must be between 27 and 28°C. The discus is a fish rather famous in the field of aquarium keeping, even if this species requires rather particular living conditions. The adult size of an individual varies from 10 to 20 cm. This animal has a rather peaceful character, even if it fights often. It is a species that lives in packs, always under the direction of a dominant. It is a fish that can live in a community, but only with a few species. It is a fish that appreciates life in calm water with a quality approaching perfection.

Which aquarium for discus?

The size of the aquarium
As we discussed earlier, the discus is an animal that likes to live in community. The minimum number of individuals is about 4 to 6 fish. For this quantity of animals, it is advisable to have an aquarium with a minimum capacity of 360 liters.

Please note that for all new arrivals, it is necessary to have a quarantine tank that will allow you to protect your animals from potential infection and gene transmission.

Efficient but gentle filtration
For this, you can use a horizontal ramp the width of the aquarium. This will bring oxygen into your aquarium without creating too much water movement. The discus is an animal that appreciates calm water.

Gentle heating
The discus is a fish that likes to swim in fairly warm water. For this reason, it is advisable to heat the water in your aquarium, but in a very light way. Some people double their heating system in order to have security and maintain a constant temperature for the animals.

Varied lighting
The discus is an animal that likes environments that are not too brightly lit. For this, no need to over-light your aquarium. But beware, they are not fish that live in the dark anyway. You can play with two types of lighting, so your fish will be able to go to so-called hiding areas with a softer light.

A free decoration for everyone
This part of the aquarium is free for everyone. You can choose your decor according to your desires, but also to the environment in which the aquarium is positioned. Note that it is absolutely necessary to have roots in your aquarium, this will allow your fish to create hiding places and refuge areas. Regarding the floor of your aquarium, you can mix different substrates such as heather soil, green clay, or sand. It is advisable to sieve these different elements in order to remove all large debris.

What food for my discus?

Food is an important stage in the life of these fish. Because these animals are really voracious, one always has the impression that they are hungry, whereas in reality they have quite low nutritional needs. You must feed them with products adapted to their species, these products will be enriched with proteins. For young individuals, it is advisable to feed them 2 to 3 times a day. For this, several types of food exist: industrial preparations, homemade pâtés, freeze-dried food? You can also give your animals frozen artemia or mud worms.

How to choose the discus?

Above all, the animals you choose must be beautiful animals. This notion can vary from one person to another, but in general your discus should have beautiful colors. You must also take care of the quality of the scales of your fish, they must not be damaged and dull. Also choose individuals with a rounded belly, your discus should also be lively, it is possible that they come close to the glass, but do not panic, this is a good sign.

Discus are fish that change the intensity of their colors according to their state of well-being. The happier and more comfortable the fish will be in their environment, the brighter their colors will be.

To conclude this article, the discus is a freshwater fish, it is a fish that deserves many compliments. But we must not forget that it requires important parameters for its well-being. To have beautiful specimens with bright colors, all in good health do not hesitate to call upon the Anipassion community who will be pleased to answer you about your discus.

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