Discus Fish - King Of Aquarium!

Scientific Name: Symphysodon aequifasciatus

Common Names: Many types, due to color patterns: Cobalt Discus, Blue Discus, Blue Faced, Blue-Head, Red Thunder, Blue Red Turquoise, Marlboro Red, Pigeon Blood, Green, Brown, Snake Skin, Spotted Strawberry, the list goes on and on and on.

Social Behavior: Discus fishes are sociable, but highly sensitive. Consider placing the tank in a quiet area where there is not much movement around the tank, as they are very sensitive to shadows. Lights should be correctly placed so that shadows do not fall on the tank to frighten them. The best lighting near their tank is overhead lighting. Also, keep in mind that discus especially enjoy being around groups. If you put them around five or more other discus, they will enjoy their time. They also enjoy being around other gentle tropical fish that are smaller than them. Additionally, discus fishes are interactive with their owners and will eventually remember you.

Size: Up to 6 inches (15 cm)

Life span: If well cared for, they can live for 10 years or more.

Appearance: These are average sized fish, with a round and flat body and out-stretched fins making it look like a disk. It is characterized by a small mouth, tiny bright red eyes, vibrant green, blue or brown colors and nine vertical, dark stripes. The pet Discus is available in other colors too, after crossing color varied species. The stripes are a shield for protection and a way of communication within the members of a Discus school.

Discus Fish Keeping And Care: These are not an easy pet, since they require certain water conditions that may not be provided in fish tanks by an inexperienced caretaker. The Discus fish as a pet must be handled by those who are passionate enough to learn how to properly breed and care them. These fishes are usually kept in a planted tank, to maintain slightly lower pH that is around 6.8. Other options for housing these type of fish are bare bottomed tank, although this may not appeal to many as it is not as aesthetically pleasing as the previous tank. The bare bottomed tank is considered by many, as an easier tank to keep them, since the feces of the fish and other debris can be cleaned easily. If you are planning to breed them, you should get a bare bottomed tank for your fish, so that the fry do not get trapped in the gravel and die subsequently.

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