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Discus Fishes!
Creative Commons License courtesy of sas_pictures_2008

Discus are a genus of three species of freshwater cichlid fishes native to the Amazon River basin. Discus are popular as aquarium fish and their aquaculture in several countries in Asia is a major industry.

Discus are shy and generally peaceful aquarium inhabitants. They are sensitive to stress and disturbance or lack of protection. Therefore, it is best to keep discus aquariums in quiet, low traffic areas of a home or office, and to provide the fish with plenty of hiding places. The best cohabitants may be angelfish, although both species are large fishes that require a lot of tank room .

Many aquarists consider discus to be finicky and they are not recommended for inexperienced aquarists. Discus are not particularly hardy and they often become susceptible to stress-borne disease and die if not kept in optimal conditions. Ammonia and suboptimal water temperatures are the biggest threats to the immune system of a discus. In their natural habitat, discus live in essentially distilled water, therefore, the chemicals commonly added to the municipal water supply can be dangerous to the fish. It is for this reason that many discus enthusiasts ultimately choose to do water changes using RO water.

chalacuna from the Koi Fish and Garden Pond: Tips and Guide-blog wrote a great post with tips on how to build a home for your discus if you would like to give it a try.

Discus aquariums must be set up properly in advance of bringing your discus home. It is foolhardy to think that you will be able to buy the fish, and then setup the tank. In the long term, this is a failing and fish killing scenario. This article will explain what you can do today to prepare your aquarium for discus.

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2 Responses to How To Build A Home For Your Discus.

  • Megham responded:
    This is an interesting article since I am currently starting my journey into discus keeping(long way off yet). Any tidbit of information I get is very helpful. Does he have any articles on feeding/water changes/stocking rates?
  • Michelle responded:
    you should take a look at his site, also type “Discus fish” in Google and you’ll get plenty of good results.

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