28 Discus Care Sheet

: Aquarium Care-Sheet-Discus Care-Sheet-Discus s

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How to care for...

Discus

28 Tropical freshwater fish

If in doubt contact

your OATA

retail member

for further

information

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© Copyright OATA Ltd 2010 May 2013

Important things to remember

Always buy...

test kits and regularly check the water for ammonia, nitrite,

nitrate and pH. This will allow you to make sure the water in

your aquarium is not causing welfare problems for your fish.

Establish a routine...

for testing the water in your aquarium. Record your results

to enable you to highlight fluctuations quickly. Also check

the temperature of the water.

Maintain...

the water in the aquarium within the accepted parameters

highlighted in this leaflet. You may need to do regular water

changes to achieve this.

Always wash your hands...

making sure to rinse off all soap residues, before putting

them into your aquarium. Wash your hands again afterwards

and certainly before eating, drinking or smoking.

Never siphon by mouth...

A fish tank can harbour bacteria which can be harmful if

swallowed. Buy a specially designed aquarium gravel cleaner

which can be started without the need to place the siphon in

your mouth.

Never release your aquarium

animals or plants into the wild

Never release an animal or plant bought for a home

aquarium into the wild. It is illegal and for most fish species

this will lead to an untimely and possibly lingering death

because they are not native to this country. Any animals or

plants that do survive might be harmful to the environment.

Before purchase make sure that:

You have the appropriate equipment and position for

the aquarium.

You have researched all the species you are interested

in and your final choices are all compatible.

You are familiar with how to transport and release

your fish.

You are aware of the daily, weekly and monthly

maintenance your aquarium will require.

You are prepared to look after your fish properly for

the duration of their life.

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Checklist

Equipment

Glass or plastic aquarium

Gravel cleaner

Water testing kit

Tap water conditioner or RO water if available

Gravel

Filter

Food

Heater & thermometer

Before purchase make sure:

The aquarium is of a suitable size

Water parameters are as advised in this leaflet

If adding to an existing set-up ensure these fish are

suitable before addition.

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Introduction

Maintenance

Feeding

Water requirements Potential problems

Aquarium requirements

These fish are highly sensitive to the water in which they live,

how well you manage the water quality in the aquarium will

determine how successful you will be as a discus keeper. It is

recommended you maintain the following conditions in your

aquariums:

Temperature: 26 to 30°C

pH: 6.0 to 7.5

Ammonia: 0mg/l (0.02mg/l may be tolerated for short periods)

Nitrite: 0mg/l (0.2mg/l may be tolerated for short periods)

Hardness: soft to moderately hard (0 to 12°dH)

Discus belong to the genus Symphysodon and are held in the

highest regard among fish keepers and by some as the ultimate

freshwater tropical species.

These cichlids are found in the wild in South America. They do

not have the same aggressive temperament as many other

cichlids but have much more specialised care requirements.

It is recommended discus are kept in groups of four or five. This

coupled with the size they reach and the good water quality re-

quirements mean large aquariums are recommended. As a guide

they might be best provided with a minimum tank size of 200 litres.

The addition of rocks and bogwood décor helps to mimic the

natural environment. If you have a planted aquarium, be sure to

provide the fish with open swimming spaces large enough to allow

your group to move freely.

Good filtration is necessary to ensure the water chemistry remains

stable. Other equipment required includes a heater, thermometer,

lighting and water testing kit.

These fish live in moderately soft water. In order to achieve this the

use of a RO water with added salts and minerals, dechlorinated tap

water or de-ionised water is recommended. The fish may benefit

most from the use of RO water. This will make the water extremely

soft and allow for easy pH adjustments. Try, where possible, to

match the water of your retailer when first purchased, and if you

want to change the water from these levels do it slowly over a

period of weeks. Captive bred discus are somewhat hardier than

previously available wild caught fish and can tolerate slightly

alkaline harder water.

Discus are carnivores, therefore they require a meat-based diet.

The use of specially formulated cichlid/discus foods

occasionally supplemented with frozen beef heart and other

frozen and live foods should provide a suitable diet.

These fish should be fed what they can eat within a few minutes

2 to 3 times a day. Remove any uneaten food to reduce waste

build-up.

A water quality problem will affect fish behaviour and can be

shown by clamped fins, reduced feeding, erratic swimming and

gasping at the surface. Immediately test the water if any of these

symptoms are shown. If in doubt ask your OATA retailer

for advice.

At least once every two weeks a partial water change of 25 to 30%,

is strongly recommended although, more frequent smaller water

changes would be preferable as this species is quite sensitive to

rapid change. (a siphon device is useful to remove waste from the

gravel). The water should be tested regularly to ensure that

pollutants such as ammonia and nitrites do not build up. Ensure

you either allow the replacement water to stand or aerate it to

remove any chlorine present. Ideally treat all replacement water

with tap water conditioner before adding to the aquarium.

Filters should be checked for clogging and blockages. If the filter

needs cleaning then do not run it under the tap, any chlorine

present may kill the beneficial bacterial population that has

established in the media. Instead it can be rinsed in the tank water

which is removed during a partial water change, this reduces the

amount of bacteria which are lost.

Good husbandry is essential as these fish can be stressed by even

the smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite. Test the water to

monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels every week,

especially during initial set-up and after adding extra fish.

These fish are fairly large although they do not grow quickly,

a maximum body diameter of 20cm may be achieved in the

ideal water conditions. All discus have a flattened body with

short fins – it is this body shape which gives rise to the

common name ‘discus’.

There is no easily discernible difference between the males and

females, both species are brightly coloured and of similar size

when fully grown. They can be sexed during breeding by

looking at the genital papilla, which is pointed in males and

rounded in females.

The Symphysodon genus contains three species from which the

aquarium fish are derived. However, these three species are yet

to be agreed among scientists, with recent studies contradicting

each other.

There are many vibrant colour varieties available to purchase.

Many have been especially bred for the aquarium market and

can make striking displays in tanks.

Discus have a small stomach so eat regularly and can be found

actively searching for food throughout the day.

Biology

Most discus enthusiasts keep their fish in species only tanks,

due to the strict water quality they require. Often they can be

kept with other hardy catfish such as members of the Corydoras

family and medium sized tetras. There are reports of single

specimens kept in community tanks failing to thrive.

Compatibility

A group of juvenile discus bought together (and with a bit of

luck) will form pairings. Alternatively some shops may also sell

a proven breeding pair, however they are often more expensive.

A pair which is ready to breed will need to be placed into a

breeding tank. This should be large enough for two adults and

contain an unobstructed vertical surface onto which they can

lay their eggs. Carry out regular partial water changes to induce

spawning.

Eggs are deposited onto a vertical surface. These will hatch

after three days and the free swimming fry will feed from mucus

supplied through the skin of their parents. Fry food should be

supplied from five days and remove young from the parents’

tank to a separate tank at around two weeks of age.

Breeding