Discus Fish Care

Discus are universally recognized as the most beautiful and most graceful of all the freshwater aquarium fishes. They come from the warm, soft waters of South America, particularly the Amazonian rainforests. These waters are very clean and brown in co lour, due to staining from decaying vegetation. Discus are often found in lakes, as well as dark, slow-moving rivers.

Discus used to be regarded as very difficult to keep, and spawning them was next to impossible. Although they are still not really beginner's fish, the availability of better equipment and increased knowledge of their needs has made the challenge easier. In the aquarium, discus fishes require a temperature of 27°C(80°F) at all time sand very soft, acidic water with a pH level of about 6. Discus need very clean water, so carry out frequent and methodical water changes, and clean the gravel with a gravel washer. These very timid fish need places to hide and plants provide them with some security. However, as the fish prefer low light levels, vegetation may not grow too well, so you could use plastic plants instead. Another way of reassuring discus fishes is to introduce dither fish, such as tetras or other small characins. Dither fish are small fish that swim in the open. These give the discus the impression that the coast is clear and all is safe, so the discus are encouraged to swim out in the open, rather than hide. Discus also do better if kept in a small shoal, which makes them feel more secure. The discus tank should have a capacity of at least 91 liters (20 gallons) and be as deep as possible, as these fish are taller than they are long .Although they are seldom regarded as community fish, discus do well with many of the smaller non-boisterous fishes and small catfishes, but do take care that the discus' tank mates can tolerate the high water temperature and are not too small, otherwise they may be eaten.

Remember, discus fishes are cichlids, after all. Once they have become accustomed to it, discus will eat all manner of aquarium foods.

Nymphs heraldic. All the discus fish have large eyes that range in co lour from orange to bright red .Usually, these fish are not sold at less than .5cm(2in) in diameter. With good care they can reach 15cm(6in)across and at this size command a high price and look really stunning. Whatever the species, all discus fish require the same care in the aquarium. Foods offered to them must he small enough to fit into their tiny mouths. They enjoy finely blended beef heart,bloodworm, Daphnia and flake food, as well as freeze-dried Tubbier. Never feed live Tubbier worms to discus as they contain so much bacterial matter that the yare potentially fatal.

Breeding Discus Fish

There are no real differences between male and female discus fish, so to obtain a pair, buy half a dozen fish and let them pair off. Discus spawn in the typical cichlid method, females laying eggs on a rock or leaf to be fertilized by the male. Discus fish always choose vertical spawning site, often the uplift of the undergrad. The female fans and guards the eggs while the male guards the immediate territory. After three days,the eggs hatch and the adults move

the young to another site, where the yare stuck by little sticky filaments. The young live on a yolk sac for a few day sand eventually become free-

swimming. At this stage, an amazing phenomenon takes place. The young rise up and start to feed from the skin of the adult fish, each of the adult staking their turn to feed the young.fter about 10 days, the young need other food to supplement the mucus from the parents' skin, so offer them newly hatched British