Tips To Remember Before You Buy a Discus Fish

Discus Fish are one of the most popular types of fishes to have in a freshwater aquarium. They are very colorful and they can also be the center attraction of your aquarium. If you did your research about Discus Fish, then you know how expensive they can be.

If you are planning to buy a Discus Fish as an additional fish in to your aquarium, here are some tips that you need to remember before you actually buy one. With these tips, you will be able to know how to buy a Discus Fish, which is very important in order for you to avoid wasting your money.

First of all, when buying a Discus Fish, you have to remember that a healthy Discus Fish should look healthy. Discus Fish that tends to stay on top of the tank or near the surface is a sure sign that they are sick. You should also look out for bloated gills as well as unusual spots. Also, be on the lookout for parasites hanging from the fish.

You should also stay away from tanks that have a DNS label on them. DNS means “do not sell” and the fish here are most likely to have a disease.

You should also test the alertness and responsiveness of the fish. To do this, have the breeder or the keeper feed the fish. If the fish is passive and doesn’t take interest of the new food available, this may be a sign of unhealthy fish. The fish you buy should eat the food or at least take interest in them. If the keeper says that they just fed the fish, then you should look for another place to buy a Discus Fish.

As much as possible, you should buy an adult Discus Fish. This is highly recommended for first time owners of Discus Fish as adult Discus Fish costs lesser to maintain than juvenile ones. You need to remember that juvenile Discus Fish are far more sensitive to water quality and food quality than adult Discus Fish.

You also have to know about the dealer quarantine. This is the time where the dealer obtained the fish and the time they decide to sell the fish. The longer the dealer quarantine is, the better it will be for you. Usually, the fish should be in quarantine for at least 2 weeks. This is to make sure that the fish is not spreading any diseases. Also, you need to make sure that the dealer tells you if the fish have been subjected to medicines or if they have been de-wormed. By asking these questions, you will be able to have a good idea about the background of the fish.

Lastly, you have to take a look at the aquarium chemistry. Make sure that you ask the dealer about the current water condition that the Discus Fish you plan on buying is currently living in. This will give you a good idea on how to set up your aquarium and also help you if the dealer of the fish knows what they’re doing.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to purchase a great Discus Fish that will live for a very long time in your aquarium.

How to Start Breeding Discus Fish

Discus fish breeding can get quite addicting. This is a statement many breeders have said. It’s easy to understand why. This extremely attractive fish which can provide any aquarium a stunning display of colors and patterns not only almost immediately brightens up a room, but also can be a good investment as discus fish is very much in demand and can fetch a high price. Soon enough, you will be able to cover all your expenses for your own discus fish collection. Now wouldn’t that be nice?

Some of you may just be starting out, so you naturally would have many questions. And you may already know that it can be quite difficult to be one hundred percent sure that you will be successful in discus fish breeding. So what is the best way to go about it?

First off, you need to make sure that you have a pair, a male and a female discus fish, that is the most obvious part. To go about it, there are three viable options for you, but to be honest, some of these options may not be the best way to do so.

Here are your options:

First, is to buy young discus fish, bout six to eight of them. As a fry, it is hard to determine the sex of the discus fish. So this is mostly a hit and miss affair. 3 inches would be the best size to buy them. But, the odds are that in those six to eight young discus fish, you will be able to get at least a pair or two. The best thing about this option is that at this age, the discus fish doesn’t command a high price yet. It will take some time though before you will be able to discover if you have hit the jackpot.

Your next option, and the most expensive one is going to an importer and getting an adult pair already, at this stage they may already be about 6 inches long. This is the surest way that you will be able to get a pair of discus fish of the opposite sex. The problem here is that if you don’t know how to look at a discus fish to determine the sex, you may get duped. So only go to a trusted dealer.

An adult discus fish is much more expensive because you’re paying for the convenience. You don’t have to wait anymore for them to grow up and you already get a head start at breeding the discus fish. So only go to a trusted dealer to ensure that you will indeed end up with a pair.

Your third option would be to learn how to determine the sex of a discus fish and going to a pet or fish shop. There you can choose for yourself adult discus fish and pair them yourself. This can be very difficult though, if you’re not a keen observer and you’re not properly trained, you might make a mistake.

Each of these options have their ups and downs, but for beginners the best option is the first.

Some Secrets with the Discus Fish

Definitely one of the more attractive and popular fresh water fishes, the discus fish has been a mainstay in may aquariums all round the globe. Although the fish commands a high price, many people have sought its presence because of its beautiful patterns and color, and they are virtually easy to keep. If you have always wanted a discus fish but is afraid that you might just waste them, then here are a couple of discus fish secrets which will allow you to not only keep them healthy, but also keep them happy inside your fresh water aquarium.

Discus fish secrets are not really old age secrets that only a few know. Many of these secrets are open secrets and can be easily learned from a multitude of sources. There are many books that can share these secrets with you and this is due to the rising popularity of the discus fish as an aquarium pet. Some people may find keeping discus fish very difficult while some find it easy, but it’s all about discovering these secrets which spell the difference, and one of the biggest secrets is the environment which the discus fish lives in.

First off, you need to know that the discus fish has a shy character. You should equip your aquarium with different corals or coral like ornaments which the discus fish can hide in or at least have some privacy. If these are not available, you can buy some potted plants. These are also good places where the fish can spawn. You should also keep your tank in a quiet area in your home away from noise so as not to startle the fish. Failure to do so will stress out the fish and can cause anxiety which can lead to their early demise.

Speaking of the tank, because the discus fish is quite large as compared to others, you should have a large enough tank to hold them. A 20 to 27 gallon aquarium would do fine. This way, you can have enough space to hold your discus fish and your aquarium ornaments and if your breeding them, future space for their spawn.

Another well known secret in raising discus fish is providing them with a good diet. A good diet must be a varied diet, which can include some blood worms, beef heart, tetra pieces, and some frozen or fresh brine shrimp. Remember not to over feed them and to clean any leftover food. If left inside the tank, the food can turn the water and sicken the discus fish.

And with any fish, the water is the most important. This is their habitat; it should be kept clean at all times. With the discus fish, being that they originate from the Amazon River where there is a warm climate, the water inside your tank should simulate the temperature which is round 25-30 degrees Celsius. Anywhere in the middle would just be perfect. You should also monitor the acidic level of the water keeping at a pH level of 6 to 6.5.

Helpful Tips That Will Increase Your Discus Fish Population

If you’re thinking about keeping an exotic fish, you should consider getting a Discus Fish. They are considered by a lot of people as one of the most fascinating fish species that you can ever have. Discus Fish are so beautiful that because of the demand for it in the market, one Discus Fish alone can cost you hundreds of dollars.

At an average, you will also find shops that offer cheaper prices for Discus Fish. In fact, you can find adult Discus Fish for 70 dollars and around 40 dollars for a juvenile Discus Fish.

With its beauty, there’s a tradeoff. They are very hard to maintain and they are very temperamental creatures, which are very sensitive to water quality and the food you feed them.

So, here are some secrets that will help you keep your Discus Fish alive and also get them to breed so you won’t have to spend money on a Discus Fish ever again.

Keeping a Discus Fish aquarium is a lot of fun. However, you have to remember that you need to treat them differently than other types of freshwater fishes as these species are considered to be high maintenance and that they need to be watched over constantly.

Keeping Discus Fish are quite easy to do. You just need to maintain the water quality and feed them right. Breeding them is another story. This is the difficult part. But, with some proper guidance, you will be able to start breeding Discus Fish which you can keep or you can even sell for profit.

We all know for a fact that taking care of Discus Fish can get quite expensive. This is why you need to breed them especially if you are a Discus Fish enthusiast. You need to know that Discus Fish are great breeders and in some instances, you will see that they will breed in your tank without you even knowing about it.

To start the breeding process, you may want to purchase a breeding pair. The dealer of the Discus Fish will be able to give you some options and pricing information to get you started in the breeding of Discus Fish. This is the easy way to breed Discus Fish but it can also be expensive.

The great thing about starting this way is that the Discus Fish will start to mate in just a couple of days. The downside is that this method can be quite expensive with each pair costing around 200 to 300 dollars.

If you want to save money, you can consider purchasing a group of at least 6 juvenile Discus Fish. In this method, you will simply hope that the sexes of the fish you purchase are different. The drawback is that breeding is not a hundred percent guaranteed but for most people, this method never failed. This is a great option for people who are just starting out keeping and breeding Discus Fish as they are less expensive.

You will be able to tell that which pair is the mating pair. Discus Fish will establish territory within the aquarium and you will see them defending it against the other fish in the tank. This means that they are getting ready to breed. You have to keep an eye on the mating pair as you will need to move them in to the breeding tank. In order for the breeding to be successful, you have to get a separate tank for the breeding pair.

By getting a separate breeding tank, you will free the breeding pair from stress. Just remember to maintain the PH level of the water in the breeding tank stable and you also have to remove leftover foods to avoid wreaking havoc to the quality of water.

These are the ways on how you can easily breed Discus Fish. If you do these tips correctly, you will be well on your way having unlimited numbers of beautiful Discus Fish, which means that you will never have to buy another one again.

Important Things to Consider When You’re Planning to Breed Discus Fish

As a pet lover or hobbyist, you know that having a discus fish in your aquarium can really add beauty to your home. They are one of the most beautiful freshwater fishes to own and they are also eye-catching.

If you love discus fish, you may have considered breeding them at one point of owning them. Aside from the fact that you will be able to increase the population of beautiful and colorful discus fish in your aquarium, they can also be a source of extra income as you can sell the juvenile discus fish.

However, before you actually consider breeding your discus fish, you need to remember that breeding them can be a challenge. When it comes to breeding discus fish, there are several things that you need to keep in mind in order for you to successfully breed discus fish in your aquarium.

Also, it is very important to be familiar with the behavior of the discus fish especially when they are mating or starting to breed.

The first thing that you have to consider is the fish tank. You need to make sure that you have the right fish tank for breeding discus fish. A 20 gallon fish tank is great for breeding as this will give you enough space for both the mating pairs to swim around and breed. 20 gallon fish tanks are perfect for 2 pairs of discus fish. But, if you are planning to breed several pairs, a larger fish tank may be needed.

You also have to keep in mind that discus fish are social animals. They live in groups in their natural habitat, which is why you need to have at least 2 or 3 pairs of breeding discus fish in the breeding tank.

As for the tank itself, you have to keep it clean and simple. Never overcrowd the fish tank with ornaments. A few plants and rocks will do as it will serve as places for them to hide. Also, you should remember to provide an area for them to lay their eggs on. This can be a slate or a vertical structure where discus fish are known to lay their eggs in.

The water temperature, acidity, and hardness should be stable enough and it should mimic the water in a discus fish’s natural environment. You should also keep the water clean. So, try to change 50 percent of the water at least once a week and make sure that whenever you feed your discus fish, you need to clean or remove uneaten fish food.

When breeding is successful, the fry should be separated from the adults in order to avoid letting them get infected by parasites from the adults. Also, you have to remember that juvenile discus fish needs proper nutrition in order for them to grow up healthy.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to successfully breed discus fish. This will not only make your aquarium more beautiful to look at but it will also give you a source of extra income by selling juvenile discus fish.

The 2 Things that you Should Concentrate on When Discus Fish Keeping

When talking about the health of the discus fish, there are really only two main aspects where great concern should be focused on. These two will dictate highly whether your discus fish will be able to spawn or let alone be healthy and live a long life. These two is the water where they live in and the food they ingest. Another minor aspect that should also be kept in mind prior to owning a discus fish is the tank mates that your discus fish will have. Generally, it is recommended that the discus fish should be the largest fish in the tank.

It has always been said that prevention is better than cure, so knowing what signs to look out for to determine whether there is something wrong with the tank or with your discus fish. To be honest, it’s much more bothersome to be treating illness rather than just plainly keeping a routine of maintaining a clean tank, at least you can put it in your schedule. Besides, keeping your tank water clean is just one of the responsibilities of owning an aquarium.

Imagine, what would life be if we don’t have air to breathe? Water is air to the discus fish. If your breathing in thick smog all the time then it’s a certainty that you would get sick, maybe develop cancer, or even choke to death in an instant. So, in maintaining the water of your tank, you not only need to keep it clean, you also have to get the right pH levels and the proper temperature which will simulate the waters where the discus fish came from, which is the Amazon river.

Changing the water in your tank should be done at least once or twice a week. A partial change will also be good and it will require less handling of your fish. Changing at least a quarter to half the water in the tank will suffice as long as you have a good biological filtration system installed. In some cases, some aquarists would just add some medication to clear up the dirt. This though should not be done often.

As for their food, you should ask the store clerk what food they have been accustomed to. Discus fish can be picky so you need to ensure that you can, maintain the food that they usually eat. Make sure though to never overfeed your fish. The extra food will just become dirt inside the tank. For younger discus fish, you should feed them about four times daily, older fish only needs to be fed twice a day. Growing fishes need the food more.

Discus fish should also be fed live or frozen food from time to time. As they re carnivorous, this will add protein to their diet, protein they need to stay healthy. Usually, they would prefer blood worms or shrimp brine.

To help keep the tank clean, always clean your tank two hours after you have fed them, remove the excess food right way.

The Right Water Chemistry for Raising Discus Fish

We all know for a fact that discus fish are among the most sought after fishes for aquariums. They have vibrant color that can really please anyone who sees it swimming inside an aquarium. However, before you start to attempt raising discus fish, it is important to know that discus fish can be quite hard to keep especially for people who are just starting out in this kind of hobby.

You need to remember that discus fish are temperamental creatures that need special care. They are very sensitive when it comes to water quality as well as food quality. Water chemistry is one of the most important factors that you need to understand when you plan on raising discus fish. With proper water chemistry, you can be sure that you will be able to keep your discus fish healthy as well as happy.

As a discus fish owner, you need to understand that you should test the water prior to every water change. This is to ensure that the water chemistry is correct for your discus fish to thrive or live in.

You need to remember that sudden change in water chemistry can eventually lead to high stress levels for discus fish. And, if your discus fish is constantly experiencing stress, they will be more likely to get diseases and even die.

Tap water is full of chemicals which can be very harmful to discus fish. It may be helpful for your healthy but the chemicals can be very damaging to your discus fish. This is why it is important that you monitor the water’s chemistry every time you change the water in your discus fish aquarium.

In most parts of the country, chlorine and chloramines are added to water supplies. And, as you can imagine, chlorine is a chemical that is not good for discus fish. Today, there are available test kits that you can use to test the water if these chemicals are present in the water and also how much of it is present in the water.

Water conditioning is the process of removing these chemicals from the water. This part is essential in order for you to properly care for your discus fish.

You also have to keep in mind that the hardness and acidity of water is also important. You need to be able to mimic the waters of the Amazon River in order for you to properly care for your discus fish. This means that the water should have an acidity level of pH 6 and it should also be soft water.

These are the things that you need to remember when you are planning to keep discus fish as pets. Always keep in mind that water chemistry is always important when you consider taking care of these types of fishes. They are very sensitive to water chemistry and you have to be able to make sure that you provide them with the proper water chemistry in order for them to live comfortably in your aquarium.

By keeping these tips in mind and by applying them, you will be able to enjoy taking care of discus fish for a very long time. In fact, if you do it correctly, you can even get your discus fish to start breeding.

Effective Ways to Help Keep Your Discus Fish Free from Diseases

The aquarium is not typically what you would first think when talking about pets. In fact, most of us would instantly depict n image of a dog inside our mind, or maybe even a cat. But many homes today do have fish tanks and they are not just for ornamental or design purposes. Yes they do look good, that is a given. Fish tanks and the fish themselves are also effective stress relievers. That’s why many people today would rather own fishes. And one of the fish breeds that many aquarists choose is the discus fish.

Before anything else, there are many advantages in owning a pet fish. First you won’t need to take them for walks, you don’t have to give them baths, they don’t demand much attention, and you don’t really have to clean up after them after every while. Yes they still need some looking after but not as much as compared to our canine and feline friends. This doesn’t mean though that once you have your tank, filled it up with water, and purchased your feed then your all done. There are still quite a few things that you have to do to ensure that they will live a long time and save you the anxiety of having to buy new fish every time.

The big news is, most fishes, including the discus fish, maybe even more so, develop health conditions because of stress. Although fishes are fragile as compared to other household pets, they don’t really just die and wither if they are kept well. And all you really have to do is make sure that the tank is clean and feed them as scheduled, which is not really all the time. There are some factors though that can cause them stress and thus weakening their immune system. Here are some ways that you can do easily to keep your discus fish stress free and healthy.

Like air is to humans, water is the single most important aspect to fishes besides food. So make sure that their water is free from chlorine and other toxic chemicals, as well as heavy metals. You should also keep it a good temperature and pH level. Investing in a dependable purifier, filter, and aerator will make the water clean and livable.

Vary the diet of your discus fish. Aside from the flakes and granules, feed them blood worms or fresh or frozen brine shrimp as discus fish are carnivorous.

Keep your aquarium in a quiet and solitary place. Too much noise and motion, like a door opening or heavy human traffic can cause them stress.

Never overcrowd your tank. Discus fish are very protective of their space so they need an ample re to grow and breed. The bigger the tank, the better.

Consistency is the key. Do not allow abrupt highs and low in the temperature and pH levels of the water in the tank. This can put them in a shock.

Following these simple steps will help you keep your discus fish away from stress thus giving them a healthier and longer life.