Discus Fish: King of the Aquarium.

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 Discus fish belong to the family of Cichlidae and genus of Symphysodon. Sometimes discus is  referred to as pompadour fish. Because of their distinctive shape, behavior, bright colors, patterns and majestic beauty, discus are most popular in freshwater aquarium keeping and also called "King of the aquarium". 

Discus are found in lowland Amazon river basin and Rio Negro. There are three distinct species under the genus. Blue, Red and green. The blue discus found in eastern Amazon basin, green discus found in western Amazon basin and red discus in Rio Negro area.

Discus Fish

In the wild, Discus can reach up to 6 inches in length, in captivity Discus can reach up to 9 inches long. Lifespan of a discus is 10 to 15 years in captivity.

Different types of Discus Fish

There are mainly three types or species of discus under the genus as mentioned earlier. Thanks to captive breeding, now there are many varieties of these fishes by pattern, colors etc.
  • Red Discus
  • Blue Discus
  • Green Discus
  • Brown Discus
  • Heckel Cross Discus
  • White Butterfly Discus
  • Ghost Discus
  • Albino Golden Discus
  • Albino Platinum Discus
  • Red Sun Discus
  • Blue Diamond Discus
  • Albino Green Discus
  • Mercury Discus
  • Red Diamond Discus
  • Yellow White Discus
  • Red Marlboro Discus
  • Red Cover Discus
  • Solid Blue Discus
  • Tiger Turkish Discus
  • Brilliant Blue Discus
  • Albino Turquoise Discus
  • Pigeon Blood Discus
  • Rot Turkish Discus
  • Blue Snakeskin Discus
  • Leopard Spotted Discus
  • Checkerboard Red valentine Discus
  • Spider Leopard Discus
  • White Leopard Discus
  • Checkerboard Red Map Discus
  • Albino Leopard Discus
  • Fineline Snakeskin Discus
Breeding

Determining male and female in discus is difficult. Most of them differentiate by looking at the breeding tube. The breeding tube of females is wider and has a blunt end and male's have thinner tubes with a point end.

After spawning, eggs will hatch in three to four days. After hatching, fry will feed on heavy mucus produced on the body of the parents for a few days until they are free to swim. 

Water Conditions and Tank Requirements

Discus grow to be quite large and require a larger aquarium when fully grown. Tall aquariums are preferred for their body size. Décor aquarium with some large leaf plants and some of the floating plants for the shade. Water movement should be set to medium. 

The temperature of the water should be between 30 to 32 degree Celsius, insert a good heater to maintain the temperature. Good filter system with weekly water change is a must for the discus tank.



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