The Single Most Important Aspect in Keeping a Discus Fish Alive: Water

Aside from the fact that the discus fish can cost quite some penny, amateur aquarists should be wary about keeping discus fish because they can be quite difficult to maintain. It’s not that you have to look after them all the time, but they need daily care to keep them healthy and happy, and this is not a task for those who do not simply have the time, nor patience to do so. And if you’re not that experienced yet in maintaining a fish tank, keeping discus fish can be quite complicated.

But if you ask many long time discus fish owners, they will tell you that these problems will be only in the beginning, and all your efforts will be rewarded with a beautiful and mesmerizing fish. A freshwater fish, the discus comes in different vibrant colors and arrays of patterns. That’s why many fresh water aquariums today have the discus fish. So if you’re willing to give it a go, then you have to know first the single most important aspect in discus fish raising is the water in your tank.

So that your discus fish wouldn’t feel stressed of being in strange waters, you must emulate its previous habitat, which is the Amazon River. Try to maintain the same temperature and acidic level as what they were used to. Normally this would be at around 26 to 31 degrees Celsius. The water should also be acidic and soft. Maintain a pH level of about 5.5 to 6.5.

Captive fish or store bought discus fish can survive in harder water and acidic levels that can reach 6.8. They are already used to this. But for breeding purposes, stick to the natural levels that discus fish are used to.

If the temperature and the acidic level falls, there will be a good chance that your discus fish will not breed and in certain cases, they can even die.

As with any fish, your tank should be kept clean at all times. No creature would like to live in a dump. If you notice that your tank’s water is getting dirty, you should change it. You should always clean your tank of leftover food. So that you wouldn’t be bothered of cleaning your tank or changing the water often, you could add some sufficient filtration system, some lighting, or maintain some bottom dwelling fish to help clean up the tank.

If you don’t know yet how to maintain the temperature and pH levels of your tank water, then it is not recommended for you to own a discus fish yet. Try to learn more first about maintaining the livable balance of your tank water so that your investment will not go down the drain. This is why raising discus fish is not recommended for inexperienced aquarists. But in time and with proper research, you will fin d that this is not that hard.

Keeping Discus Fish: It’s all about the Water

First of all, you have to keep in mind that discus fish are considered to be one of the most beautiful types of fishes that people love to have in their aquarium. The aesthetic quality of discus fish is really eye catching and once you are able to see one, you will surely want one as your own.

However, the problem with keeping discus fish is that they are quite difficult to take care of. You see, there are several factors that you have to keep in mind when you plan on taking care of discus fish as your pet.

Basically, taking care of discus fish is not that hard. Although first timers will find it difficult to care for discus fish, you will soon get the hang of it and start taking care of discus fish easily.

You have to remember that discus fish need very specific living conditions and diets. Many fish enthusiasts even say that beginners should not attempt to take care of this kind of fish as it will just frustrate them especially if they don’t know what they are doing.

Discus fish are very temperamental but if you do the necessary research and apply it in taking care of the discus fish in your aquarium, you will be able to have a discus fish that will thrive in your aquarium and also grow happy and healthy.

The secret in taking care of discus fish is the water. You need to keep in mind that unlike other fishes that needs no specific water condition to thrive, discus fish will need to live in special tanks with water that is specifically treated to the point that it mimics their natural environment.

By giving them the proper water condition they need to thrive, you can be sure that your discus fish will be able to live for a very long time and they will also be a lot healthier and more active.

The temperature of the water must be kept stable. In their natural home, discus fish usually thrives in water with temperatures between the range of 28 and 31 degrees Celsius. Any higher or lower than these temperatures will be enough to kill the fish or not let them survive for long. This is why you may want to invest in a water thermometer in order for you to constantly monitor the water so it won’t exceed or drop below the required temperature.

The acidity of the water should also be kept at a constant level. The water pH for discus fish to thrive in should be between 5.5 and 7. Any more acidic or alkaline than these numbers is a sure way to kill your discus fish.

Lastly, the water hardness should also be considered. Although discus fish are not that sensitive to water hardness, it will play an important role in keeping them healthy. The optimum hardness of water for discus fish to thrive in should be between 1dH and 8dH. This will be quite soft, which is perfect for discus fish to live in.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to get your discus fish to thrive in your aquarium. This will not only keep your discus fish healthy, but it will also keep them happy and comfortable.

Setting up A Discus Fish Tank: Helpful Tips to Raise Your Discus Fish

As an aquarist, you probably know that discus fish are one of the most sought after species of fish today. They are colorful and they are also fun to watch inside the aquarium. However, the problem with discus fish is that they are very hard to maintain. You need to have the proper aquarium setup in order for you to successfully raise them and even breed them.

You have to remember that discus fish are very sensitive animals that need to be watched constantly. Basically, they will need extremely clear water and you also have to maintain the temperature as well as the pH level of the water at a constant level. Also, you need to monitor the quantity of heavy metals, nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia in the water.

It is highly recommended that as a discus fish owner, you need to use a reverse osmosis filtration unit inside the fish tank where you keep the discus fish. This is quite advantageous and will make it easier for you to maintain the quality of water but they are not really considered as a necessity. You have to remember that reverse osmosis filtration unit cost a lot of money. And, if you are just starting out raising discus fish, you will see that the price of this kind of filter is enough reason not to put one in your tank.

When you are setting up your discus fish tank, it is important to remember that you have to add a water conditioner in the tap water, which you will doubtlessly use. This will do the job in taking out the chlorine as well as other chemicals present in the water. Keep in mind that discus fish thrive in softer water. If your tap water is filled with chemicals, then the fish will not survive that long.

You also have to remember that discus fish likes to live in large areas of water. So, you may want to buy a larger fish tank in order for you to make sure that the discus fish will be comfortable and not get subjected to a lot of stress. Also, you may want to keep in mind that the water in larger fish tanks are a lot easier to maintain than water in small fish tanks.

The placement of the aquarium or fish tank where you plan on putting in the discus fish will also matter. Make sure that you don’t place them in an area where it gets a lot of direct sunlight. Doing so will cause too much plant expansion, which will scale back the oxygen concentration inside the fish tank. You should also avoid placing the tank in areas in your home that gets too much traffic. This will simply subject your discus fish with high levels of stress, which will eventually mean that they will be more prone to sickness.

Lastly, make sure that the fish tank resembles the natural environment where they lived before. So, avoid putting plastic mermaids and castle decorations. Instead, try to put rocks and a couple of driftwood as this will mimic their natural environment where they will be more at ease.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to keep your discus fish for a very long time.

Discus Fish: Understanding Them and Their Natural Environment

Keeping discus fish as pets can be an interesting hobby. However, before you actually buy your first batch of discus fish, you need to keep in mind that you first need to understand the fish as well as their environment in order for you to successfully keep discus fish as pets and also keep them healthy and happy for a long time.

First of all, you have to keep in mind that discus fish originated in the Amazon River basin. They thrive in streams and lakes surrounding the Amazon River. They also come from the cichid family of fish and they like deep water.

For this reason alone, you may want to get the largest and deepest aquarium that your home and budget can allow.

You also have to remember that discus fish are social creatures. They live and travel in groups of at least 6. So, make sure that you have at least 6 discus fish swimming around in your aquarium in order to keep them happy and prevent them from getting lonely. With more discus fish in your aquarium, they will be less prone to misbehaving. You have to keep in mind that lonely discus fish tend to be aggressive to their own kind as well as to other species of fish.

Getting a discus fish in groups will also ensure breeding, which will eventually increase the population of discus fish in your aquarium. As you can imagine, having tiny discus fishes swimming around your aquarium is a very rewarding sight.

In their natural environment, discus fish are known to be grazers. This means that in their natural environment, they will constantly seek food. This is why you should try feeding your discus fish a few times each day. However, you may want to prevent over feeding them. The rule in feeding discus fish is to not feed them more than 5 times a day and less than 3 times a day.

You should also keep in mind that discus fish may acquire different kinds of diseases. They may have problems with parasitic worms. You can observe their healthy by taking a look at their feces. Clear or white feces are hints that your discus fish may have internal parasites and that they are unwell and need attention.

Also, you should observe their behavior. If your discus fish go on food strike, it’s a clear sign that they are unwell. The color of their scales will also get darker, which is also an indication that the discus fish is sick.

These are some of the things that you need to understand about discus fish. Keep in mind that you have to set up your aquarium as well as the conditions in it that mimic their natural environment. Doing so will keep your discus fish happy and healthy.

Keep these things in mind and you can be sure that you will be able to enjoy your pet discus fish swimming around your aquarium for a very long time.

Tips on How to Determine the Gender of your Discus Fish

Its typical for any respectable aquarium owner to breed their fishes. This not only cut down on costs of purchasing new fishes, but they also pose a good challenge in growing an aquarium. So, many breeders tend to ask how they will be able to determine the gender of their discus fish. Although this may seem difficult, many top breeders have provided different information to do so. And you may find that it is easier than you may think.

There are a variety of methods that breeders use to know the gender of a discus fish, most of them are used when the discus fish have already grown. While they are still young, it is virtually impossible to determine its gender. Also, be warned that over handling the fish may result to its death. So you need to have a very keen observation so that you will be able to truly determine the sex. You will need to be very patient and to follow the fish well, for those who do not know the differences between the male and the female, it would be very hard to discover its gender.

Here are some points which can help you identify the gender of a discus fish.

• Male discus fish have thicker lips. Discus fish use their mouth to fend off any attackers. So the thicker lips are necessary for their protection and of the females as well.

• The male discus fish is more aggressive, they tend to come between the female and any intruder to protect the female discus fish. Also, the male tends to be larger and has a bigger forehead.

• In the female discus fish, the dorsal fin will seem to be rounded, while in the male, it will look more pointed. This is not distinguishable when the discus fish are still young, you can only notice this when they are in their adult stage.

• During spawning, you will notice that the breeding tube of the male discus fish tends to be smaller and sharper, with the female, the breeding tube will be rounder, and broader. The breeding tube can be found between the anal fin and the anus.

• Some breeders say that the female discus fish have a more vibrant color, but there are fewer patterns.

It’s never easy to find the sex of an animal when they are small, especially when they are fishes. Fishes tend to be fast and moving all the time. So this may cause a lot of problem. But, if you are determined to become a breeder, then use these tips to help you out. Determining the gender of your discus fish will help you to pair them equally. Too many male fishes and they tend to fight, and you may lose your fishes, too much female and then the pairing will be set off. But always remember, you can only successfully determine sex when the discus fish are older.