Discus Fish Description

• These tropical fish are natives to the warm and calm basins of the Amazon River. They live in the shades of the trees, amongst the roots near the river banks. Their stripes are suited for camouflage in the said environment, breaking their outline and confusing potential predators.

• The water in their natural habitat is slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5-7) with the hardness of soft to medium. When kept as aquarium fish, the temperature must be 79-88 degrees Fahrenheit. These fish do not stay in one layer of the aquarium and prefer to swim at all levels.

• Discus fish require a lot of specific requirements for living conditions inside the aquarium.

• These fish normally have a 2.5-inch length but they can grow up to 6 to 8 inches. These measurements must be taken into consideration when constructing an aquarium. The population of fish in the tank must also be considered. The water used for the tank must be free from chloramines and chlorine.

Facts about discus fish diet

The young of these fish feed heavily but as they mature, 2 to 3 feedings are enough. They prefer to eat live food such as tubifex, brine fish or daphnia; these must be fed at regular intervals.

Breeding

Discus fish reach sexual maturity in 2 – 3 years. As they breed, keep them in the same tank they are in and raise the acidity to 5 – 5.5 pH and elevate the temperature slightly.