Discus Fish Care

Return To: Discus Fish Information

 *Discus fish originate from the Amazon River, they make a bright, beautiful addition to any freshwater aquarium. They are non-aggressive and interesting to watch, but they are tropical fish, so they do need to be kept in a tank that has appropriate conditions. Your Discus will thrive if you follow some basics for Discus fish care.

Water Parameters

For proper Discus fish care, the water should resemble their natural habitat, so the temperature in the tank should be maintained between 85 and 88 degrees. This warmer temperature will nurture better health and growth. The water should also be kept at a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Prior to adding new Discus fish to a tank, it should be cycled and checked for nitrite and ammonia because these toxins can kill your fish. Once you have added the Discus to the tank, it is important that the water be well filtered and changed frequently to help keep your Discus fish healthy. I recommend at minimum of 25% water changes once a week.

Tank Requirements

Discus fish need a lot of room, and they prefer to be in a large school of other Discus fish, so buy a minimum 50-to-100-gallon aquarium to hold them all. The tank should be well planted with plastic or live, to provide your Discus with places to hide and to help oxidize ammonia and other toxins from the water. A substrate of light-colored sand or gravel is recommended so the Discus will show off their bright colors. Another important aspect of discus fish care is lighting. Their natural habitat provides them with murky water, so they do not like bright lighting. They also do not like noise and they can become agitated if there are loud sounds and sudden movements around them.

Feeding

Discus fish are omnivores, so they will eat both plants and meat. For proper Discus fish care, feed them an assorted diet of frozen bloodworms, Omega one flake spirulina flake and freeze-dried krill, these are all great foods for your Discus and can be purchased online or from your local fish store. Live brine shrimp is also a treat they would enjoy on occasion; their natural instinct is to chase live foods and they provide good roughage in their diet.

Tank Mates

Discus fish do well in a group with other Discus fish, and generally non-aggressive. They will cohabitate peacefully with most Amazonian fishes, but for their safety, only add other non-aggressive fish that are smaller than your Discus fish to their tank. A 50-gallon aquarium will hold a school of up to 15 adult discus fish provided you do 25% water changes once or twice a week.

Learn More; Discus Fish Tank