The
habitat setup and maintenance is most important to the success of
your discus aquarium. You must monitor your tank constantly to assure
the correct water temperature and pH level so that your discus family
remains happy and healthy.
Discus
are happiest when they are together in a group of at least 6 fish.
You can add other fish to your aquarium tank, but mixing the wrong
species can have a devastating effect on your discus population.
For
instance, angelfish, in spite of their angelic name, are very
aggressive when it comes to feeding. Discus are much more shy. So it
is not recommended that you mix these two types of fish. The discus
will suffer from being underfed and will hide from more aggressive
tank-mates.
On
the other hand, schooling fish such as tetras or characins can have a
calming effect on your discus population and result in a happier
“society” of fish.
Can
you have less than 6 discus? Absolutely, just remember that each
adult discus requires 10-15 gallons of “space” to maintain
optimum conditions. And, as already mentioned, discus are social and
they will be happier if there is a group rather than just one or two
of them.
Tank Size
As
a rule of thumb, you should plan for 10-15 gallons per adult discus.
That means that a minimum of 55 gallon tank would be needed for a
group of 6 adults (I know, the math says 60 gallons, but 55 is a
common sized aquarium).
Water Conditions
Monitoring
the water in your aquarium is very important. Important aspects
of tank water include the pH, temperature, and softness. While most
folks are now buying their discus from dealers who have raised them
on discus “farms”, if you get wild discus, they will have come
from very different surroundings. The water in the Amazon River
(their natural habitat) is quite muddy, making it much darker than a
clean, open aquarium.
Discus
which are spawned in captivity are not used to dark water, so you can
use a more “regular” tank setup with lights, artificial
substrate, and filters.
But
even domestic raised discus will need tank water kept at the right
temperature, 77-85°F (25-29°C), and pH, between 6.0 and 6.5.
Changing
the water is also quite important as you maintain your tank
conditions. Do not make the mistake of changing ALL the water at one
time. Beginning aquarists are prone to this mistake. Frequent water
change includes replacing about 25% of the water at least once per
week. If you have spawning fish, water changes should be more
frequent.
Plants in your Aquarium?
Breeders
always have bare-bottom tanks to raise their fish, and there are many
who claim that the best habitat for discus is a bare tank. However,
there is no reason, other than convenience for cleaning, that you
can’t have a planted aquarium. Plants do help with the nitrate
level, and, of course, they are part of the discus natural habitat.
Just make sure you get your plants from a reliable source so that
they are free from contaminants. Here again, you will want to steer
clear of general, all-purpose pet stores that do not specialize in
aquarium fish.
A
Successful Discus Fish Tank
Here
is a little video that shows how your tank can look with a bit of
attention to detail and some healthy discus fish! Notice how
beautiful healthy discus are. It is so relaxing to sit and watch
these gorgeous creatures with some music playing in the background.