Keeping Discus Fish
February 23, 2021Discus are often referred to as the king of the aquarium. There are a huge variety of different morphs available. The most common are pigeon bloods and leopard skins. Some morphs are more desirable than others and may be more expensive. All different morphs can interbreed.
Discus require soft and slightly acidic water. Its best to use water prepared in a reverse osmosis filter to achieve this. Some Discus can adapt to tap water, but it’s always best to ask your supplier what their levels are. PH should be near neutral. Water changes should be done weekly and 25% should be changed. Discus should be fed twice daily.
Breeding discus pairs do best in a bare tank with a pipe or something similar to lay eggs on. Discus also do well in planted/aqua-scaped tanks but are delicate and will damage fins on anything sharp. They also do best in bare-bottomed tanks. the larger the tank the better but for 4 fish its recommended to have 250L.
Discus are easily stressed. The tank should be placed in a quiet area with low footfall, away from direct sunlight and draughts. A stressed fish will quickly become ill and will not breed. Discus will turn darker when stressed and become more active.
Discus are finicky and become ill easily. Signs of illness are: hard breathing, clamped fins, visible parasites/cottony growths, facing up towards the surface and not eating. First step with any symptoms should be to test the water levels. With Show fish, fin trimming is a common practice, this is when the outer fins on the discus are tattered and damaged, so a pair of scissors can be used to lightly trim away the damaged areas which will then grow back. It is debated amongst discus keepers as some feel it isn’t ethical.
