

And on top of that, by simply adding new fish to a tank, water parameters can potentially change in no time. Indeed, not only keepers need to carefully select those species which can adapt to the particular water parameters of discus fish, but they also need not to bother these fish at all.įin nippers are a big no, as well as aggressive species which could injure them. Tank mates can be tricky in community tanks with discus fish. However, this may also lead to having to adjust water parameters, depending on the conditions they were raised in. Good news is that you may actually match more discus types together, obtaining eventually a stunning tank with multiple color variations. Consequentially, more space and more care will be required. That means that you would need to adopt at least 5 of them in order to obtain a functional group. These spectacular creatures are schooling fish. And obviously, you need to be extremely careful with not overfeeding them. Also, fresh and live treats should be offered regularly, to keep their diet interesting and varied. You should feed them once or twice each day and to do so around the same times in order to keep their digestion regular. While they mostly feed on plant and decaying matter in their wild habitats, such nutritive values should be mainly replaced by appositely designed commercial food in their captivity tanks. – Food & Feedingĭiscus fish are omnivores creatures and should be fed accordingly. Large tanks need powerful filtration systems, which consequentially require some regular check-ups of the entire system’s functionality. This includes both weekly cleaning activities as well as partial water changes, but also precision in order to avoid any shocks. To begin, it needs to be extremely clean at all times. Tank maintenance for discus fish is not a simple task and it requires quite some time and efforts. Once again, keeping water pristine clear and stable is an absolute must. These values can slightly vary depending on the water that a specific group of discus fish was raised in, so always consult your breeders first.

These include warm water with temperatures between 82- and 86-degress Fahrenheit, a slightly acidic environment with pH values between 6,0 and 7,0 but also hardness from 18 to 70 ppm. Therefore, extreme caution is needed, as well as constant water testing and monitoring.Īnd apart from that, their water parameters should be ideal. Indeed, any (and by any, we really do mean any) spike in ammonia levels across the tank water can cause serious health complications to your precious fish. Water parameters are vitally important to any fish, but discus bring the entire story to a whole new level. The very minimum size you would need to provide them is 100 gallons, and such tank should be pretty high, so this is also another factor to have in mind. If we take in consideration that they are schooling fish and require to be housed in groups of at least 5 specimens to thrive, the math is pretty simple here. This is not a drastically large size for a fish, but they still do require lots of space. Here are a couple of reasons why you should never choose a discus fish if you are just starting out in the aquarium hobby: – Large Tank Sizeĭiscus fish grow to a fairly large size, and they can obtain around 8 inches after reaching their fully adult phase. Reasons Why Discus Are Not Good for Beginners On the contrary, discus fish are one of the most delicate fish species to own, and they present a real challenge even to those with years and years of fishkeeping experience. No, discus fish are not a good choice for beginners. Indeed, some are easier, and some are more difficult to care for, so you should always choose your pets accordingly.ĭiscus fish are some of the most wanted aquatic pets nowadays, and they are surely among the most unique and beautiful additions one could ever add to its home. However, not every fish species should be adopted by complete beginners. This is certainly not just a great hobby to keep the entire family entertained, but it is also an amazing anti-stress therapy. If you are looking to setup your first home aquarium and to fill it with some beautiful fish, welcome to the club.

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