Discus Fish Help
Discus fish are very difficult fish to own. They’re extremely susceptible to disease, have a particular diet they like to eat, and have specific habitat requirements that need to be fulfilled. Despite their popularity for many aquarium owners, discus fish can be a bit of a challenge to raise and own. If you’re a new owner of discus fish, I suggest you look into getting some help from this site. It provides a very in depth look at how to properly raise discus fish, perfect for the beginner or even an intermediate aquarium owner. We host a fair bit of information as well on this site, so if you want a little more general info
Tank Requirements and General Info
Discus fish are bright colorful tropical fish, which is why they are so darn popular in today’s home aquariums. In general, they play nice with others and make wonderful additions to most people’s tanks. It should be noted that discus aren’t that aggressive so be careful with selecting other fishy companions to go with them.
In the wild, discus fish are native to the Amazon River basin running throughout the majority of South America. Their native environment should be taken into consideration when setting up the tank. Discuses require a higher temperature water setting then most other tropical aquarium fish, somewhere around 28 degrees Celsius. The pH level is also critical and should be around the 7 range. For info, discus fish’s requirements are outlined here.
Health and Disease
The biggest problem for most tank owners have with owning discus fish is combating disease. Discuses are very prone to everything so you’re going to constantly be cautious with everything. Water changes must be frequent, tank must be cleaned as well, and fish that carry any illnesses must be taken out of the aquarium immediately to insure the safety of you fish. Make sure to read about the diseases discus fish can get, it will be crucial to know what to look for.
Breeding
Breeding discus fish can be even more of a challenge than keeping them alive. The tank water and habitat must be changed in order to properly breed them, discus fish will only mate under certain conditions. They also tend to be very nurturing and like to watch over the young. Both reasons are why it’s often suggested to have a separate breeding tank for your discus fish.
