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Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish

Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish

Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish


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Home Page > Home and Family > Pets > Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish

Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish

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Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish

By: Helmut Freydag

About the Author

For more information about Discus Fish Care please visit my site at http://www.discusfish.ws

(ArticlesBase SC #785042)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish





Ideal for breeding discus fish are 20 or 30 gallon tall fish tanks. You should provide some vertical surface in the tank (e.g.: inverted flowerpot) that will enable them to lay their eggs.

In order to provide some shelter for the pair you could add some potted plants to the breeding fish tank. They can be kept in bare tanks but benefit from bog wood and plants as these help the discus feel safe knowing they have somewhere to hide. If they get stressed and scared in a bare tank they can dash around and hurt themselves.

Use some sponge filter for the filtration system to handle the biological load. Also required is a outside power filter which picks up any waste that might be in the water.

Discus fish come from the calm warm waters of the Amazon River and prosper when these conditions are replicated in the home aquarium. For both general maintenance and breeding of discus the pH should be maintained between 5.5 and 7.0, the temperature between 83 and 86 degrees F.

Water changes should be performed weekly. However a small water change should be done every day, or every second day. Frequent water changes increase appetite and promote mating activity in discus. Notice that discus will often spawn after a water change!

If good water quality is maintained the discus will have large appetites and should  accept any food offered to them. Spawning discus should be fed frozen blood worms, beef heart,  frozen or live brine shrimp, live white worms or Tetra Color Bits. In order to avoid parasites invading the tank you should never feed live tubifex or black worms to discus.

A “happy” breeding pair will lay eggs every week for a period of about 4 months. Usually discus will go through two of these spawning cycles in a year. The female will lay around 80-400 eggs and then the male fertilises them. It can take between 48-60 hours for the eggs to hatch and another 60-72 hours until they are swimming freely.

Immediately upon becoming free-swimming the fry will move to their parents sides, and start feeding off them during this time. The fry will feed off their parents sides for as long as you leave them together, however they should be offered small foods such as baby brine shrimp. You will notice after about 3-6 weeks that the parents will be exhausted, also the fry will be growing fast. It’s a good idea to remove them at this stage.

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Helmut Freydag -
About the Author:

For more information about Discus Fish Care please visit my site at http://www.discusfish.ws

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discus fish care, guide, breeding advice, keeping discus fish, discus fish secrets, healthy discus fish, discus fish spawning, happy fish, problem free discus fish, exotic fish, discus fish rearing

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Tips On Keeping And Breeding Discus Fish

If you’re seriously interested in knowing about discus fish care and breeding, you need to think beyond the basics. This short article takes a closer look at things you need to know about.

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For more information about Discus Fish Care please visit my site at http://www.discusfish.ws

Hortencia setting up a Marineland canister filter, connecting the intake and outlet to the hose, just shove it in there, if you wiggle it just right, it will go in, adding the clamps, taking the lid off the filter, and unpacking the filter material, setting up the filter, ceramic tubes, bioballs, rinse the bags of carbon, positioning the foam sponges

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Discus Fish Breeding – The Next Element Of The Hobby

Discus Fish Breeding – The Next Element Of The Hobby

Discus fish in my opinion are probably the most beautiful fresh water fish one may keep. You will here that clown loaches or cichlids are more fascinating however it’s not the point. With their splendor comes a price Discus can cost in upwards of three hundred dollars a fish. I don’t recommend some one spending over a hundred bucks a fish it would be as crazy as it sounds.. However where I am from in Michigan it is possible to expect to pay approximately 45 dollars for just a juvenile and up to 100 dollars for a full sized adult. Even though these prices are high if you follow several careful tricks you may only have to buy 2  discus for your tank.

Discus Fish Breeding – Setting Up

By now you understand keeping discus is great however it is just the very first part of the hobby. Breeding Discus fish is taking your discus keeping to the next level and also a extremely popular way to save money on your costly fish. Your possibly thinking it’s too tough to breed your fish. In fact it’s considerably easier than it sounds. Breeding discus fish is really popular among discus keepers due to the high price with these fish. In some cases the discus will even mate with no special care giving you a lovely surprise in a handful of weeks.

Discus Fish Breeding – Lets Get it Started In Here

With discus fish breeding there are a few ways to get set up. When you are starting a brand new discus fish aquarium you have 2  techniques. First the easy and simple choice. To take the simple method talk to your vendor and allow them to know you wish to purchase a mating pair. Big time discus keepers prefer this option because it is easy and simple technique to go. it’s also the most costly choice of the two as well.  Some mating pairs can cost between 100 and 300 bucks. The most typical option starts out once you first were to set up your tank. With this option you buy a grouping of at least six baby discus hoping their sexes are diverse. While not 100% certain using this method has not failed me yet.

Discus Fish Breeding – The Mom The Dad

With some time, inside your main tank you’ll start to notice who mating pair will be. What I mean by this is you will note two fish pair off and they will start defending their territory against all of their other tank mates. Watch this behavior a couple days if it keeps up they are going to be mom and dad. Now its time to begin the next step. You must move the new found breeding pair into a breeding tank. A tank which is independent from you main tank is considered a mating tank.. To keep the fish less stressed when breeding I advise nothing smaller than a 20 gallon tank

Discus Fish Breeding – The Breeding Tank

When you set up your “Discus fish breeding tank” use the water from the original tank to keep them worry-free during the exchange. You would like to keep the bottom clear, no rocks no gravel. There is reason in doing this step. You want to make it as easy as possible to get rid of leftover food and debris. a vertical surface for the discus to spawn their eggs on is the one foam of decor that is required. “Aquarium Discus Fish” lay their eggs like angle fish do. Both discus and angle fish will lay their eggs on a vertical surface. A vertical surface could be either a plant or an upside down ceramic pot. If your fish seem to be stressed or are attempting to hide, it is a good technique to put in a plant or two giving them shelter making them feel unstressed. This is absolutely not necessary by any means. Filtration is another important factor. I use a sponge filer for the biological load plus I prefer to use small power filter as well and put a small bag of peat moss in the back to maintain the pH level in check.

A SMALL BUT VERY IMPORTANT DISCUS FISH BREEDING HINT

Keep in mind the Discus fish breeding tank is usually much smaller than your original tank Due to the reality the breeding tank is smaller you will have to watch it very closely for ammonia spikes and water temperature. Check the water each day and clean the waste out of it every day. This is essential for the Discus fish breeding process. The main tip to recollect is, discus love clean water and if its dirty they are going to be stressed and will not breed.

About The Author:

Steve Jones is an expert fish keeper and owns an aquarium shop in upper Michigan. Discover more advanced Discus fish breeding secrets at http://www.aquariumdiscusfish.info

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Discus Fish Breeding – Simple Steps To Save Money

Discus Fish Breeding – Simple Steps To Save Money

Discus Fish Breeding

In my opinion probably the most beautiful fish you are able to keep is the Discus fish. Now I know many people might say some type of saltwater fish, however it is not the point. In a number of situations costing in the hundreds of dollars range id say their elegance has a price. Yeah I understand it sounds crazy and I would in no way pay or propose someone pay this type of price for any discus. However where I’m from in Michigan you may expect to pay around 45 bucks for a juvenile and as much as a hundred dollars for a full sized adult.

How would it sound if you simply had to buy a few fish and that’s it? With the following tips you have a fantastic chance to achieve this very secret

Discus Fish Breeding – Setting Up

Caring for discus is the first fun part of the hobby. Discus fish breeding is taking your discus keeping to a higher level and a popular technique to save money on your expensive fish. You’re possibly thinking it’s too difficult to breed your fish. In fact it’s much easier than it sounds. Due to the lofty cost of the fish breeding discus fish is becoming particularly popular among hobbyist during these current times. In a number of cases the discus will even breed without any special care providing you with a nice surprise in several weeks.

Discus Fish Breeding – Let’s get it Started in Here

With discus fish breeding there are some ways for getting set up. When you’re starting a new discus fish aquarium you will have two methods. First the easy and simple choice. To consider the easy method talk to your vendor and let them know you wish to purchase a mating couple. Big time discus keepers like this option because it is a easy and simple way to go. Additionally it is the most costly choice of the two as well.  Mating pairs can cost between 200 or 300 bucks a couple.

The next option is to purchase a group of around six juvenile fish. When using this system it isn’t one hundred percent certain however it usually is successful in most cases. I have used this method a lot and it has not let me down yet.

Discus Fish Breeding- Finding the Parents

With some time, in your main tank you will start to notice who the mating pair will be. How you ask. You will notice two fish begin to defend what they consider their territory from all the other fish. Watch this behavior for a couple of days. When it keeps up they will be mom and dad.

Now it’s time to move them both into the breeding tank. A tank that is separate from you main tank is considered a mating tank. To keep the fish less stressed when breeding I advise nothing less than a 20 gallon tank

Discus fish breeding – Establishing the Breeding Tank

Use this easy tip before you move mom and dad to the “Discus fish breeding tank” to keep them less stressed. Fill the breeding tank with water from the main tank therefore the ph factors will remain stable. The breeding tank shall have a clear bottom. Please do not put in any rocks or gravel substrate. There is reason in doing this step. You need to make it as easy as possible to get rid of leftover food and debris. The only decor you want in the tank is a vertical spawning surface. “Angel fish and discus fish lay their eggs in the same manor. Both discus and angel fish will lay their eggs on a vertical surface. There are many types of vertical surfaces you may use. In my case I use an upside down ceramic pot or some type of plant like a Java fern. When you so desire you can still put a potted plant inside the tank to give the fish some shelter. All though this isn’t necessary, remember this tip if your fish feel stressed.

An important tip with filtration. I prefer to use a tiny power filter in addition to a sponge filter. I use the power filter with a bag of peat moss, this method keeps the ph level in check.

SMALL IMPORTANT BREEDING TANK SECRET

It is essential you remember your breeding tank is normally much smaller than your main fish tank. Due to the fact the breeding tank is smaller you will have to watch it very closely for ammonia spikes and water temperature. Check the water every day and clean the waste from it every day. This is very important with the Discus fish breeding process. Discus like clean water and won’t breed without it.

About The Author

Steve Jones is an expert fish keeper and owns an aquarium shop in upper Michigan. Discover more advanced Discus fish breeding secrets at http://www.aquariumdiscusfish.info

Introducing a betta spawning pair. Music: “Masque of Togaebi” David Lanz Filmed on a Cannon Vixia HV30 HD Camcorder Edited on iMove ’08
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Insider’s Secrets to Setting Up a Discus Fish Aquarium

Insider’s Secrets to Setting Up a Discus Fish Aquarium

Discus aquarium fish need to be chosen with care as the wrong breeder or fish can cause you lots of problems and frustrations. At times, though the temperature of the water maybe right and lighting and water chemistry may be correct, you are unable to follow the natural tendency of the fish you plan to keep. In order to maintain a thriving discus fish aquarium you need to understand and observe your fish, their behavior, their build etc.

As a discus fish aquarium is a closed ecosystem, small problems spread quickly affecting the whole aquarium and you have to be ready to react fast when such problems arise. Keep a check on the discus fish aquarium on a daily basis and in case there is any problem, fix it immediately. You should not take the diet of the discus fish lightly. Foods containing parasites must be avoided at all costs, as it would make the fish sick, thus most fish owners prefer feeding fish other food than the live ones.

You can start by rinsing everything that will go into the tank including the tank, gravel, decorations and plants. Add the gravel to the tank and fill the tank half full with water. Place the filter, decorations, plants and heater in the tank followed by filling up the water after removing the chlorine from it. Start the filter and adjust the temperature to 80 degree F and slowly add in your fish.

To provide shelter for the breeding pair you can add some potted plants kept in bare tanks but benefit from plants and bog wood, as they help in keeping the discus feeling safe knowing they have some place to hide. You could also use some sponge filter for the filtration system in order to handle the biological load. To pick up any kind waste in the water you can use an outside power filter.

So, take out some time to gain insight and knowledge about how to care and look after a discus fish aquarium. Learn how to treat discus well, provide proper and timely diet, maintain correct water temperature and water chemistry, take care of any diseases coming up, and at the end of the day you will be rewarded with a discus fish aquarium with some of the finest fish to boast about!

Discus fish are a beautiful and colorful fish to have in your aquarium, however they are delicate and need proper care. If you would like to know the secrets to breeding discus fish or how to care for discus fish the right way and have healthy and happy fish for a long time then visit my blog.


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Aquarium Discus Fish- Discover How To Get Free Discus

Aquarium Discus Fish- Discover How To Get Free Discus

Beautiful but Temperamental

Aquarium discus fish in my opinion are the most beautiful fresh water fish you can keep. Now I know some people might say cichlids or clown loaches however it’s not the point. With their beauty comes a price Discus can cost in upwards of 300 dollars a fish. Yeah I know it sounds crazy and I would never pay or recommend someone pay such a price for a fish. However where I’m from in Michigan you can expect to pay around 45 bucks for a juvenile and up to 100 bucks for a full sized adult. Even though these price are high when you follow some careful tips you may only have to buy two fish for your tank.

Breed and save.

Keeping discus is only the first fun part of the hobby. Breeding is taking your fish keeping to the next level and a very popular method to save money on your expensive fish. Keep in mind this is not as easy as it sounds; it is not as difficult as it sounds either. Breeding discus is very popular among discus keepers because of the high cost of the fish. In some cases the fish will even bred without any special care giving you a nice surprise in a few weeks.

Breeding Tips

There are a couple of ways to get started breeding your discus. When you are setting up a new aquarium discus fish tank you have two options. The easiest option would be to buy a mating pair for your fish dealer. This is the fast track way to start breeding your fish however it is the most expensive one. Some mating pairs can cost between 100 and 300 dollars. The next option is to purchase a group of at least six juvenile fish. When using this method it isn’t one hundred percent guaranteed however it usually does work in most cases.

Determining Mom and Dad

In a little bit of time you start to notice mom and dad. What I mean by this is you will see two fish pair off and they will start defending their territory against all of their other tank mates. When you notice this behavior you have found mom and dad. Now it’s time to move them both into the breeding tank. A breeding tank is a tank separate from the main tank you put your fish in. I recommend at least a 20 gallon tank for breeding discus.

Setting up the breeding Tank

When you set up your breeding tank use the water from the original tank to keep them unstressed during the exchange. You want to keep the bottom clear, no rocks no gravel. The reason for this is to make it easier to keep the water clean by removing any leftover food and waste. The only decor you want in the tank is a vertical spawning surface. “Aquarium Discus Fish” lay their eggs like angle fish do. They like to spawn there eggs on a vertical surface. A vertical surface would be either a plant or an upside down ceramic pot. if you so desire you can put a potted plant to give the fish some shelter but it is not necessary by any means. Filtration is another important factor. Use a sponge filer for the biological load. I like to use small power filter as well and put a little bag of peat moss in the back to keep the pH level in check.

IMPORTANT BREEDING TANK TIP

Keep in mind the breeding tank is a usually a lot smaller than your original tank. You have to watch this tank for ammonia spikes and water temp. Check the water every day and clean the waste out of it every day. This is very important in the breeding process. Discus like clean water and will not breed without it..

Steve Jones is an avid fish keeper who owns an aquarium shop in upper Michigan. You can also view his Aquarium Discus Fish website for more tips on taking care of your aquarium discus fish. http://www.aquariumdiscusfish.info

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Discus Aquariums – Simple Tips to Build a Home for Your Discus Fish

Discus Aquariums – Simple Tips to Build a Home for Your Discus Fish

Discus aquariums must be set up properly in advance of bringing your discus home. It is foolhardy to think that you will be able to buy the fish, and then setup the tank. In the long term, this is a failing and fish killing scenario. This article will explain what you can do today to prepare your aquarium for discus.

For filtration of discus aquariums, a cultured sponge filter will work well. If don’t want to wait for the filter to culture naturally, consider using one of the bacterial starter cultures. Either choice will work fine, the important thing is that there isn’t a lot of water flow, as calm water mimics the natural discus habitat.

Use a thin layer of fine gravel in the bottom of the tank. Bare bottom tanks also work fine, and are usually better for breeding.
I like to use driftwood, floating plants and clay flowerpots filled with gravel and other suitable plants. Remember that the water temperature in discus aquariums is 80 degrees F or more, so be sure to choose compatible plants. A fluorescent strip light with one warm and one cool white bulb will provide enough light for the plants.

For a quarantine or hospital tank, I do not use gravel or any plants. If this is your first adventure into discus aquariums, the initial tank should essentially be built as a quarantine tank. In this case, the tank should have nothing other than water, filter, heater, and light. The reason for such Spartan accommodations is that you need to be able to observe your discus  closely at first. They may want to hide, but it’s better if you can see them clearly. Remember, you can always add the amenities later, after are sure your new fish are healthy. This quarantine period should last a minimum of 30 days. If you are adding new fish to an established discus aquarium, be sure to keep the new fish in a separate 10 gallon tank while you evaluate their health.

Discus aquariums need some advanced preparation in order to be successful. Most importantly, is ensure proper water quality and habitat. You also need to learn how to properly acclimate new discus to your aquarium. I encourage you to learn more about the specifics of setting up discus aquariums. Topics such as food, water chemistry, and choice of tank mates are all critical to your success. Good Luck!

Do you want to discover the secrets of setting up discus aquariums the easy way? Visit


www.discusfishinfo.com
for more info.

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What You Need For Your Discus Fish

What You Need For Your Discus Fish

You’ve been to every local fish store in your area. You’ve spent hours online looking at Discus galleries. You’ve started thinking of things you can sell to pay for the Discus fish and aquarium set up. You’ve put your couch in the garage to make room for the aquarium. It sounds like you’ve been bitten by the Discus bug. Now, how do you get started?

There are as many opinions on how to properly raise Discus as there are websites devoted to them. You will find debates over planted tank vs. bare bottom, tap water or RO, what to feed them, how often to change the water and how much, it goes on and on. These debates contribute to making Discus keeping fun or a real pain. It really depends on your likes and dislikes. If you enjoy the excitement and challenge of learning something new and are able to successfully translate many different opinions into “what works best for you”, then keeping Discus will be a fun rewarding undertaking which you can enjoy for years to come. With that being said, the following are some guidelines to what I’ve learned over the years and what works best for me in setting up a new Discus aquarium.

Equipment
In choosing the tank, start with a minimum tank size of 50 gallons. Make sure you have a suitable place to set up your aquarium. You will want a very sturdy support for your tank which you will position in a location that doesn’t receive direct sunlight. The filtration system will be made up of two extra large sponge filters run by an air pump along with an external box filter such as an Aqua Clear properly rated for your tank size and containing a pre-filter sponge on the intake tube. You will need a heater with a ratio of 5watts/gallon, meaning a tank size of 50 gallons would require a 250 watt heater. The tank needs to be covered and there are hood options available when you purchase your tank. You will want one with a lighting strip as well as a cover for the tank. In a pinch you can always pick up a piece of Plexiglass from your local hardware store and cut it to fit. In order to keep the tank clean and maintained, you will need a siphon hose, a five gallon bucket and a clean utility sponge.

Preparing for Your Discus’ Arrival
You will want to have your aquarium cycled before adding your Discus. This means that the beneficial bacteria has been established in your filtration. There are many methods of cycling your tank so be sure to do your research and choose the option that fits for you. It is a very important step and is absolutely necessary. Putting your new Discus in a tank that hasn’t been cycled is a death sentence for the fish.

Buying Your Discus Fish
An absolute must is starting with healthy Discus. If you are lucky enough to have a reputable breeder in your area you are ahead of the game. If not, mail order is also an exciting option. There’s a real rush and excitement to having Discus delivered to your front door. Make sure to research any online vendor you may want to order from. There are some great breeders out there with a great selection. On the downside shipping usually runs from – depending on the service. If mail order isn’t an option and you are left with your local fish store you’ll need to take some precautions and do your best to pick out healthy fish. If possible try to find a shop that specializes in higher end tropical fish and avoid chain stores. Find out what the shop’s quarantine and guarantee policies are. Ask them how long the Discus should be quarantined once you get them home. If their answer is “you don’t need to”, this is a major red flag. Ask questions to get a feel for how well they support and care for their product.

So, what does a healthy Discus look like? Here a some things to look for in the Discus you buy:
When you walk by the tank, the fish should be active and come up to greet you. Avoid fish that are dark, hiding or hanging behind uplift tubes. The water in the tank and the tank itself should look clear and clean. If there are dead fish in the tank keep walking. Now, (if you haven’t left the store) look at the fish, they should have a full body that doesn’t look sunken and is free of scrapes, bumps, visible injuries and or parasites. The body shape should have a nice round appearance void of bent, stubbed tails and flat foreheads. Check the skin and make sure it doesn’t have a dull, matte, or slimy look to it. The fins should look healthy and not have a cottony or milky appearance. The fins should be intact with no white specs or splits and not be clamped to the body. The Discus should be using both pectoral fins to move about. Watch for how the fish are breathing. An overly rapid gill rate or if the Discus looks to be gasping is a good sign of gill parasites. The fishes movement should be fluent and have no problem with balance. You don’t want to pick a fish that can’t hold itself level. The eyes of your Discus should have a healthy clean look to them. The eyes are a good indicator of how well it’s been taken care of. You will want a fish with small eyes compared to its body with a centered pupil. Big or bulging eyes are usually a sign of neglect. Ask to see the Discus eat. Be wary if they feed live blood worms or tubiflex worms. Watch to make sure the fish are able to easily get the food into their mouth. Avoid fish that continually miss the food that is right in front of them or don’t seem interested in eating. Most 2″-3″ Discus wont have full body color or pattern at this size.

Installing Your Discus
For the proposed 50 gallon setup you will want to purchase from six to ten, two – three inch juvenile Discus. Young Discus like the security of numbers. Make sure you follow standard acclimation procedures and that your tank is fully cycled as stated above. As your fish grow and mature a pecking order will develop. Eventually the smaller weaker Discus will need to be removed in order to keep a 10 gallon to 1 Discus rule. In order to provide an easy way to keep a clean environment for your new fish, use a bare aquarium. That means no gravel or plants. The bare bottom tank makes it easy to vacuum fish waste and wipe down the glass. If you’d like, you can add a ceramic pot or two to give your Discus an anchor to establish territories but the pots will need to be moved and wiped down with your water changes to ensure they aren’t trapping waste. Once a week you will want to clean your pre filter and every few weeks, your sponge and box filters, being careful to use de-chlorinated water as to not harm the beneficial bacteria. A good tip here is to syphon some tank water into your five gallon bucket and use that for your filter cleaning water.

Discus Water
Clean water is a crucial element in growing out your fish. You will want to match the water conditions as closely as possible to that of the source of your Discus. Daily changes of 50 to 60 percent is recommended and at least on an every other day schedule. You will want to provide new tap water that has been de-chlorinated and matches closely to the tank water in temperature at 84 degrees. Avoid using RO water for young Discus, they need the minerals of harder water to aid in there development. Once they have matured and if you’re interested in breeding them you can dabble with softening their water. If you have purchased Discus from different places you will need to keep them quarantined separately for 4 – 6 weeks. Don’t Cheat!

Feeding Your Discus
Your new Discus should greet you at the front of the tank with a voracious appetite. Happy healthy Discus are always hungry. You will want to break up their feedings over several times during the day adding up to six small feedings. Feed a variety of foods using quality brands of dry and frozen foods. A good tip is to feed dry foods which your fish may not like as much early when they’re hungry from their overnight fast. Feed messy or frozen foods later in the day closer to your water changes.

The Discus hobby is a great one. It has its ups and downs just like anything. If you enjoy not only the beauty of the fish but actually watching their behavior, growth and and interaction, Discus keeping will stick with you. There’s a lot to learn and this is just a small start. Make sure you do a lot of reading and ask lots of questions. Start with healthy Discus, keep their water and tank very clean, feed them well, and you’re sure to succeed!

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Getting Started with Discus

Getting Started with Discus

You’ve been to every local fish store in your area. You’ve spent hours online looking at Discus galleries. You’ve started thinking of things you can sell to pay for the Discus fish and aquarium set up. You’ve put your couch in the garage to make room for the aquarium. It sounds like you’ve been bitten by the Discus bug. Now, how do you get started?


There are as many opinions on how to properly raise Discus as there are websites devoted to them. You will find debates over planted tank vs. bare bottom, tap water or RO, what to feed them, how often to change the water and how much, it goes on and on. These debates contribute to making Discus keeping fun or a real pain. It really depends on your likes and dislikes. If you enjoy the excitement and challenge of learning something new and are able to successfully translate many different opinions into “what works best for you”, then keeping Discus will be a fun rewarding undertaking which you can enjoy for years to come. With that being said, the following are some guidelines to what I’ve learned over the years and what works best for me in setting up a new Discus aquarium.


Equipment

In choosing the tank, start with a minimum tank size of 50 gallons. Make sure you have a suitable place to set up your aquarium. You will want a very sturdy support for your tank which you will position in a location that doesn’t receive direct sunlight. The filtration system will be made up of two extra large sponge filters run by an air pump along with an external box filter such as an Aqua Clear properly rated for your tank size and containing a pre-filter sponge on the intake tube. You will need a heater with a ratio of 5watts/gallon, meaning a tank size of 50 gallons would require a 250 watt heater. The tank needs to be covered and there are hood options available when you purchase your tank. You will want one with a lighting strip as well as a cover for the tank. In a pinch you can always pick up a piece of Plexiglass from your local hardware store and cut it to fit. In order to keep the tank clean and maintained, you will need a siphon hose, a five gallon bucket and a clean utility sponge.


Preparing for Your Discus’ Arrival

You will want to have your aquarium cycled before adding your Discus. This means that the beneficial bacteria has been established in your filtration. There are many methods of cycling your tank so be sure to do your research and choose the option that fits for you. It is a very important step and is absolutely necessary. Putting your new Discus in a tank that hasn’t been cycled is a death sentence for the fish.


Buying Your Discus Fish

An absolute must is starting with healthy Discus. If you are lucky enough to have a reputable breeder in your area you are ahead of the game. If not, mail order is also an exciting option. There’s a real rush and excitement to having Discus delivered to your front door. Make sure to research any online vendor you may want to order from. There are some great breeders out there with a great selection. On the downside shipping usually runs from – depending on the service. If mail order isn’t an option and you are left with your local fish store you’ll need to take some precautions and do your best to pick out healthy fish. If possible try to find a shop that specializes in higher end tropical fish and avoid chain stores. Find out what the shop’s quarantine and guarantee policies are. Ask them how long the Discus should be quarantined once you get them home. If their answer is “you don’t need to”, this is a major red flag. Ask questions to get a feel for how well they support and care for their product.


So, what does a healthy Discus look like? Here a some things to look for in the Discus you buy:

When you walk by the tank, the fish should be active and come up to greet you. Avoid fish that are dark, hiding or hanging behind uplift tubes. The water in the tank and the tank itself should look clear and clean. If there are dead fish in the tank keep walking. Now, (if you haven’t left the store) look at the fish, they should have a full body that doesn’t look sunken and is free of scrapes, bumps, visible injuries and or parasites. The body shape should have a nice round appearance void of bent, stubbed tails and flat foreheads. Check the skin and make sure it doesn’t have a dull, matte, or slimy look to it. The fins should look healthy and not have a cottony or milky appearance. The fins should be intact with no white specs or splits and not be clamped to the body. The Discus should be using both pectoral fins to move about. Watch for how the fish are breathing. An overly rapid gill rate or if the Discus looks to be gasping is a good sign of gill parasites. The fishes movement should be fluent and have no problem with balance. You don’t want to pick a fish that can’t hold itself level. The eyes of your Discus should have a healthy clean look to them. The eyes are a good indicator of how well it’s been taken care of. You will want a fish with small eyes compared to its body with a centered pupil. Big or bulging eyes are usually a sign of neglect. Ask to see the Discus eat. Be wary if they feed live blood worms or tubiflex worms. Watch to make sure the fish are able to easily get the food into their mouth. Avoid fish that continually miss the food that is right in front of them or don’t seem interested in eating. Most 2″-3″ Discus wont have full body color or pattern at this size.


Installing Your Discus

For the proposed 50 gallon setup you will want to purchase from six to ten, two – three inch juvenile Discus. Young Discus like the security of numbers. Make sure you follow standard acclimation procedures and that your tank is fully cycled as stated above. As your fish grow and mature a pecking order will develop. Eventually the smaller weaker Discus will need to be removed in order to keep a 10 gallon to 1 Discus rule. In order to provide an easy way to keep a clean environment for your new fish, use a bare aquarium. That means no gravel or plants. The bare bottom tank makes it easy to vacuum fish waste and wipe down the glass. If you’d like, you can add a ceramic pot or two to give your Discus an anchor to establish territories but the pots will need to be moved and wiped down with your water changes to ensure they aren’t trapping waste. Once a week you will want to clean your pre filter and every few weeks, your sponge and box filters, being careful to use de-chlorinated water as to not harm the beneficial bacteria. A good tip here is to syphon some tank water into your five gallon bucket and use that for your filter cleaning water.


Discus Water

Clean water is a crucial element in growing out your fish. You will want to match the water conditions as closely as possible to that of the source of your Discus. Daily changes of 50 to 60 percent is recommended and at least on an every other day schedule. You will want to provide new tap water that has been de-chlorinated and matches closely to the tank water in temperature at 84 degrees. Avoid using RO water for young Discus, they need the minerals of harder water to aid in there development. Once they have matured and if you’re interested in breeding them you can dabble with softening their water. If you have purchased Discus from different places you will need to keep them quarantined separately for 4 – 6 weeks. Don’t Cheat!


Feeding Your Discus

Your new Discus should greet you at the front of the tank with a voracious appetite. Happy healthy Discus are always hungry. You will want to break up their feedings over several times during the day adding up to six small feedings. Feed a variety of foods using quality brands of dry and frozen foods. A good tip is to feed dry foods which your fish may not like as much early when they’re hungry from their overnight fast. Feed messy or frozen foods later in the day closer to your water changes.


The Discus hobby is a great one. It has its ups and downs just like anything. If you enjoy not only the beauty of the fish but actually watching their behavior, growth and and interaction, Discus keeping will stick with you. There’s a lot to learn and this is just a small start. Make sure you do a lot of reading and ask lots of questions. Start with healthy Discus, keep their water and tank very clean, feed them well, and you’re sure to succeed!

Carl runs the DiscusStudio website which is dedicated to promoting the Discus keeping hobby. Visit his site for Discus Images, Tips, Free Discus Goodies and More!
DiscusStudio

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