(Should Beginners Avoid Them?)
- Discus Fish Are Tough to Care For Sadly, discus fish aren’t the easiest fish to care for in the world. ...
- Recommended Water Parameters You want to be careful to get the water parameters right for these fish. ...
- Water Changes Water quality is important when you’re trying to keep these fish healthy. ...
- Ideal Tank Size ...
- Feeding the Fish ...
- Final Thoughts ...
Is it hard to take care of a discus?
Smaller fish tend to have weaker immune systems and are prone to diseases, making them more difficult for beginners to take care of them. And last but not least, make sure that all come from the same breeder. Discus is large fish that grow fast so setting up a bigger tank from the beginning is a wise thing to do.
What size tank does a discus fish need?
Discus is large fish that grow fast so setting up a bigger tank from the beginning is a wise thing to do. The minimum tank size for a group of juvenile discus fish should be at least 75 gallons. Start with a bare bottom tank. It’s easier for cleaning, general maintenance, and your fish will have a better chance of fulfilling their growth potential.
What kind of water is toxic to discus?
Toxins such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and also tap water chlorine and chloramine are very toxic for discus fish. Discus are also highly sensitive to a couple more water parameters or properties.
How long to quarantine discus fish?
If you already have discus or any other fish in your tank, then you have to quarantine the new discus in a separated tank for at least 2 months. Quarantine tank should be especially set up for quarantining purpose and located in a separate room, as it is a must in discus keeping.
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Is it easy to keep discus fish?
Discus fish are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the hobby, known for their spectacular colors and large, circular shape. However, they're notorious for being extremely difficult to keep, with Internet forums often recommending strict practices like 100% water changes every day.
Is discus high maintenance?
Heads up: you cannot slack on tank maintenance when it comes to discus. Even if you have a planted tank, a weekly water change of at least 20% should be performed. Approximately 40% or more in a non-planted aquarium. It really depends on how many fish, the bioload, and the size of the tank.
Are discus messy fish?
You can keep Discus in planted tanks, but the plants need to be warm water and soft water tolerant. Discus are messy fish so need a clear area free of aquarium plants in which to feed.
What size tank do I need for 1 discus?
50 gallonsAs a general rule, a single discus fish requires at least 50 gallons of tank size in order to thrive. For each additional discus you plan to keep, add another 5 to 10 gallons of tank capacity - and don't forget to factor in the other fish you plan to keep in your discus community tank.
Should you throw discus everyday?
As they improve, their discus will slowly start to improve as well. Their discus training should be done 2-3 days a week.
How often do you change water for discus?
For most aquariums a water change of 30% once a week is just fine, you can do more if you want to, but we think it's better to sit back and enjoy your Discus.
Do discus recognize their owners?
They are said to recognize the owner in time and they can get as close to you as to eat out of your hand. When breeding discus as a hobby, some owners have noticed that the discus will watch you move around the room or even react to TV noise.
What is the lifespan of a discus fish?
10 yearsIn home aquariums, discus live for an average of 10 years, but can live up to 15 years, and can grow up to 8 inches. Like many fish in the home aquarium, they will eat almost anything that fits within their mouth. Due to their size, they often require a minimum 55–75 gallon aquarium.
How often should discus be fed?
twice dailyThe question we are asked most often is, “What do you feed your discus, and how often do you feed them.” Discus enjoy a varied diet consisting of high-quality nutrients, but they also like their goodies. Adult discus are fed twice daily, and younger fish are fed three times a day or more.
How much does discus cost?
Quality discus fish range in price from $18 up to $150. You have to be careful when purchasing discus fish for less than $18. Usually very cheap discus fish are low quality. Low quality discus fish are stunted meaning that they are not perfectly round.
Do discus well alone?
Discus cichlids don't like to be alone, but each fish needs at least ten gallons of water to survive; therefore, a pair of adult discus fish need, at minimum, a 20-gallon tank. A pair of young discus fish can thrive in a 15-gallon tank, but they will outgrow it as they mature.
Do discus fish eat shrimp?
Partly dwarf shrimp can be socialized with discus fish, provided there are enough hiding places for the shrimp. In addition, their number should be large enough, because certainly every now and then one can and will be eaten by the discus.
How long can discus last?
Discus fish live about 10 years on average. With good care the lifespan can be increased. Keep Discus fish at 85 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure a strong immune system. Reduce stress by properly arranging their tank and feed a balanced diet.
Do discus well alone?
Discus cichlids don't like to be alone, but each fish needs at least ten gallons of water to survive; therefore, a pair of adult discus fish need, at minimum, a 20-gallon tank. A pair of young discus fish can thrive in a 15-gallon tank, but they will outgrow it as they mature.
Is breeding discus profitable?
Since average spawns will typically yield a few dozen fish, a successful breeding pair will yield a few thousand dollars in sales every few months — this is why true proven breeding pairs are so expensive. A hobbyist with a few breeding pairs can easily earn up to $10,000 every two months breeding discus.
Is breeding discus hard?
Because discus fish are difficult to sex while they are still young, you may need to wait until the fish mature and they may naturally pair off on their own. Female discus fish reach sexual maturity at 12 months of age, while males take a few months more to mature.
Are Discus Difficult To Keep Alive?
Discus live for a very long time, learn to recognize owners, can be hand fed, and uniquely raise and feed their own fry. Many people are interested in them, but some people decide not to keep them because they are afraid that these delicate fish will be too difficult to maintain. However, as long as you learn about discus first, you will find that these fish are not difficult to take care of.
What fish do you need to change 100% of your water?
Discus need friendly tank mates who will not challenge them for food. Discus do great with smaller fish such as lamp eye tetras and corydoras.
Is discus easy to maintain?
DISCUS ARE EASY TO KEEP ALIVE. When you learn about discus before purchasing them, discus are very easy to maintain and flourish. Like anything you choose to take on in your life, take the time to learn as much about it as possible before taking on the commitment.
Is discus hard to take care of?
However, as long as you learn about discus first, you will find that these fish are not difficult to take care of. Checkerboard Striated Red Discus.
How long do you quarantine a discus fish?
If you already have discus or any other fish in your tank, then you have to quarantine the new discus in a separated tank for at least 2 months.
What kind of water do discus fish need?
Keeping discus fish can be made easy by preparing an excellent water quality. They need a toxin free, soft, and acidic water. To get the best possible result, you need to know a little bit about water chemistry. Toxins such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and also tap water chlorine and chloramine are very toxic for discus fish.
What is the best tank for discus?
Setting up a Perfect Fish Tank for Discus. A bare bottom and large enough tank is a good choice to start discus keeping. Bare bottom aquariums are much easier to care, helping you to have healthier discus fish. A disease-free and healthy discus in right water parameters, grows faster than what you might expect.
Why do my discus fish have plagues?
There are also many other diseases such as external and Intestinal/internal parasites, fungal and bacterial infections, and etc. A plague attack is obvious when most of the discus fish in the aquarium stack together or rub against aquarium objects, or when their bodies turn black and the eyes become cloudy.
What do you feed a discus?
Another important part of Discus Keeping is Feeding Discus Fish . Like many central and south american cichlids, discus are omnivores and their diet varies from live insects and worms to algae and plants such as spirulina in the wild. Many people believe that live foods like blood worms, artemia, tubifex, and etc. are the best choices for Discus but bare this in mind, there are always parasite and disease risks with live food. So try to feed your discus with live food only if it is necessary to increase fish appetite. However, I recommend you to reduce the risk of parasites and disease by not feeding discus with live foods. Discus need a balanced diet consisting of beefheart mix and granules. For more information about diet, read the Discus Feeding article.
How to tell if a discus is bad?
Unhealthy discus often hide or are dark in color. You also must check the Discus for signs like hanging white string of feces, hole in the head, and heavy breathing. To make a good selection, we highly recommend you to read the how to choose good discus fish article.
What are the properties of aquarium water?
Three properties: pH , gH or General Hardness, and kH or Carbonate Hardness. pH is a measure of how acidic/basic aquarium water is. The range goes from 0 – 14, with 7 being neutral. pHs of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base or alkalinity.
Why does my discus tank lose its quality?
Once it is placed in your stocked discus tank, it will start to loose its quality because of the fish waste and food that is dissolved in the water. This is why we need some sort of filter to maintain the aquarium water to a high standard to remove the waste, staining and toxins from the water.
What is the process of filtration in fish tanks?
This process is known as the nitrogen cycle . To explain the waste products or fish excretion from the fish will give off ammonia in the water and obviously if not diluted down will increase and would not be pleasant for the fish who have to live in it. This is where a good biological filter will do wonders for any fish tank, not just discus. First of all the filter must be mature and house good friendly bacteria (such as nitrosomonas sp) in enough numbers to deal with the job ahead, and that is to break down the ammonia into less harmful nitrites (NO2). But this is still harmful to the fish; so then the biological filter will break this down further into nitrate (NO3) which will not harm the discus. This is why a good adequate filter is needed for any aquarium not just discus but for any fish, although some fish are more resistant to it than discus which will only tolerate ammonia for short periods. Goldfish for example will tolerate ammonia as high as 500 ppm with discus only tolerating 20 ppm. Good water changes on a regular basis will help to reduce the nitrate levels which if allowed to reaching high levels will contribute to algae growing over your plants, rocks and the sides of the tank. Strong sunlight or lights left on for extended periods will also have an effect on ugly algae.
How often should I change my discus water?
This is why it is so important to understand why we need the best filtration for our discus, backed up with good regular water changes. I have said this before, and it can’t be said enough time because people forget. But skimp on water quality, and your fish will let you know. Even with good filters, you will still need to change your discus water 25% minimum every week. If this can be done twice a week, even better.
How long does it take for a filter to die after a power cut?
If you are unlucky to get a power cut, remember that the beneficial bacteria will die after four hours if any filters are turned off.
What is the best oxygen level?
ORP 300 or higher the better as your oxygen levels will be better.
Who is Chris from Discus World?
Chris is the author of the globally popular book “Discus World” and owner of the well known Discus specialist company “Plymouth Discus”. A fishkeeper of over 40 years, he has travelled as far as Asia to visit fish farms and competitions and has been guest speaker at various fish club events. In the past he has written for Tropical Fish Magazine, Practical Fishkeeping Magazine and Tropical World Magazine and his second book is to be released in 2015.
