The difficulty when choosing tank mates for discus is that the fish is slow, it eats slow and inhabits in water with rather high for other species temperature. Do not buy fish from tanks that have an unusual colouration as it is highly likely that the fish are being dosed with some drugs. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Unlike many species which eat their young, discus fish actually care for their fry for up to two weeks after they hatch.
Learn some discus fish care tips and medication as well, through this article. Whether youre thinking about creating a personal aquarium or acquiring a unique addition for your collection, then rest assured, youve come to the right place. The ultimate discus guide for beginners or experts. Initially they will feed off the scales of their parents, but afterward you will need to start feeding them food such as shrimp. The young actually derive their nutrition by feeding. If in doubt contact your oata retail member for further information. Discus are sometimes referred to as king of the aquarium because of their majestic. Discus is a schooling fish so it prefers to stay in groups of 6 species at least and it hardly stands being alone. Dennis discus fish discus fish, freshwater stingrays. Peaceful, but larger than most tropical fish, these fish light up the room they are in. Description of the reproductive behavior of symphysodon. Discus are carnivores, therefore they require a meatbased diet. Discus have been labelled as fussy fish and not recommended for amateurs because water conditions must be kept at. This article dwells on how to take care of discus fish.
If you wish to breed discus aquarium fish and to care for the fry you need a supply of very soft water, in order to keep the water. Caring for discus fish on freshwater aquariums for those who believe that freshwater aquarium cant match marine in regards to brightly colored fish, i want to introduce you to the discus fish. Discus are considered to require a higher level of care than other aquarium fish. Hexamita is a flagellate protozoa that affects the gastrointestinal tract of ornamental fish.
We are extremely confident with our shipping method and know that the fish will arrive to you in good condition. Feel free to share any comments, questions or input in the comment section below or on any of the following social media outlets. When it comes to caring for them, on a difficulty chart, discus are medium to high. As a guide, we suggest keeping 810cm size discus at a rate of 10 to 12 per 180l. Thousands of new, highquality pictures added every day. Most discus fish are being imported or sold from hobbyist to hobbyist, making it a risk to go from bag to tank. The discus fish is a brightlycolored, uniquelyshaped fish native to the amazon river basin in south america. Pdf a number of mammals and birds are known to be capable of visually. Symphysodon aequifasciata aequifasciata green discus. Exotic discus high quality discus fish is our specialty. The book that you are now reading is the result of many years of experience and research in the field of discus fish care. The discus fish as a pet must be handled by those who are passionate enough to learn how to properly breed and care them.
Discus have been labelled as fussy fish and not recommended for amateurs because. The diseases mentioned in this article will tell you exactly what to look out for in your fish. Find discus fish stock images in hd and millions of other royaltyfree stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the shutterstock collection. These are popular choices for freshwater aquariums, sporting vibrant colors and an oblong shape that can spruce up even the most boring fish hobbyists living room. For care and maintenance purposes, the information presented here can also be used for wild caught p. Discus a guide on breeding and caring for these magnificent fish. The discussion about feeding discus fish has been extensive and differing opinions presented. Wild discus care caring for wild discus fish discusguy.
Wild discus fish require more attention and adherence to the basics of general discus fish care. With the right care and environment, discus can live for a long time, sometimes longer than ten years. The wellbeing of our discus fish was of particular importance in implementing our plan, i. Probably the most beautiful and appealing of all tropical fish, discus fish are also one of the most difficult tropical fish to keep. When it comes to keeping an aquarium, not much beats being able to observe the active cichlid as it explores every inch of its home. Europes biggest hatchery in such an enormoussized hatchery, hygienic conditions are of prime importance. They require a very good care than most of the other fishes as they are comparatively large in size and their appetite is also high. Feed discus fry small portions of fish food four to five times a day. Discus fish, two species of the genus symphysodon of fishes in the family cichlidae order perciformes, characterized by a compressed, diskshaped body. There has been little success in this area for most individuals keeping discus due to the dedication it requires. Follow these tips, or rules if you will, and your discus fish will be just fine.
The king of the aquarium, discus fish are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish available for the home aquarium. Do not buy fish from aquariums that contain dead, dying or diseased fish. A complete guide to owning discus fish fish care guide. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading discus fish secrets. Caring for discus fish on freshwater aquariums aquarium. Discus fish care requires the water conditions to be maintained very well for their survival. I want to be able to inform others that the care of these. Discus are found in floodplain lakes and flooded forests of the lowland amazon river basin and some of. It is not however a replacement for a veterinary professional. Discus caresheet introduction hello all, i have comprised a caresheet on discus fish after a lot of research.
Discus breeding is a very crucial stage in the care of discus fish. Julie wants to share the first step when caring for discus fish is to keep a clean tank. We feed the fish in our breeding operation exclusively on our. Native to the amazon river basin, symphysodon is a genus of south american cichlids native. Among the key things to note is that discus only spawn in an aquarium that is at least 15 inches deep owing to their tall shape. Symptombased treatment of common discus diseases july 1998 version dionigi maladorno. Frequently asked questions and answer on the care of diskus fish page 4 of 9 increase the number of fish 56 fully grown discus fish per 100 litres or remove all other fish from the tank so the pair has the opportunity to rear their young successfully. Discus fish are large cichlids from the amazon river, its tributaries and flood plains, in south america. These are not an easy pet, since they require certain water conditions that may not be provided in fish tanks by an inexperienced caretaker.
Due to their distinctive shape, behavior, and bright colors and patterns, discus are popular as freshwater aquarium fish, and their aquaculture in several countries in asia is a major industry. That being said, a few cichlid care rules are important to follow to keep your fish happy and healthy. If you are a discus fish hobbyist and have a whole lot of fish to care for, you need to know all about the discus fish diseases. Caring for discus fish is not recommended for beginning aquariasts. Discus fish are generally quiet, peaceful and exhibit a dedication to their young unparalleled by most tropical freshwater species. Discus need their own tanks to reproduce and require constant demanding care to ensure smooth delivery of the fry. The golden book of discus fish care caters to both beginners and experts and excludes no aquarist. They make a lot of mess therefore cleaning the tank is very important, you should regularly change the water. Discus are found in floodplain lakes and flooded forests of the lowland amazon river basin and some of its tributaries, including the rio negro. All information contained in this ebook has been compiled from sources written by experts in the care of discus fish. Your discus fish are important to you and keeping them free of illness is a big challenge. Symphysodon, colloquially known as discus, is a genus of cichlids native to the amazon river basin in south america. Like we mentioned before, discus fish are relatively hard to take care of and they need some pretty strict conditions in order to stay healthy and happy.
Discus are colorful, graceful and charismatic tank inhabitants. An aquarium for discus fish must have a capacity of at least 300 liters. We here at exotic discus have 100% live arrival guarantee. This is the most important step when caring for these fish. Discus can be housed with many any other fish as long as they require the same water conditions.
Frequently asked questions and answer on the care of. We used modified digital models to examine whether discus fish use only facial. There are actually three distinct species of wild discus fish one. As you have discovered our website, it is clear that you are interested in discus fish. These fish will get to a maximum size of about 20cm. This fish type can be bred in aquariums, however, they are highly sensitive and need constant attention. Discus are extremely sensitive to disease and water conditions. The hobbyist guide for discus care and maintenance has been written as a helpful guide for caring for discus fish. If for any reason the fish is dead upon arrival, we will reimburse the full cost of the fish, including shipping charge. Many aquarists in the hobby do not have access to the laboratory techniques that would allow a specific diagnosis and a targeted treatment of fish diseases. For this reason alone they are not recommended for the beginner aquarist. Discus fish is discshaped, exotic fish that is a native to the amazon river. Wild discus care therefore would be easier for one who has experience in keeping domestic discus fish. Breeding the blue diamond discus is difficult and not recommended for first time breeders.
Learn all about discus fish, their care, water quality and feeding. They also, like adult discus fish, love beef heart, but the big chunks you feed the adults will be too big for the fry to swallow. Posted on april 9, 2017 april 9, 2017 by about discus fish. The second stage documented mating behavior, nesting and parental care, to observe vibration. Vertebrates display a wide variety of parental care behaviours, including the guarding of offspring pre and post nutritional independence as well as the direct provision of nutrients during the early development period. Alternatively, keeping a group of at least 6 juvenile blue discus will. The use of specially formulated cichlid discus foods occasionally supplemented with frozen beef heart and other frozen and live foods should provide a suitable diet. The intention of this care sheet is to invite others to share in our love of this peaceful, beautiful species of cichlid. Since hamburg mat filters had proved a great success in our fish. Discus fish types, care, facts, and natural habitat.
They are very sensitive to any change in the water or its. Discus are a shoaling fish and best kept in groups. Shocking diseases that can take your discus fish to death. How to breed discus how to keep discus in your aquarium and all the discus care information you need. Outbreaks of disease would have disastrous results, because within a very short time, thousands of discus fish could become infected.