The Discus fish is a large cichlid from the Amazon River, its tributaries and flood plains, in South America. Discus and its variants were first described in 1840 by Dr. Heckel as Symphysodon discus, this name is now used for the Heckel discus variety. The three original color varieties were green, brown and blue, although now a much wider choice are available.

 

The discus is a social fish and large schools live together in their native waters, and has a very advanced social behaviour; they are one of the few real schooling cichlids. Be sure when Edit this text to care for discus; always purchase a set of them. They need the social interaction to nurture their character to its greatest potential.

 

Right now , it is not easy to find the original color variants in pet shops, only the Heckel is sometimes imported. Most of the discus fish you see today are captive bred color varieties. Some of the discus have lost their stripes and therefore their natural ability to communicate in the school. One of the advantages of the captive bred discus is that they are now less difficult to maintain than the imported ones.

 

It is getting increasingly easier to keep Discus Aquarium Fish with the new technology improving water quality and Discus Fish health, which may explain the increase in demand. The amount of new dealers and breeders is growing rapidly and even small aquatic shops are stocking a range of Discus. They are beautiful, while still remaining a challenge to keep and breed, with the latter being very satisfying and will even cover the costs for the hobby. Most people that keep Discus will at some stage want to breed them as it is a great experience, though breeding Discus Fish can be challenging

 

Discus Fish are very timid fish and are apt to hide when they are not confident so keep the aquarium away from noisy and busy areas particularly near doorways and halls . The only other factor to think about is the height of the tank, as high as possible as Discus are distracted by movement above and this may cause them undue tension .

Discus should be given a varied , vitamin and protein rich diet, so that it is important to use a number of different types of food: Fish flakes provide a complete diet, though Discus prefer to feed lower in the water, even at the bottom, so soak and squeeze out the flakes before putting into the tank. Frozen brine shrimp, defrosted and rinsed, make an excellent supplement and the carotene helps enhance colors. Frozen irradiated bloodworms are a good daily addition, even if the flakes contain some already. Do not over feed, Discus fish are grazers, and will eat bit by bit , so allow them time.

 

Although not easy to keep, these beautiful fish are a very rewarding hobby, if you have the patience and time for them: The exquisite colors are a wonderful addition to any tank or aquarium.