Discus Care and Breeding Information
Information on Discus Fish
The discus fish is a cichlid from the Amazon River. Discus fish and its variants were first founded in 1840 by Dr. Heckle as Symphysodon discus, this name is now in use for the Heckle discus fish variant. There are three "original" color variants with their own name, the Green Discus Symphysodon aequifasciata, the brown discus Symphysodon aequifasciata axelrodi, and the blue variant Symphysodon aequifasciata haraldi.
More and more people are choosing to keep discus fish over other fish and care for it. It is getting increasingly easier to keep discus fish. Most people that keep discus will at some stage want to breed them as it is a great experience, so we have this information to help with discus caring, breeding and feeding.
Discus fish are colorful and a bit difficult to care for and is not for beginners, but nevertheless, their popularity is constantly rising because of new technology in aquariums and hardware. And if you keep to view basic rules your discus will be healthy and full of color. That is why SADiscus is here, to help the fellow aquarium hobbyist in all there needs. Our breeders have more than 80 years of knowledge with Discus fish and our information on dicus is one of the most comprehensive data on discus fish and growing every day.
There are plenty of strains of Discus Aquarium Fish available on the market now but all originate from the same species Symphysodon aequifasciatus. In the 80’s the Germans were the first to develop the blue varieties and other colors and varieties, but now east Asia develops some fascinating strains like Snow Whites, White Dragons, Pandas, which I am a particular fan of, as well as the Snakeskin, Thunder Flashes, Checkerboards etc.
Discus (Symphysodon spp.) are a genus of three species of cichlid freshwater fishes native to the Amazon River basin. Discus are popular as aquarium fish since the early 1930. The three species of Discus (Symphysodon spp.): The common discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus), the Heckel discus (Symphysodon discus), and a new species, which has been named Symphysodon tarzoo.
Here is short info tree of the Discus Fish: (for more info go to discus database).
Dicus Fish Data
Kingdom: Animalia:
The word "animal" comes from the Latin word animal. In everyday colloquial usage, the word usually refers to non-human animals.
Phylum: Chordata:
PhylumChordata) are animals which are either vertebrates or one of several closely related invertebrates. They are united by having, for at least some period of their life cycle, a notochord, a hollow dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, an endostyle, and a post-anal tail.
Class: Actinopterygii:
The Actinopterygii (the plural form of Actinopterygius) constitute the class or sub-class of the ray-finned fishes. The ray-finned fishes are so called because they possess lepidotrichia or "fin rays", their fins being webs of skin supported by bony or horny spines ("rays"), as opposed to the fleshy, lobed fins that characterize the class Sarcopterygii which also, however, possess lepidotrichia.
Order: Perciformes:
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is the largest order of vertebrates containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the ray-finned fish and comprise over 7000 species found in almost all aquatic environments.
Family: Cichlidae:
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. The family Cichlidae, a major family of perciform fish, is both large and diverse. There are at least 1300 scientifically described species,[1] making it one of the largest vertebrate families.
Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae:
Cichlasomatinae is a subfamily in the cichlid family of fishes.
Heroini:
Heroini is a taxon of freshwater fish from Central and South America. It is a tribe in the cichlid family, containing more than 150 species.
And then you get:
Genus: Symphysodon
They prefer lakes, deep puddles and smaller rivers and streams. The three species of Symphysodon have different geographic distributions. S. aequifasciatus occurs in the Rio Solimões, Rio Amazonas and the Río Putumayo-Içá in Brazil, Colombia and Peru. In contrast the distribution of S. discus appears to be limited to the lower reaches of the Abacaxis, Rio Negro and Trombetas rivers. S. tarzoo occurs upstream of Manaus in the western Amazon.
The Amazon River of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next eight largest rivers combined. During the wet season, parts of the Amazon exceed 190 kilometres in width. The Amazon Basin, the largest drainage basin in the world, covers about 40 percent of South America, an area of approximately 6,915,000 square kilometres (2,670,000 sq mi). It gathers its waters from 5 degrees north latitude to 20 degrees south latitude. Its most remote sources are found on the inter-Andean plateau, just a short distance from the Pacific Ocean.
More than one-third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest,[8] a giant tropical forest and river basin with an area that stretches more than 5.4 million square kilometres (2.1 million sq mi), and is the richest tropical forest in the world. The Amazon River has over 3,000 recognized species of fish and that number is still growing.
Discus fish belong to the genus Symphysodon, which includes three species,
Aequifasciatus (the green discus)
Haraldi (the blue/brown/common discus)
Discus (the Heckel discus)
Before getting Discus, you should have some previous experience in the keeping of tropical fish. Discuses are relatively hardy and don’t just die in one day. They will thrive if you give them the basic conditions.
The Aquarium
Discus fish are large fish and should therefore be kept in a big aquarium, about 50 liters for one mature discus fish is a good guideline. Because the discus fish is a schooling fish it should be kept in small groups with a minimum of 5 discus fish. If we calculate a little further we come to the conclusion that a tank of 250 liters is a minimum size to start with for discus fish. The discus fish is a high shaped fish and when selecting an aquarium a higher tank is recommended. Discus fish require tanks with at least 250 liters capacity and minimum dimensions of 120x50x50cm. But I do prefer a tank with a height of 60cm. To stimulate normal behavior and to reduce stress for the discus fish it is best to decorate the tank as natural as possible, Dutch tanks seem to work best. An aquarium with large plants, some rocks, roots, aquarium gravel, driftwood and a few floating plants is the ideal setup. It provides hiding places and filters the light from above and contributes to a healthy water condition. It is a myth that discus fish prefer low lighting. They are often pictured in dark aquariums as this is the best way to show their colors, however discus fish do not require any special lighting. Discus fish will quite happily live in a well-lit tank just much as most other tropical freshwater fish. Discus fish do however; appreciate some shaded areas in the aquarium. A good aquarium filter is critical with a powerfull heater.
Water Conditions
Discus fish come originally from the Amazon River, this water is soft acidic and has a brownish color (Dutch tanks with drift wood and substrate will help allot to bring down ph and will even color the water). The water generally has a temperature between 26 and 31 °C (79 to 88 °F) and a PH range of 5.5 to 6. The hardness of the water ranges from 3 to 10° dGH.
Actually, maintaining acidic water is always beneficial to these fish because the ammonia, which is an ever-present danger in tank, is unable to form in a pH under 6.9. At pH 6.9 and lower it begins to convert to ammonium, which is a form more easily tolerated by the fish. A pH in this low (down to about 5.1) range protects from the poison of toxicity while allowing the fish to exist in conditions that more closely mimic the water parameters that they evolved in. However, a pH level below 5.0 will inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria, which live in the biological filter media
One time-proven and natural method of lowering pH in the discus fish aquarium is the use of peat filtration
Ammonia and nitrites should be kept at 0 ppm
You can get a aquarium vacuum to help with keeping the tank bottom clean and doing water changes.
Reducing Water Hardness
It is best to test the pH and alkalinity of your water before making any investments in reverse osmosis or deionization equipment.
As long as the general hardness and alkalinity are in the ranges mentioned above, you should have no trouble. Driftwood and peat will both contribute to softening of the water.
You may find that your slightly to moderately hard water will respond very nicely to the introduction of a piece of drift wood and a bag of peat in your filter! Beyond this, or if you are at the stage where you are seriously considering breeding your discus fish, you can look into reverse osmosis or deionization pretreatment of your water.
Both of these methods remove all trace of water hardness and a very high percentage of the impurities in the water, through extremely fine straining action in the R/O and specific resins in the DI. Water that has been handled in this fashion is stripped of necessary trace elements and must be reconstituted before use in the aquarium.
Reconstituting salts are available commercially. Some authorities recommend mixing the water with 5% tap water, but if your tap water contains toxins, this is not the best method by any means. Household water softeners used in many homes are entirely unsuitable for preparing water for discus fish. The resins in these units exchange hardness ions for sodium ions and additional sodium is contraindicated in keeping discus fish. I do believe that South African tap water is ok for them but I personally only uses borehole water.
About PH
Discus fish are very particular about pH. Keep your pH below 7 and above 5.5 if you want to breed with them but in SA the tap water is ok for most display tanks with discus fish in. The ideal pH for discus is 6. At pH levels above 7, discus fish are stressed. Below 5.5, the pH is inclined to plunge rapidly, so I find 6 to be comfortable for both the fish and the fish keeper. Alkalinity and pH are closely related. Hard water naturally tends to be alkaline. Soft water naturally tends to be acidic. This is because of the buffering capacity. Buffering capacity represents the presence of alkalinity (carbonate hardness) and the ability of the water to maintain high pH. It is a chemical balancing act. Just enough carbonate hardness and the pH remains at the desired level, too much carbonate hardness and the pH will remain high, too little carbonate hardness and the pH will crash.
Maintain your carbonate hardness at around 10 or 15 dH and you should have no problems with pH.
Check your pH with every water change until you are able to get a feel for how your water behaves. If you notice that the pH drops quickly, you must add back carbonate.
If your pH resists change to lower values, you must remove carbonate. There are many methods of lowering your pH, most with some form of phosphoric acid, from drops to powders, but one of the gentlest and safest methods is through the use of peat moss and the use of CO2 in a tank. Because the peat adsorbs carbonates and acidifies the water, you should be able to maintain desirable pH and carbonate levels through the use of peat alone.
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon in granular or powdered form provides one type of chemical filtration. Activated carbon removes discoloration, dyes, colors, phosphate, chlorine, chloramine, antimony, arsenic, chromium, hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate, some of the heavy metals and many other toxins in varying degree.
It also removes many fish medications at the end of therapy. It is ideal for prefiltration of the tap water to remove most of the residual toxins left after municipal water treatment and some of the toxins that have been added in water treatment! Activated carbon does not remove ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate; so do not expect it to take the place of biological or mechanical filtration.
It does what it does, and it does it well, and should be an integral part of your plan, but with full knowledge of its properties.
Activated carbon (AC) adsorbs the above named toxins. Based on the concentration of the toxin in the water, the effective lifespan of the carbon could be a few hours or a few days. Activated carbon is not meant to be used as filter media in biological filters. It is often combined with filter floss and left in the filter for an indeterminate period of time.
This is not the correct way to use carbon. Once it has been used to remove toxins from the water, it should not be left in the aquarium to serve as a biological media. There are other, more appropriate media for this purpose.
I don't use carbon in the filter because there are rumors that this can lead to disease in discus fish. So I prefer Peat.
Peat in the aquarium
Peat gives off valuable tannic, fulvic, and humic acids that reduce pH and act as a natural ion exchanger and reduces carbonate hardness in the water.
Peat will also bind up some of the heavy metals and other toxins that may be present in the water. The active compounds in peat are also present in the natural black waters of the discus fish. It is all-natural and does wonders in the discus fish aquarium. True, peat filtration will color the water, but if the behavior of discus fish in peat-filtered water is any indication, discus fish really like amber-colored water! Peat filtration often triggers spawning in fish that have been flirting outrageously for months with no results! Peat is available in aquarium shops and garden centers.
It even comes in neat little pellets that are easy to use and economical. Just be careful if you buy your peat from the garden center. Be sure that is does not have any additives that could harm your fish.
Peat is easy to use. Just pour about 1 quart of peat per 25 gallons of aquarium water into a bag or a lady's stocking and seal the bag. Slip this bag into your filter or place it in an area of the aquarium where water will flow through the bag. Replace the peat about every 30 days or when your pH tests start to show a rise in pH.
Choosing the correct discus
Before buying your first discus fish, you should shop around at different discus fish breeders and/or dealers. To begin with, I recommend discus fish of at least 6 -10 cm. in body size. Which type of discus fish you decide on depends on your taste and the size of your budget. Heckle-discus fish and wild-caught discus fish should only be considered when you have more experience with the breed.
Small discus fish of 3 to 5 cm. in body sizes not for the beginner, acclimatizing and raising these small fish is difficult, and they often die within 6 weeks. If you try to save a little money you will most likely ruin the hobby before you even start. Your chances of success will be far greater with a bigger size. The discus fish first of all should show good movement, be inquisitive and look happy. Try slowly putting your hand above the water line to see if they rise to the surface (this is a positive sign). Ask what the water parameters are.
Always look for a round belly and not sunken. Make sure they are not dark with fins drawn inwards and hiding in the corners. Make sure the eyes are not cloudy.
So you have your ideal discus fish that you have paid for, and you want to get it into your tank as soon as possible. I use a drip system from hospital drips if the water hardness and ph differs and it takes about 1 to 2 hours.
Quarantine!!!
Before adding new fish to an existing aquarium environment, they should first be quarantined for 4 to 6 weeks. Keep the new fish in a separate tank, feed a variety of food and observe their behavior and excrement. If no disease signs are apparent after this time, place one or two of the new fish in with the old ones. If you see no disease characteristics after 14 days, then transfer the rest of the fish. If a disease does occur, you must carefully check all the conditions, research discus fish literature and seek the advice of a discus fish breeder before adding medicine.
Feeding discus fish
You can feed young discus fish up to 8 times a day which wont be great for most of other fish types. But 2 to 3 times will also do nice
This is what you can give them,
01. Chicken Heart
02. Beef Heart
03. Freeze Dried Blood worms
04. Dried tiny shrimps
05. Fish (Tuna etc)
06. Chicken minced
07. Beef minced
08. White mosquito larvae
09. Bloodworms.
10. Plankton.
11. White worms.
12. Emerald Entree.
13. Mysis shrimp.
14. Dry flakes, pellets (make sure to presoak them before feeding, so they don't swell up inside the discus fish' stomach and cause a possible blockage) I personally use only Hikari Tropical DISCUS Bio-Gold. Info at bottom of page.
Don't put too much of these, only a little bit enough for like 15 minutes.
discus fish fish and a lot of African cichlids eat a lot of blue green algae in the wild. Spirulina is a blue green algae, and has a special protein called Phycocyanin not found in another algae or terrestrial plants. Spirulina powder is readily available through most pet shops.
Use a discus fish Deworm food type once or twice a month. You can use those with other regular food.
Fish can go two weeks without food; so skipping a day here and there is not really detrimental to the fish.
If fish seem to become dependent on only one type of food, do not feed them for a day or so until they seem to be really hungry and give them other food in small amounts.
Discus tank mates.
Look for peacefully fish like Neon Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Hypostomus plecostomus, Cardinal Tetra, Corydora, Guppies, Platies etc. But Its better keep them as a school of fish like at least 5-6 fish. Pleco's or Hypostomus plecostomus are less than ideal cohabitants for discus fish since they sometimes attach themselves on the sides of discus fish and eat their mucus membranes. Corydoras, catfish and pleco's of the Hypancistrus genus. Loaches can be ideal tank mates but important to avoid the bigger or more aggressive loaches.
Algae problems
The algae disappeared almost completely by adding young Chinese Algae eater.
discus fish fish diseases.
Discus Fish Stress
When discuses become stressed they stop producing their stress coat and their immune system stops thus leaving them susceptible to parasites and diseases.
Discus Internal Parasites.
Hexamita, Roundworms, Capillaria, Threadworms
Tape Worm, Metacercaria, Sanguinicola
Treating flagellates.
(most common ailment of discus fish):
When you see white feces are present in the tank, and the fish will not eat then use:
Metronidazole B.P. Tablets - 200mg
Dosage: 2 tablets for 50 gallons water
Change water and repeat the treatment everyday for 5 days.
When white feces disappeared and see black feces, internal parasites cleared.
Discus with clamped fins and sluggisg.
Not really a disease, but would indicate fish are not happy with water conditions. Check all basic parameters and alter as required.
Discus split fins.
Not really a disease, usually the result of new discus fish damaging themselves in the bag on the way home. Secondary bacterial infection of wound may occur if action is not taken to heal. If UV fitted then no action required. Alternately run a coarse of any proprietary anti bacterial remedy.
Discus bacterial lesions.
A whitish patch on skin with raised scales, if untreated develops into a bloody cavity and may be infected by numerous bacterial and fungal organisms. Good aquarium husbandry will lessen the chances of infection, however if it does break out treat with proprietary medications. If unsuccessful seek the advice of a vet.
Off food.
At feeding times discus fish that usually feed freely either pick at food or in worst cases won't eat at all. Fish may be seen to pass white / clear feces. If symptoms persist it would indicate an internal parasite or worm. Treat by raising the tank temperature up to 32 degrees and run a coarse of treatment such as Inter pet Anti Internal Bacteria Treatment. Alternately seek the advice of a vet.
Discus fin rot.
Rare in discus fish, but not unknown, usually caused by excessive levels of bacteria in water. Regular water changes will keep bacteria levels at an acceptable level, so to will the addition of a UV sterilizer. A proprietary remedy such as Myxazin will sort out the problem otherwise.
Discus gill flukes.
Caused by various bacteria, and protozoan. Poor water quality is also a factor. Rapid gill movements indicate a problem, in untreated will lead to discoloration, excessive mucus production and eventual death. As with all stress related problems regular water changes will decrease significantly any chance of your fish contracting Gill Flukes. However if an outbreak does occur, then treat with off the shelf remedies such as Sterazin. In extreme cases consult a vet.
Discus hole in head.
Probably the most feared discus fish disease there is but in reality quite rare. Caused by the flagellate protozoan, Hexamita. Fish generally stop feeding, turn very dark, become excessively nervous and small holes appear in the head or body from which a white puss like substance protrudes.
All healthy discus fish have the Heximita protozoan present at a low level. Poor water, low oxygen, contents and poor diet. Stress will cause the fish's immune system to fail and allow the Heximita to reproduce in an uncontrollable fashion. Proper husbandry will eliminate the chances of Hole in the Head. Infected fish should be isolated and treated in the first instance with medicated foods from a vet. Unfortunately infected fish often will not feed so treating the water with metronizadole is often the only solution. Adult fish can have the drug injected directly into their stomach. discus fish are having Hole in the Head disease !
In fact, a combination of mineral deficiency and a massive increase in the numbers of flagellates lead to the formation of holes.
Tapeworms, threadworms and fish tuberculosis as well as incorrect feeding can also cause holes.
Treatments for Hole in the head disease are,
Increase the mineral content of the water.
Heat treatment can be combined with orally administered Metronidazole (sold under the brand name Flagyl) once every three days.
Increase frequent water changes.
Improving the quality of the fish's water supply, vitamin and minera.
Well I ll write a detailed post about this disease later.
Discus with pop eye.
Poor water conditions or bacterial infection behind the eye. It is simple to cure with an increase in tank temperature and a broad-spectrum bacteria treatment such as Myxazin.
Swim bladder problems.
Discus fish swims erratically, appear to float on their sides, or stand on their heads. Not much you can do other than be patient. Maintain a constant water temperature and do not feed the fish. Aerate well to ensure good gill movement. Often discus fish will simply eat too much and will not swim properly as a result, do not panic as all will return to normal after a few hours. Other wise healthy fish sometimes suddenly stand on their heads, they continue to feed, again nothing you can do except hope they sort themselves out.
There are many other ailments that may attack our discus fish
Newly acquired fish should be quarantined for a minimum of 4 weeks in a separate tank with separate water changing equipment being used to eliminate the possibility of bringing in an infection to established fish. It is generally accepted that new fish should be added after “lights out” or during normal feeding to lessen stress.
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A Daily Diet For Discus, Angelfish, Dwarf Cichlids & Other Smaller Tropical Fish
A special color-enhancing, daily diet for discus offering outstanding paratability and a consistency compatible with the eating habits of discus.
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sample |
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- Contains natural ingredients like krill and silkworm pupa which promote ready acceptance by most discus and finicky eaters like cichlids and angelfish.
- Utilizes bio-chemically synthesized color enhancing Carotenoids to help develop vivid, natural coloration without negatively impacting the bluish tones.
- A complete and balanced combination of premium, natural ingredients and lipids which promote desirable form and growth previously only available using beef heart or blood worms, but without the potential for fat-deposit formation or parasite infestation.
- Laboratory tests proved the pellet size and slowly sinking characteristics make it the first choice of most discus, even finicky eaters, juvenile or wild caught specimens. A pellet perfectly designed for the normal feeding action of discus.
- Absorbs water quickly and becomes soft while retaining its shape. Best of all it will not cloud your aquarium water.
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Feed a small amount several times daily. When changing diets, smaller amounts more often are necessary until the new diet is fully accepted by your fish. Remove any uneaten food after feeding period. |
We recommend Hikari Tropical DISCUS Bio-Gold as a daily diet for |
Discus, Angelfish, Apistogramma, Dwarf Cichlids & Other Smaller Tropical Fish |
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Crude Protein |
Crude Fat |
Crude Fiber |
Moisture |
Crude Ash |
Phosphorus |
min. 50% |
min. 12% |
max. 3% |
max. 10% |
max. 15% |
min. 0.8% |
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sample
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1.41 oz (40g) |
Item No. 22307 |
2.82 oz (80g) |
Item No. 22316 |
Known Discus Strains
