Discus Fish Secrets

“Discus Fish Secrets”

“How to QUICKLY yet EASILY learn EVERYTHING that You’ll ever need to know about Discus fish whether you’re a breeder or just plain do it as a hobby!”

Table of Contents Introduction to “Discus Fish Secrets” ............................................................. 3 About Discus Fish ............................................................................................. 5 The Discus Fish Tank ........................................................................................ 7 Here are some basic tips about your tank: ....................................................... 8 Tip #1 – Tank Size ........................................................................................ 8 Tip #2 - Position ............................................................................................ 9 Tip #3 - Substrate ......................................................................................... 9 Tip #4 – Plants ............................................................................................ 10 Important Filter Information ............................................................................ 11 Types of filtration ............................................................................................ 11 Mechanical Filters ....................................................................................... 11 Biological Filters .......................................................................................... 12 Chemical Filters .......................................................................................... 13 Filtration Media ............................................................................................... 13 Mechanical Media ....................................................................................... 13 Biological Media .......................................................................................... 13 Chemical Media .......................................................................................... 14 Types of Filters to Use .................................................................................... 14 Display Tanks ............................................................................................. 14 Breeding tanks ............................................................................................ 15 Water – Very Important! ................................................................................... 16 The Water’s P.H ............................................................................................. 16 The Water’s Hardness .................................................................................... 17 Water Temperature ........................................................................................ 17 The Selection Process ..................................................................................... 19 Types of Discus Fish ....................................................................................... 21 More in Depth on Types of Discus Fish .......................................................... 21 Natural Discus ............................................................................................. 21 Heckel Discus ............................................................................................. 21 Cultivated Discus ........................................................................................ 22 Albino Discus .............................................................................................. 22 Golden Discus ............................................................................................. 22 Blue Diamond Discus .................................................................................. 22 Tank Mates for Discus Fish ............................................................................. 24 The Perfect Diet ................................................................................................ 26 Breeding Discus ............................................................................................... 28 Getting them to Spawn ................................................................................... 28 The Spawning Process ................................................................................... 29 Free Swimming Fry ........................................................................................ 30 Discus Fish - Growing On ............................................................................... 31 Frequently Asked Questions........................................................................... 32 Final Thought ................................................................................................... 35 The Bottom Line is Simple .............................................................................. 35

© 2010 – Discus Fish Secrets. - All Rights Reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without express written, dated and signed permission from the author. DISCLAIMER AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES. The information presented herein represents the view of the author as of the date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the author reserves the right to alter and update his opinion based on the new conditions. The e-book is for informational purposes only. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided in this e-book, neither the author nor his affiliates/partners assume any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations are unintentional. If advice concerning legal or related matters is needed, the services of a fully qualified professional should be sought. This report is not intended for use as a source of legal or accounting advice. You should be aware of any laws which govern business transactions or other business practices in your country and state. Any reference to any person or business whether living or dead is purely coincidental.

Introduction to “Discus Fish Secrets” Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read our very prized e-book creation “Discus Fish Secrets”. We would like for you to know that we value your feedback so please feel free to send us feedback on what an impact we’ve made in your experiences with Discus fish. Believe it or not, discus fish are much more popular than you probably think. As the world’s #1 tool for this incredible niche market, our goal for this e-book is to inform you on exactly EVERYTHING you could possibly ever need as well as want to know about Discus fish leaving you the opportunity to really thrive in every way imaginable. Let me be totally honest with you upfront. I would imagine that it is painfully obvious that you can research for hours on in through out libraries, the Internet, magazines, books, seminars, etc and you would never begin to come close to revealing every tiny little tip, trick, secret, and technique that will allow for you to have the healthiest, problem free, discus fish possible. Why? This is very simple. Unlike many of the other guys out there claiming to be an expert in this market, I really am and I’ve got the success, years of experience, and flat out know how to put you on the instant track to success. Read this brief yet highly informative guide cover to cover immediately. This guide should give you the knowledge to be able to keep your discus at a good standard and help you breed them without any big problems. Even if you’re a beginner this guide should be the only one you need. Here is what you are about to learn: • • • • • •

The discus aquarium The water quality discus must have What to feed your discus How to buy healthy discus How to breed your discus Plus much more

Once you are finished, I highly recommend that you keep this e-book conveniently located on your desktop so that you can refer to it as often as you’d like as your #1 resource in this area. Regardless if you are a breeder or just plain like to do this as a hobby, you’ll find everything you need right here from A-Z. Enough with the small talk, its time to get down to business!

About Discus Fish I know that many of you that read this e-book already know quite a bit about discus fish, but for the sake of everyone, let me briefly take a moment to explain what these things really are. I feel that it’s very important not only to follow the steps, techniques, and guidelines in this guide to have ultimate success, but also to 100% fully understand exactly why EVERY single step is needed. Always remember that we would not put anything into this guide that we didn’t feel completely relevant and necessary, yet we left no rock unturned so that as a result of reading through this guide, you will be left feeling educated and ready to put what you’ve learned into use without question. The Discus fish is a South American Cichlid that belong to the genus Symphysodon, which currently includes three species: • • •

The common Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus), the Heckel Discus (Symphysodon discus) and a new species of Discus which has been named Symphysodon tarzoo.

The Discus was first introduced in the 1920's and is now regarded as one of the most beautiful of all aquarium fish. While they are colorful and attractive, they are quite difficult to care for; nevertheless, their popularity continues to rise. As the name implies, Discus have the typical disc-shaped body with full dorsal and anal fins reaching to the tail. The body of an adult Discus can reach about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Originally, due to the environmental diversity of the vast Amazon River basin separate populations developed differential in color and markings. Discus fish breeders have greatly expanded upon this and developed new variations through selective breeding, with the colors and patterns of the Discus varying according to the type of species bred, habitat and diet.

More and more people are choosing to keep discus over other fish. By becoming more popular more money is going into the industry which helps fund research and the development of products and different strains of discus. This is good news for the breeder’s right down to the hobbyist who now will have better fish available to him or her. It is getting easier to keep discus with new technology to improve water quality and discus health which could be the cause of the rise in demand. New dealers are growing rapidly and even small aquatic shops are stocking a range of discus. They are beautiful but yet still remain a challenge to keep and breed with the later been very rewarding and will even pay for the hobby. Most people that keep discus will at some stage want to breed them as it is a great experience

The Discus Fish Tank The first really important aspect of dicus fish that I’d like to talk about is the Tank. Now folks I know that It can seem as if something as significant as a tank shouldn’t mean very much, but it does! With that said, the very first question you should ask yourself is, “What aquarium do I need?” this depends on your budget and the room you have in your house. As aquatic plant enthusiasts, we naturally gravitate towards spectacular aquariums. A large, carefully aquascaped display can hold us spell-bound for hours. Many aquatic gardeners have wondered about combining discus and live plants. Would the combination be as remarkable as the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate? Mr. Takashi Amano, the author "Nature Aquarium World", certainly seems to think so - some of the most impressive photos in his books are of planted discus tanks. Followers of the recent Aquatic Gardeners Association Aquascaping contest noted that quite a few of the entries featured discus in an aquatic garden. But is a planted discus tank as simple as dropping a Hershey bar into a jar of Skippy peanut butter? If you are guessing "Not Exactly", you are right. But it is not as difficult as you might imagine. We have successfully maintained planted discus tanks for 15 years. This article is based on our experiences and hopefully will give you the knowledge and confidence needed to create your own spectacular discus habitat. There are several advantages to keeping discus in a planted aquarium. The most obvious advantage is the sheer beauty of this combination. Discus fish tend to be slow moving and graceful fish and look perfectly at home amid plants slowly swaying in the current. Their coloration, especially the metallic turquoise variants, is a perfect match to the natural greens and reds of live plants. And, especially important to us aging aquatic gardeners, discus are big fish and are easier to see from the sofa compared to the more typical tetras found in our displays! On a more serious note, plants are known to act as chemical filters to help remove toxic substances from the water. This is a very important attribute for a discus tank.

Discus fish are sensitive to water quality and they place more of a demand on the aquarist to maintain high standards. A good collection of healthy plants will lead to a healthy overall environment and will help stave off common diseases like "hole-in-the-head". Plants also provide natural hiding places for discus. Discus tend to be shy fish and are sometimes bothered by activity outside the tank. Plants are preferred to other tank decorations since a large discus can easily hurt itself on a piece of driftwood or large rock. Providing a stress-free environment will also promote good health in your discus. Broad-leafed plants make nice spawning sites for a breeding pair of discus. While most breeders prefer a breeding cone or piece of slate, our discus have often spawned on Anubias or Echinodorus leaves. Plant leaves make good spawning sites in a community tank since the other leaves on the plants help shield the spawning pair from other inhabitants as well as nosy aquarists. Discus are widely known to prefer soft, acidic water. In nature, the Amazon black-water biotope is extremely soft, rather murky and has a low pH. However, since the discus you have are probably far removed from the Amazon, the environment you design for your discus should actually match the environment in which they were raised. This means contacting the discus breeder, if possible, to determine the conditions to which your fish are accustomed. Another factor determining your set up is whether you desire to breed the fish or display them. Breeding will demand a closer match to an "optimum" set of water parameters; a display tank will require less stringent needs. If you are not trying to optimize for breeding, the best idea is to select conditions you can easily achieve when changing water to provide a stable environment. It is far better to settle for harder, more alkaline water than to have to struggle with elaborate water softening and pH adjusting equipment and chemicals.

Here are some basic tips about your tank: Tip #1 – Tank Size One mistake many beginning discus keepers make is to use too small of a tank. Most young discus are sold when they are quarter- or half-dollar size.

It is easy to assume that six or eight would fit nicely in a 20-gallon tank. Nothing could be further from the truth. Breeders recommend about 40 gallons as the minimum size for a pair; I would extend this rule to display tanks also. We have kept four to six adults in a 100-gallon tank and that seems just about right. It is important to consider both volume and scale - a taller tank (24") is preferred to a lower, longer tank since discus are round. An 8" discus is much taller than a typical 8" fish! One idea is to start with a larger number of juvenile discus than you intend to keep and cull the weaker or less attractive fish as necessary. We have found that in any batch of juveniles, some will be dominant and some will be submissive. In our experience, the submissive fish will die off, either because they don't eat well or are picked on by the others. If your local fish shop takes trades, you may be able to give some of the young discus back (they may do well in another tank where they may become the dominant fish).

If you are having a display tank I would recommend you get a tank no smaller than 36”x15”x15” but a 48in tank would be better. Discus do better in deep tanks and the more water the tank hold the more stable the water conditions tend to be. For a breeding tank I use 24”x15”x15” tank but I know some breeders prefer an 18in cube.

Tip #2 - Position Discus are very shy fish and tend to hide when they are not confident so keep the tank away from noisy and busy areas like near door ways. Keep away from direct sunlight and radiators as sunlight will cause algae and excess heat. The only other factor to take into consideration is the height of the tank, the higher up the better as discus don’t like been on the floor.

Tip #3 - Substrate This depends on whether you are wanting to breed your discus or are wanting a display tank. If you are having a display tank I recommend you use small gravel or sand but sand can be hard to clean. If you are breeding I would recommend you have a bare bottom tank as it is easier to clean.

Tip #4 – Plants If you are going to have plants you can either use plastic plants or live plants. I personally don’t like or use plastic plants but it is down to personal preference. In a display tank you can now get a good discus plant selection by mail order, these plants tend to be cheaper and better than those you find in aquatic shops. In a breeding tank you can either leave them out or just have one or two potted plants in the tank.

Important Filter Information Everyone knows that discus require excellent water quality and that a good filter is at the heart of this. Now there is not one type of filter that suits discus best as different filters do different jobs and it just depends on what you need it for. Good biological filtration is absolutely required, with complete, but not overly brisk circulation, to ensure all the water and wastes are being swept up and passed through the filter. Discus are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrites and the substantial accumulation of nitrates. Because of this, you need to be diligent about water testing, regular water changes, and caring for your biological filter media. Before placing your discus into an aquarium, make sure the system has been thoroughly cycled. For best results, your tank should show no signs of nitrite and accumulated nitrates for two weeks or more before introduction of the fish. Most aquarium filters can be used for your discus tank. However, they must be properly configured for your tank. The first step in this configuration is to understand the types of filters available. There are three types of filter categories and they are based on the filter's function.

Types of filtration There are basically three types of filtration these are mechanical, biological and chemical.

Mechanical Filters This is the first stage of any filtration; the water is drawn or pumped through layers of material that removes any debris from the water. This is important, as sediment will block the next stage of filtration rendering it useless. If the flow rate of your filter drops off then clean or replace the mechanical media immediately.

Biological Filters Biological filtration is the most important filtration method in any aquarium, especially the discus aquarium. For filtering a discus tank, a very porous biological filter media should be used. This type of media will allow plenty of good nitrifying bacteria to colonize it, which will make it very effective in removing toxins and impurities. There are several styles of biological filters. The following paragraphs detail the types of filters and their basic usefulness in the discus aquarium: •

Sponge Filters - Sponge filters are really best for small tanks (20 gallons or less), but they can also be used in larger tanks, as long as you use multiple filters. They are simple filters--cheap and simply designed. They connect to an aquarium pump by a tube. The sponge is a breeding ground for bacteria, however, so have to be careful that smaller fish do not get caught underneath the sponge!

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Under Gravel Filter - For a long time the under-gravel filter (UGF) was the most popular type of filtration found in aquariums. This, however, this is not a good filter choice for a discus aquarium because the decomposing material builds up under the filter plates and it is not possible to properly clean the gravel without disrupting the nitrifying bacteria. If there are no filter plates under your gravel it is much easier to perform aggressive cleaning of the gravel, thereby removing more debris.

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Canister Filter, Fluidized Bed Filter - These types of filters create a closed system that increases the oxygen demand on the tank. These filters actually compete with the discus for oxygen! Also, if these filters fail, deadly toxins are created very quickly because of the closed system. If you decide to run a canister filter as your filtration method for your discus tank, you should have a strong aeration system to keep an adequate level of dissolved oxygen in the water.

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Hang On Power Filter - This type of filter is an excellent filter to use for your discus aquarium, if it is properly configured. The filter needs to be filled with biological media, but they usually come with a sponge or a plastic grid. The plastic grid is not ideal for filtering bacteria and some sponge material is too coarse for proper nitrifying bacterial growth. When you use this filter, make sure you use a good biological media.

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Wet Dry Filter (Trickly Filter) - Although these types of filters can be good filters for a discus aquarium, some caution needs to be used. They are excellent at degassing carbon dioxide and oxygenation, but to be effective for discus, the biological media should be placed in the webbed,

submerged portion of the filter that is under the plastic bio balls. The media used should be porous and the best media is the type that is sold for canister filters.

Chemical Filters The final stage of filtration is very much controlled by you, for various reasons we may wish to add carbon or peat to the filter, these media’s either absorb impurities or alter the chemical balance of the water. This is usually toped off with a fine wool pad to polish the water as it returns to the aquarium.

Filtration Media Filter media is the stuff that goes inside your filter mainly an external filter. It cleans the water and removes the harmful toxins from the water.

Mechanical Media Any media will have mechanical capabilities, but the idea of dedicated mechanical media is that it protects the biological media from becoming clogged with debris. It tends to be hexagonal pieces of pipe or sponges. What ever you use it is best to use many layers to filter out the dirt. If maintained regularly then the mechanical media can washed out and re used several times, if left too long you will have to throw it away and replace with new media.

Biological Media This is the heart of the filter and so long as you use sufficient pre filtration it is unnecessary to ever clean it. Biological filter bacteria live here, they colonize any nook, cranny or rough surface, so it goes without saying that the more surface area your media has the more bacteria will gather on it, thus improving the filtration process. Bacteria will cling to any surface from smooth gravel to the modern sintered glass products which I use that offer absolutely massive surface areas.

Sintered glass products are available in any aquatic outlet and are highly recommended for any flow through filter. If at any stage the biological media does become clogged with muck, it is vitally important that it is washed in old tank water. Do not use tap water, you will kill all the friendly bacteria, which in turn leads to total filter failure and dead fish.

Chemical Media It may at various times be necessary to add some activated carbon to your filter to remove medications or dyes from the water. Also you can use peat to soften the water or Nitrate and ammonia removing resins etc. Any chemical media should be last in line of the filtration process, and it is important to adhere to the instructions supplied as to the life span of these medias, because some of them will let the toxins back into the water once exhausted.

Types of Filters to Use In this section of this manual, we will be discussing which type of filters you should use for your discus fish.

Display Tanks If you are having a discus display tank then I recommend you use an external canister filter as these will keep the water very clean and it will have one of the largest surface areas for biological filtration which will make sure the water quality is excellent. It will sit out of the tank and you should be able to get one to fit any tank over 3ft. There are plenty of makes out there and I have never had any problems with the fuval filters. If you are a beginner I would recommend you take a look at the Eheim Ecco filters as they are very easy to maintain and understand. Alternatively you could use a trickle filter but they tend to be very expensive. You could also use an internal filter but make sure it doesn’t cause too much current as discus like slow moving water.

Breeding tanks In a breeding tank it is important to keep things simple. For this reason I like to have bare bottom tanks with just a sponge filter. Many other breeders recommend this method as it has been tested and worked for years. You could also use a corner filter which will give you a bit more control over the water as you can add some peat etc. I would not recommend using an internal power filter as the fry once free swimming will get sucked in and die. A sponge filter can be picked up for around £5-£10 and is run by an air pump. Once every week or two squeeze the sponge in the tank water you’ve removed from doing a water change as this won’t kill the bacteria in it.

Water – Very Important! Everyone knows that the quality of water in a discus tank is very important. Some even say it is the most important factor in keeping your discus healthy and happy. Discus will thrive in the right water so it is essential to get it right. Discus tropical fish are very popular with aquarium owners, however as any experienced owner will tell you, discus are not the easiest fish to keep. If you want to keep your discus fish healthy and happy, you need to learn as much as possible about their unique living conditions, feeding habits, and breeding behavior. Only with proper knowledge can you apply techniques which will turn you aquarium into a thriving ecosystem. Discus fish are native to the calm warm waters of the Amazon River. Therefore, it is important to mimic their natural environment in order to satisfy their desires. Without the right environmental factors taken care of, Discus fish can become sick, aggressive, or even die for no apparent reason.

The Water’s P.H Test the ph of your tap water and then you will know what needs to be done, I live in Yorkshire, England where the ph of the water is around 7.0 or just under which is perfect and means I only have to lower it for my breeding tanks. Below is the recommended ph for discus tanks: • • •

Display – 6.5 – 7.5 Breeding – 5.5 – 6.5 Growing On – 6.8 – 7.5

If you need to change the ph you can easily buy buffers etc that will lower or higher your ph. If you need to lower your ph you could even use peat which is a great natural alternative.

The Water’s Hardness There are two types of hardness, general (GH) and carbonate (KH). Where I live the hardness is fine so not much needs to be done with it. Below is the recommended hardness’s for discus tanks: • • •

Display – 10–15 GH, 5-8 KH Breeding – 1-4 GH, 0-1 KH Growing On – 8-15 GH, 5-8KH

To change your hardness you can again buy water treatments or to lower it you can use a R.O unit which we will cover soon.

Water Temperature Discus generally require higher temperatures than other tropical fish and you should think about this when selecting plants and tank mates for them. To change temperature, simply adjust the heater stat in your aquarium, I even have two heaters in some tanks just in case one breaks. Below are the recommended temperatures for discus tanks: • • •

Display – 79 – 84°F Breeding – 82 – 89°F Growing On – 80 – 86°F

Water Preparation So how should you prepare your water? Do you need to use a Reverse Osmosis (RO) unit. Most people say it’s a must but I don’t use one. I just use tap water mixed with water that goes through a heavy metal filter. If after testing your water you are happy that it fits the water chemistry required to keep discus you can do a couple of things. You can simply add a treatment like Tetra Aqua Safe which will take out chlorine, chloride and some metals. You can also use a heavy metal filter which will take out all heavy metals and make the water perfect.

You can also mix the two like I do to save on time and money if your water doesn’t mach and you have poor water you will need to filter it through a RO unit. These can cost in there hundreds but are worth it if you need them. This filtration process will remove a very high percentage of heavy metals, chlorine, pesticides, silica, nitrates and most of the TDS it will also lower the pH of freshwater. The product water is in like distilled water and on its own unsuitable for discus. What you do is add to it a supplement such as API Electrorite, or some de-chlorinated tap water. Better still mix RO water with a percentage of water prepared with a HMA filter. The exact percentages to mix really are determined by your geographical location, but as a rule 75% RO to 25% tap is usually about right. If you wish to breed Discus you need a supply of very soft water, In order to keep the water very soft, i.e. under 1dGH you use less tap water in the mix. But a word of warning, soft water is very unstable and must be changed daily to avoid pH crash.

Water changes It is very important to change the water in your discus tank on a regular basis, in a display tank I recommend around once or twice a week and with the later for breeding tanks and anything up to once a day for growing on tanks. I like to change in between 20-50% of the water in the tank but in the fish farms in the east they change 100% of the water once a day in the growing on tanks with great results. When changing the water clean the bottom of the tank and suck up all of the debris on the tank floor but try and disturb the discus as least as possible.

The Selection Process Buying Discus shouldn’t really be any different to buying any other fish, but it seems to cause most people worry and sleepless nights. I suppose it’s the money involved as not many other fish have the price tags Discus carry. Before buying Discus you should have done your homework and know about the fish, water chemistry and how to care for it. This may seem like common sense but some people don’t even know what water the discus fish prefer. Most Discus keepers have this knowledge and the experience with other fish as they tend to keep other types of tropical fish before moving on to the discus. It is possible to keep discus without any experience but it isn’t really recommended. When it comes to choosing stock there are three sources of stock, these are firstly Importers and dealers that only deal with discus, they tend to know a lot about the fish and have a good selection of different strains. Then there are Aquatic’s shops which will normally only have a little selection of discus and some times aren’t very good quality. Lastly there are home breeders which are hobbyist who breed discus, you can normally pick them up very cheap from home breeders but they tend to be small fish. I would recommend you get your discus from an importer but look around and make your own decision.

What to look out for… Some people will tell you to look for perfectly round bodies with small bright eyes and even though this is true there is simple more to it than that. First you have to decide what colors you want, don’t worry too much about the names of these as they vary from source to source. Wherever you buy your fish from spends time watching them and never buys on impulse. Only select discus that are alert, bold and come to the front of the tank. Avoid fish that hang at the back and hide. Also avoid those that breathe heavily or out of one gill. Check for twisted mouths short gill covers, poorly shaped tails, odd or big eyes and any other genetic defects that might be down to poor breeding.

Talk to the dealer and ask him questions, ask if you can see the fish feed, most will let you, healthy discus will respond quickly to food. If the dealer declines, walk away. If he wants to sell the fish he will do this for you. Ask the dealer how long he’s had the fish, if less than 2 weeks be careful as they haven’t been quarantined enough. Did he breed the fish or did he import them, if the later where from? Does he know if they have been subjected to any medications or wormed? These are all common questions which he should know the answer to and it will provide you with a good background as to the fish’s history and the dealer’s competence. Take a look at the bottom of the tank, healthy discus go to the toilet regularly and there waste should be black. If you see signs of white or clear waste it is reasonable to consider that some of the fish have an internal problem and so should be left. Always ask what sort of water conditions the fish are in and if possible write it down. If they aren’t the same as yours go home and get them right. If you want the fish put a deposit down so the dealer will keep the fish for you and this also give you the opportunity to keep an eye on them for another week just to make sure they are healthy. Always buy the largest fish you can afford as small fish are harder to acclimatize to there new tanks. Try to get fish at 4in+ as they are full of color and easier to adapt to there new tank. Just remember to ask lots of questions and have a good look, go away and come back again but never buy on impulse.

Types of Discus Fish There are plenty of types of discus available on the market now but all originate from the same species symphysodon aequifasciatus. In the 80’s the Germans were the first to develop the blue varieties and other colors but now east Asia develops some fascinating stains like snow white’s which I am not a particular fan as well as the snakeskin’s etc. New strains are been developed all the time and there is now getting a vast variety. However I would recommend the beginner stick’s to the classic strains like red Turks and blue Turks etc as these fish tend to be harder and a little bit less fussy. If you are buying young fish ask to see the parents or adult fish of that strain to make sure you know what you are getting. Most breeders or importers will be able to let you do this as they tend to stock the same strains of young and adults. If you want a solid blue cooler I recommend you go with the Blue diamond and if you want a solid red then go with a Red Melon or Marlborough Red. If you want striped or patterned fish then go with snakeskin’s and pigeon bloods.

More in Depth on Types of Discus Fish Natural Discus Color's the key when determining types of Discus. There are essentially two different categories concerning their placement: naturally occurring fish, which, obviously, are animals found in the wild, and cultivated Discus, which are shades and colors that have occurred through generations of selective breeding.

Heckel Discus Provided they are a similar size, Discus usually do fine in groups. Heckel Discus (Symphysodon Discus): The original Discus, named for its discoverer Johan Heckel. Appearing with a dark stripe down the middle of its side, the fish comes in both red and blue varieties. Green Discus (Symphysodon Aequifasciatus): The name says it all. The Green

Discus appears in many shades, ranging from bright, vivid green to a lighter, more yellowish color. Their sides are dotted with bright red spots and dark stripes. Brown Discus (Symphysodon Aequifasciatus Axelrodi): One of the more common species, the Brown Discus, while hardier than most others, is generally dull in coloration, usually with faded stripes and occasional color on its fins. Blue Discus (Symphysodon Aequifasciatus Haraldi): Blue Discus are very similar in coloration to the Brown Discus, except for (duh) a rich blue hue covering their body.

Cultivated Discus Turquoise Discus: Coming in both red and blue varieties, these fish were created through cross breeding of different species. Blue Turquoises are generally completely blue with red speckles and dark vertical stripes while the Red Turquoises have a white/yellowish body with horizontal, bright red striations. Pigeon Blood Discus: Created in 1991, Pigeon Bloods have a bright white, sometimes cream-colored body with bright red striations and, most notably, a solid black tail.

Albino Discus Unveiled in 2000, Albino Discus are a relatively new strain in the hobby. With white bodies and red eyes, many of the more common cultivated Discus have been bred with albinism.

Golden Discus One of the more vibrant strains, Golden Discus have solid yellow bodies, occasionally patterned with dim white stripes and red eyes with semi-translucent fins.

Blue Diamond Discus Extremely lustrous, Blue Diamonds are white with a deep, blue hue and red eyes. The fins are usually finer than most other varieties, giving them a twinkling shine. Occasionally, yellow coloring will sneak in underneath the eyes or near the fins.

There are literally hundreds more varieties, most of which are determined by color. Most Discus, though, follow the same basic steps when caring for them.

Tank Mates for Discus Fish So what should you keep with your precious discus? Different discus keepers have totally different opinions on this subject but I’ll give you my opinion. In a breeding tank you should only keep discus and I strongly recommend you keep nothing else in there with them. Some people like to keep plecs but I’ve had problems with them eating the discus eggs and sticking to the discus. However if you have a display tank then you want to make it look nice and have more than just discus, I recommend you have a large shoal of small tetras like neon’s, cardinals and rummy noses. You can also keep plecs with them and Bristlenosed catfish and Corydora Catfish. I and some other people have kept discus together with angel fish and severums but other discus keepers would disagree with doing this for good reason. Angels can pass on disease to discus and both angels and severums can grow large and bully discus so take this into consideration when planning your tank. Rams are also a favorite to keep with discus but I have never tried as rams can get quite territorial when breeding and may harm young discus. When you get young discus make sure you get a shoal as like other fish they need the security of a shoal around them I believe that a Discus aquarium should be entirely geared toward keeping Discus fish, as other species generally do not require the dedication and environment that Discus need. The setup, plants and other inhabitants should be carefully chosen for optimal conditions, giving the Discus fish first priority. Discus are calm, timid fish who like to be kept in small groups of five to eight fish, as like other schooling fish they need the security of a school around them. This also helps in reducing stress of acclimating to their new environment. Outside of other Discus, what tank mates you choose again entirely depends on the purpose. If you want a nice display tank, Discus fish feel comfortable with small schooling fish such as characins. When Discus fish see the characins in the open, they are likely to come out sensing that they are safe to swim.

I would recommend a large school of characins like Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetra and Rummy Nose Tetras. It emulates their natural environment and both flourish in the same water conditions. However, you can keep most peaceful slow moving South American fish and Dwarf Cichlids with Discus, so long as they don't dominate or out compete for food and space. Many have had Dwarf Gouramis as well as Pearl Gouramis with Discus, though I would not recommend the larger more aggressive Blue and Golden Gouramis. Smaller peaceful catfish such as the Corydoras will get along well with Discus fish and do a great job as bottom feeders. As much as I adore freshwater Angelfish, I also would not recommended keeping them with Discus as they can grow large and bully the Discus, outcompete the Discus for food and carry diseases that Discus are particularly prone to catching. It can be done, but usually requires a much larger aquarium and a skilled aquarist. I've also known people that have kept Kribensis with Discus, but much like freshwater Angelfish I would not recommend that right away. One of my favorite fish is the Blue Ram (German Blue Ram, Ram Cichlid), a beautiful dwarf cichlid that will complement your Discus quite well. For a breeding tank, only Discus should be kept and I would strongly recommend against adding anything else. While many love having Plecostomus and other algae eaters, they are notorious for latching onto Discus fish and sucking on their mucus covering, leaving the Discus vulnerable to stress and decease. That is not to say that the two have not been successfully kept together, but in my personal experience it has been nothing but issues. For a new Discus breeder it is best not to take unneeded risks, even more so with a fish as fragile as the Discus fish.

The Perfect Diet Discus should be fed a varied, vitamin and protein rich diet. This is why it is important to feed them different foods and not just stick to one.

Flake Any top brand fish flake will provide your fish with a complete diet. Discus prefers their food mid water to bottom so soak and squeeze the flake food first.

Brine shrimp Discus love frozen Brine shrimp, defrost and rinse it before feeding it. The carotene will enhance the Discus’s colors.

Bloodworm Defiantly the Mars bar of fish feeding, very much a favorite but use only frozen worms as there is less chance of it having parasite’s in it. I feed mine three times a week with bloodworm and is great for conditioning before breeding

Beef heart All Discus love beef heart mix, the down side is that they rapidly contaminate the water quality, feed before doing a water change. This is very rich in protein and is great for growing discus fast. Below is a good beef heart recipe: • • • • • • •

1 kg of beef heart obviously trimmed of all fat and veins 500 grams of cooked prawns but peal them first 1 tablespoon of ground Paprika 2 Table spoons of spirulina powder 2 tablespoons of children’s vitamins Half dozen pressed garlic cloves A good handful of spinach

Directions: Cut you beef up in to half inch squares, dry, and mince in blender, Put the prawns on to cook, when cooked blend. Also add the spinach and blend. Now add flake food or tetra prima. The next step is to add the rest of the ingredients and blend. When mixed place on a tray, we use the meat trays that steak and that come on. Spread it out so it’s about just over quarter on an inch thick, place in freezer till it just starts to freeze. Then score it with a knife to make quarter of inch squares. Once frozen break up and place in a bag in the freezer ready for feeding

Granular and Freeze Dried Loads to choose from, all good for Discus keep to brand names for quality control. I use and recommend tetra prima.

Live food The health risks with live food far out weigh the benefits and with the menu above why take the risk. The only exception is white worms these can be used to tempt Discus that are off their food or to condition fish.

Breeding Discus Most people that keep discus will want to breed them at some stage. So you’ve either bought a breeding pair or raised adults that have now paired off. You feel they are now ready to breed. They may have already bred in a community tank but now you must take the next step. First they need there own tank, this can be a 24”x 15”x 15” or similar, 18” cube tanks are fine but don’t try and breed them in a 48” tank as there is too much space for them, if you have a 48” tank simply place a divider down the middle. The tank should have no substrate on the bottom to make it easier to clean and also easier for the parents to find the eggs if they drop off the cone. It should have a spawning cone or piece of slate and be filtered by a sponge filter.

Getting them to Spawn So how do you get your fish to lay their eggs? Many people believe it’s all in the diet and some believe its all about the water but I feel it’s both as well as other factors. Firstly you will need to condition your discus, feed them a high protein food like beef heart mix and frozen bloodworm. I like to feed mine tetra fresh delica, as it contains extra vitamins and discus seems to love it especially the brine shrimp and bloodworm varieties. Another advantage over frozen foods is that it doesn’t require you to keep it in the freezer. The next step to take is to get your water right. The water should have a ph of around 6.0 -6.5 but a fraction out won’t stop them breeding if they are ready. The temperature should be slightly raised to around 84°F. I also like to add some black water extract as it seems to help getting them in the mood. So the water’s right and they are conditioned nicely but are yet to lay their eggs. Here are a few tips and tricks to get your discus to breed: Do a 20 –30% water change, adding black water extract and make sure the water that is going into the tank is slightly cooler than the tank water. This method has worked for me plenty of times and I once had a pair that only bred after I had done this and they would breed within 12 hours of me doing this.

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Is the male fish getting lazy, I have had this problem a couple of times where the male discus doesn’t seem interested anymore.If this is the problem try adding another male to the tank. You could do this by placing a clear divider in the tank or by simply putting him with the other discus, if you try the latter keep a close eye on them encase any fighting occurs.

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If you can’t afford or it isn’t practical to add another male, one method I have heard worked in Germany was to simply stick a life size photo of an adult discus on the side of the tank

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If they just don’t seem interested in each other and won’t breed you could try separating them. This can be done in two ways, firstly just by putting a divider between the both of them or secondly moving the male into another tank. I prefer to move the male as he may get quite territorial and attack the female when reunited. Separate the discus for about 3-5 days before reintroducing them and make sure you keep a close eye on them and if they start fighting separate them immediately.

The Spawning Process Most of the time your discus will spawn with out any problems and with out have to try any of the tips above but what happens when they do spawn? Nine times out of ten they will breed on the cone provided but every now and again they will breed on the glass, heater or filter. They will start by cleaning the spawning cone which will look like they are biting the cone, this tends to go on for up to two week but can last as little as a few hours. Then they will swim together closely and as they get excited I have even seen them dash around the tank and jump out of the water so make sure you cover the tank. The female will then lay her eggs on the cone and the male will follow her and fertilize the eggs. It is important the male is quick as he only has a few minutes before the eggs form a shell and can not be fertilized. If you seem to have this problem, turn down the filter to stop the sperm being carried away with the current. Eggs that are not fertilized will go white and are dead. Good eggs will be a transparent ange/brown color and either both or one of the parents will look after the eggs, but they may eat them if they are young. They should only do this for a few times before getting it right but some pairs get a taste for the eggs and will continue to eat them for some time.

The eggs will hatch in 48-72 hours and will look like black dots. They will have yolk sacks which they will eat over the next few days before they are able to swim. The parents will still care for them and make sure they don’t fall off the cone.

Free Swimming Fry Within a few days of hatching the parents will have produced mucus on their bodies which is vital for the health of the fry as it a mix of food and antibodies which will stop the fry from getting disease. The fry will change from parent to parent for feeding after that parent has had enough of them feeding off their body. For the first few days I would not recommend doing a water change as still conditions are best so feed the parents tetra prima once a day to minimize pollution. On day 3 or 4 you can now feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp and other liquid foods like ZM 100 and Intercept’s liquid food for egg layers. When feeding brine shrimp make sure the water doesn’t get too much salt in as this is not ideal for the discus so only feed them it once or twice a day with 3 to 6 feeds of liquid food. By day 5 you can do a water change using a small pipe so it doesn’t disturb the fry. By day 14 the fry can be moved into their own tank but some including me like to keep them in with there parents for an extra week. At week 4 stop feeding brine shrimp as now they can feed on flake foods and beef heart mix as well as Tetra fresh delica.

Discus Fish - Growing On After moving the discus to there own tank at around 2-3 weeks old continue to feed them newly hatched brine shrimp and powder or finely crushed flake until week 4 when you can now feed flake and beef heart mix and then tetra prima and other foods. For growing on discus they should be in a large 40 gal plus tank and have a water change every few days if not every day to keep the water quality in good condition. You should also raise your hardness and your ph slightly as young discus will do better mineral rich water rather than very soft, acidic water. By feeding your discus 4 to 8 times a day with water changes every day or too your discus should grow well and reach 2in by 5 weeks and 3in by week 8. Now that they are this size you will have to decide what to do with them, you could sell them or give them away but you may like to keep six of the best to grow to adults and breed. If you feel that you won’t be able to sell your discus and have too many it is recommended you cull the small and weak at around the week 3 stage and then you will only be left with the best. Your discus will reach 5in and around 10 months plus and should be ready to breed by between 12-18 months.

Frequently Asked Questions Question #1 I bought 4 young discus 2in last week and put them in my 36x15x12 display tank which has bog wood and plants in with it as well as some neon’s and a pleco. The water is all fine but the discus just seem to hide at the back of the tank all day. What should I do? I would recommend you try adding a couple more discus of the same size from the same dealer as discus are shoaling fish and should be kept in groups of at least 6. This should give them more confidence and make them come out. As long as they are feeding they will come out when they are ready. Is the tank in a busy place, is there too much movement near the tank as this will scare them.

Question #2 I have a 48in tank with 8 discus in it. All are around 3in in size but one is slightly larger and seems to be bullying the others? Don’t forget that discus are still cichlids and will behave in a territorial way. In discus this is known as the pecking order where the bigger fishes tend to bully the little ones, thus the little ones get more stress and less food and grow less which could cause you to lose a couple of fish over time. To try and stop or lower this behavior try moving the interior décor around which will disrupt territories. You could also try adding more fish but keep an eye on your stocking levels.

Question #3 I have a breeding pair of discus fish that are around 5in in size. They breed on a regular basis now but within 24 hours eat the eggs, what is happening? This could be happening for a number of reasons, is your water correct or is your water too hard, if so try lowering it. It could also be that they are still young and may take a few times before they get it right.

The male could also be infertile or your breeding pair could actually be two females. Give them a few more times and if nothing has changed try protecting the eggs with a wire guard. If the eggs hatch good all they need is time. If they go white see about getting another male.

Question #4 I am a bit confused as if I can keep plec’s with discus as some people say you can and others say you can’t. What are your views on this? My opinion on this matter is that it is ok to keep plec’s with discus as long is it is not in a breeding tank. I have never had a problem with them in display tanks and some people think they will stick on the discus and chase them around but I have only had this problem in breeding tanks. There are plenty of nice plec’s and I love the golden nuggets and little zebra plec’s.

Question #5 I want to keep discus but don’t want to get an RO unit, is it possible to keep them without one? Yes it is and I don’t use one myself but you must test your water to make sure it is suitable to keep discus. I use a heavy metal filter and mix this with tap water and my discus do fine. Check your water and see if it’s ok and then you will know.

Question #6 I have seen some lovely discus in a shop but they haven’t been quarantined yet, should I buy them or wait? You should defiantly wait. If you want them so much ask the dealer to hold them for you and offer them a deposit. They should hold them for you and make sure they are quarantined for at least 6 weeks.

Question #7 Should I keep discus in a bare bottom take as I wanted to set up a nice looking natural Amazon tank for them but after talking to a dealer he say’s I should keep them in a bare bottom tank as it is easier to clean. Do you have any advice?

Discus look great in a natural set up and if you want to keep them like that don’t be put off. I only recommend bare bottom tanks for breeding and growing on but they look a lot better in a planted aquarium. They are harder to clean but the plants should help keep it clean and it will be fine with a good filter.

Final Thought I would like to once again “Tank You” for reading this guide. I really hope that you enjoyed and received the quick yet very extensive and useful education on discus fish in general. You should now be able to keep and even breed discus without many problems now and I hope you will refer to this guide when you have a problem. Let’s recap what you just learned: • • • • • •

The discus aquarium The water quality discus must have What to feed your discus How to buy healthy discus How to breed your discus Plus much more

The Bottom Line is Simple The bottom line with keeping discus is that they are not that hard to keep if you get all the water and diet right. People that say they are hard to keep often don’t do their homework which causes them to get things wrong with the water etc and this is why they have problems. Remember to save this guide either on your desktop or wherever is most convenient for you to pull it up as often as you’d like. My strong recommendations at that you refer to this guide on a regular basis or even better a daily basis so that you don’t make the same mistakes as many others as well as my self have made in the pasts with their fish. Breeding as well as just plain taking care of your fish doesn’t have to be difficult or a huge pain in the neck. It should be very simple and very fun. Good Luck!