Discus fish (King of Freshwater) or Symphysodon discus are known for their distinctive, round, and laterally compressed body shape, which gives them their name and makes them a popular aquarium fish. They feature a variety of bright, patterned colors, including shades of blue, green, red, and brown, which are often patterned with wavy vertical or horizontal lines. These freshwater cichlids, native to the Amazon River basin, can grow to be 12.3 to 15.2 cm (4.8 to 6.0 inches) in length and are notable for their dedicated parental care, where adults secrete a mucus to feed their young.
Physical characteristics
Shape:
A round, disk-like shape that is flattened from the sides.
Size:
Typically grow to be 12.3 to 15.2 cm (4.8 to 6.0 inches) long, though some captive-bred varieties can reach up to 23 cm (9 inches).
Weight:
Adults generally weigh between 150 to 250 grams.
Color:
Come in a wide range of colors, such as blue, green, red, brown, and yellow, with patterns often including wavy lines.
Behavior and care
Parental care:
Known for their unusual parental care, including both parents guarding the young and the adults secreting a special mucus to feed the fry.
Diet:
They are omnivores with a varied diet, eating small crustaceans and insects in the wild, and can be fed a mix of commercial foods such as staple foods & pallets, live, and frozen foods such as GHM, BHM, Frozen Bloodworms, etc. in captivity.
Temperament:
They are considered a peaceful, but sometimes shy, species.
Habitat:
Native to the Amazon River basin, they thrive in warm, clean water that is soft and slightly acidic, with temperatures between 82–86°F (28-30°C).
Aquarium keeping
Water quality:
Require very clean water, making them a challenging fish to keep. They are not recommended for beginner aquarists due to their strict water quality requirements.
Tank setup:
A spacious, planted aquarium with hiding spots is ideal, and they prefer minimal water flow.
Tankmates:
It is best to choose other peaceful fish species that have similar water parameter requirements.
Notes: We deals in only imported discus of reputated breaders of Malaysia & Indonesia such as Marktan, Robert Lim, Dikson Lim, Tropicana Pennung, Louis Goh, Betawi, etc.
