Aquarium Buddies: Discus Fish

Discus fish are some of the more fascinating to look at aquarium fish that one can place into an aquarium. They come in various colors, royal blue, brown and red turquoise, which are generally bright if provided with the proper diet. Discus fish will grow to be about twenty or twenty-five centimeters in length.

This is a shy species of fish. Discus fish are a pretty peaceful fish to have around, making them ideal for most aquarium owner's collections. They are susceptible to stress though, Discus fish will hide with the slightest noise or disturbance. Because of this it is suggested they be placed in a largely undisturbed area or a place that doesn't receive much foot traffic in order to avoid this problem. Don't place them with more aggressive fish either, as they're to docile to fight for their own food and may end up starving over time.

The living conditions of these fish are pretty strict and must be closely monitored. The water temperature should be between twenty-six and thirty-one Celsius with a pH level between 5.5 and 6.5. There are no special lighting requirements needed for discus fish but to best view them low lighting is suggested.

Discus fish are very, very susceptible to disease and are soft fishes in general. They are so much so that, a discus fish owner will need to be willing to change out the tank water one to three times a week. A high quality water filter is suggested as well. Cheap filters won't get the job done and the owner may have to change the water almost everyday in this case. Also, be careful when feeding them with live food such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mosquito larva. These types of foods can have live bacteria living on them which could cause a discus fish to become sick or possibly die.

Discus fish will eat a large variety of foods but an owner must be cautious what they're fed as suggested before. Beef heart, and even pork heart, is highly suggested as they provide protein nutrition and can strengthen the fish's coloring. Flake, granular, and freeze dried foods are also perfectly acceptable to give to this fish and provides a well balanced diet.

As stated, discus fish are great cheap aquarium buddies; however, they take a lot of maintenance. If an owner isn't willing to take the extra mile to keep this kind of fish safe from disease then they should reconsider and fill their aquarium with another type of fish. Make sure to learn to take care of your discus fish.