Tropical fish tank mates to include in your perfect discus fish aquarium

Return To; Discus Fish Tank Size

 If your discus fish are thriving and you have room in your tank, you might consider adding some discus fish tank mates. You will have to take into consideration the many specific needs of your discus fish, such as warm water and a very clean tank, when choosing tank mates. There are several types of fish that make good tank mates for your discus. If your discus fish are thriving and you have room in your tank, you might consider adding some

Characins

Because discus fish have a tendency to become agitated easily, they need calm tank mates. Characins make an excellent choice for discus fish tank mates because they are dither fish. This means that they swim around at the top of the tank and in other open locations of the tank. This signals to other fish, like the more timid discus, that there are no predators around. Characins can have a calming effect on your discus fish because of this; the discus may feel more open to venturing out from the vegetation more frequently if there are characins swimming about. Common types of characins include tetras, such as the popular rosy and cardinal tetras.

Corydoras

Another good choice for discus fish tank mates are Corydoras, also called corys or cory catfish. There are many different varieties of corydoras, some of which are beautifully colored. Corydoras are very peaceful, small, and cohabitate well with discus fish. They also do well in the warm, soft, slightly acidic water that discus thrive in. In addition, Corydoras are bottom feeders, so they will do a good job of keeping the tank clean.

Dwarf Gouramis

Unlike the regular Gouramis species that grows quite large, dwarf gouramis are small, translucent fish that make good discus fish tank mates. An interesting feature of Gouramis is their lung-like organ that helps them breathe well in oxygen poor water. Because the higher temperature water favored by discus fish, Gouramis are a type of fish that will do well in this same discus environment.

Dwarf Cichlids

Dwarf Cichlids are also a good choice for discus fish tank mates. They grow between three and four inches at most, and they are well suited to the discus habitat. They can tolerate warm water, and they don’t mind soft water. They can also adapt to a variety of pH levels, so the discus tank pH of about 6.5 to 7.0 is fine for them. They also like a well-planted tank, which makes them a good choice for a discus tank. They can become territorial when breeding, but because the discus fish will leave them alone, they will live together peacefully.

Learn More; Wild Discus in your Aquaruim

12th Mar 2014 Steve MacDonald

Recent Posts