Discus care guide
Discus (Symphysodon discus) — minimum tank 250 L, temperature 26-30 °C, pH 5.5-7. Peaceful middle-water species.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Discus (Symphysodon discus) is a large cichlid recognised by its disc-shaped, laterally compressed body and intricate colour patterns. It demands stable, warm and very clean water, a specialised diet and a spacious tank, which makes it a challenge best suited to experienced aquarists.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Symphysodon
- Scientific name: Symphysodon discus
- Common synonyms: King of the Aquarium
Habitat
Native to floodplain lakes and slow river margins of the central Amazon basin in Brazil. The species favours warm, soft, dimly lit blackwater or clearwater habitats with extensive submerged wood and leaf litter.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 250 L (66 US gal)
- Adult size: 15-20 cm
- Temperature: 26-30 °C (79-86 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7
- GH: 1-5 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Lifespan: 8-15 years
- School size: ≥5 individuals
Diet
An omnivore with relatively long intestines, suggesting a significant plant and detritus component alongside small invertebrates in the wild. In aquaria offer a specialised discus pellet supplemented with frozen bloodworms, daphnia and beef-heart preparations; feed multiple small portions daily.
Compatibility
Highly social and best kept in groups of at least five conspecifics. Compatible with Cardinal Tetra, Rummy-nose Tetra, Sterbai Corydoras (which tolerate warm water) and Bristlenose Pleco. Avoid keeping with Tiger Barb, Oscar or other aggressive species.
Breeding
A substrate-spawning cichlid with exceptional parental care: adults secrete a mucus through the skin ("discus milk") on which larvae feed during their first weeks. Pair formation, stable soft-water parameters and dim, quiet conditions are required for successful spawning.
Breeding Discus
Overview
The Discus (Symphysodon) is a substrate-spawning cichlid of advanced breeding difficulty. Breeding pairs move away from their social group, possibly to reduce cannibalism of the young, and sexual maturity is reached within about a year.
Sexing
Discus show no sexual dimorphism under about 4 inches in size, making juvenile sexing unreliable. Adult clues include dorsal-fin shape, body size and lip thickness, though none of these characteristics is a guaranteed indicator of sex.
Conditioning the Breeders
Pairs are typically obtained by raising a group of juveniles until two fish bond and spawn after a period of conditioning. A breeding cone, slate tile or other clean vertical surface is provided as a spawning site.
Breeding Setup & Spawning
Eggs are laid on vertical surfaces. Reported breeding conditions in a successful spawn include around pH 6.8, hardness about 4 °, and a temperature near 29 °C, with the female laying batches of eggs (on the order of dozens) that the male then fertilises.
Egg & Fry Care
Both parents fan the eggs, remove infertile ones and guard the spawn. Eggs hatch in roughly two to two-and-a-half days. The most distinctive feature is parental skin secretion, known as 'discus milk', on which the larvae feed for about the first four weeks; fry graze directly off the parents' bodies. After about five days they can take baby brine shrimp, and parental feeding underlies the high survival of parent-raised fry compared with artificial rearing.
Common Challenges
Pristine water and frequent large water changes are essential for fry survival. Dominant or inexperienced fish may cannibalise early spawns, sometimes requiring a divider to protect the pair, and artificial rearing without parental mucus gives much lower survival.