Description of aquarium discus fish
Discus fish photo
Discus fish have been one of the most popular species of ornamental fish in the world for a long period of time. The body of this graceful fish has a rounded disk shape, flattened laterally. Depending on the variety, they reach a size of 15 to 25 cm in length. Discus fish have a small mouth with a steep, rising forehead. The eyes are small and usually bright red. The body has nine dark vertical stripes, and the main body colors range from dark brownish to blue and green shades. The dorsal and anal fins are rounded and have an elongated base; the hind fins are saber-shaped.
Through selective breeding, a large number of discus species with different body shapes, colors and patterns have been developed that are different from their wild-caught relatives. At the same time, they are much more adapted to life in aquariums and are a little easier to care for.
Sex differences
One of the most frequently asked questions among discus breeders is “ how to determine the sex of your fish?”
" There are several signs by which this can be done. In this article I will try to tell you about the methods used by many experienced breeders to determine the sex of discus fish.
In their youth, it is almost impossible to distinguish discus females from males. The first opportunity to begin to determine their gender appears when they begin to divide into pairs. Juvenile discus of both sexes have rounded dorsal fins, and you can only try to distinguish them by their dorsal fin when they grow up. Since there is no way for us to achieve rapid growth and sexual differences, we can only observe.
FEEDING
Every person who loves and keeps aquarium discus fish should know how to care for them, what to feed discus fish, and all the intricacies of this type of fish.
Discus fish need to be fed 2 times a day, and it is necessary that the food does not remain on the surface of the water in the aquarium for a long time: keeping food in the water for a long time increases the level of ammonia, and this is very harmful for the fish. Therefore, it is necessary for the fish to eat all the food within 5-10 minutes. Discus are not very willing to feed from the surface of the aquarium, so it is better if the food is at the bottom of the aquarium.
There are three types of food for discus fish - live food, frozen food and dry food. Live food for discus are bloodworms and tubifex. Many aquarists argue that bloodworms must be present in the discus food, since they contribute to the proper functioning of the fish’s intestines. The fish are fed live food (bloodworms and tubifex, they don’t really like brine shrimp) or specially prepared minced meat; high-quality food with vitamins and additives for color.
History of discus description
Discus fish photo
Discus fish were first discovered in 1840 by the Austrian zoologist and ichthyologist Johann Jakob Heckel in the fresh waters of the Amazon and named after the discoverer Symphysodon discus Heckel.
In 1904, a second species of discus was described - Symphysodon aequifasciatus Pellegrin, also known as green discus.
In the period from 1960 to 1961, as a result of numerous expeditions of scientists, two subspecies of discus S.aequifasciatus were described - Symphysodon aequifasciatus axelrodi Schultz (brown discus) and Symphysodon aequifasciatus haraldi Schultz (blue discus).
Discus fish photo
The next variety of discus had to wait 20 years, so in 1981 a new subspecies Symphysodon discus willischwartzi Burgess was described in honor of the largest exporter of aquarium fish from Brazil - Willy Schwartz.
In the 90s, more and more color variations of brown, blue, and green discus caught in the developed areas of the Amazon appeared.
Today on sale you can find a large number of different selective and hybrid varieties of discus, which are many times brighter in color compared to wild specimens caught in nature.
Price per individual
The cost of 1 individual discus starts from 1,700 rubles. For this price you can purchase the most common subspecies:
- Pigeon classic;
- Turkis red;
- Turkis blue;
- Marlboro Red.
You will have to pay more than 2000 rubles for discus Ocean Gray, Pigeon Blood, Diamond Dust, Cobalt.
You should not purchase individuals that have not yet reached 6-8 cm. The eyes of babies should be proportional to the size of the body. The fish should not have a bright color; this may indicate that dyes are mixed into the food or that they are selling overgrown fish that will no longer stretch to normal size.
The price for one fish starts from 1700 rubles
We recommend purchasing fish from a trusted supplier. If individuals have diseased fins, tails, curled mouths, swollen eyes or damaged scales, it is better to refuse the purchase. This once again proves that the health of the discus fish is poor. Such fish will not even produce offspring.
Discus fish must have a good appetite and agility. Therefore, be sure to feed the fish before purchasing, and it should be a leisurely meal.
Before purchasing, it is recommended to study photos of discus of different subspecies so as not to get lost in the store among the individuals presented.
Recommendations for purchasing discus fish
Discus fish photo
Remember that when buying discus fish, you should not give in to emotions and exciting stories from the seller, but carefully and carefully select healthy individuals.
Do not rush and do not purchase discus from the first seller you come across, but look for a conscientious breeder or seller with a good reputation.
Before purchasing the fish you like, carefully observe them, how their coloring changes, how they interact with other fish, and how active they are.
You should avoid purchasing fish that, when examined, have curled mouths, diseased fins and tails, damaged skin, swollen eyes and insufficient gill covers, all of which are characteristic signs of poor discus health and an inability to reproduce.
It is also a good idea to feed the fish small amounts of food, this way you can evaluate the fish’s agility and appetite. Healthy discus fish eat food slowly.
Discus fish photo
You should definitely ask the seller/breeder about the age of the fish, the conditions of keeping and the food to which discus fish are accustomed.
It is recommended to buy discus fish at the age of 1.5 months; the length of the fish during this period should be about 2.5 cm.
It is worth mentioning the advance preparation of reliable and convenient containers, the water temperature in which should not fall below 27 C, for transporting discus fish.
Compatibility
Discus fish are the most peaceful cichlids. They are not just phlegmatic, but rather melancholic.
They will get along absolutely calmly with any peace-loving fish. But, for the sake of the well-being of the Discus fish themselves, the best option would be to select several of their beautiful and compatible breeds according to their requirements for parameters and form a beautiful multi-colored flock without introducing any other neighbors.
Discus fish are good on their own and do not require any contrast. In addition, they are very timid and stress-resistant, and are susceptible to many diseases. Those infections that other fish easily tolerate become deadly diseases for Discus fish. Therefore, in this case, you should not think about compatibility, and do not add anyone to the tank.
Keeping discus fish in an aquarium
Discus fish content photo
Discus fish are one of the most difficult tropical fish to keep and are not recommended for beginner aquarists. One of the most difficult stages of keeping discus fish is the process of their acclimatization in a new aquarium. And due to their large size, it is worth acquiring a large aquarium in advance so as not to further injure the fish during transplantation.
To keep discus fish, you need a large aquarium with a capacity of at least 50 - 80 liters per individual with good water flow and high-quality filtration. Fish prefer warm, soft, slightly acidic water, which can often be achieved by using a reverse osmosis filter. You can also use peat extracts, such as Tetra Toru mina . And in aquariums with live plants, it is recommended to install a carbon dioxide supply. Particular attention must be paid to the cleanliness of the soil and water. For this reason, aquarists usually use two cleaning filters. Aeration of water is required. Lighting is moderate. At the bottom of the aquarium, small shelters are made of driftwood and stones. Once or twice a week, it is recommended to clean the aquarium and replace at least 20–30% of the water with fresh water.
Discus fish content photo
Some aquarists place discus fish in aquariums with a bare bottom (without substrate) and consider this method of keeping to be the best, although not very beautiful.
The absence of a substrate makes it easy to clean the tank from feces and rotting debris. This is a good way to keep the water quality stable and perfect.
Since discus are a schooling fish, they need to be kept in a group of at least 5 individuals.
Unlike many members of the cichlid family, discus fish are peaceful fish. Suitable neighbors include neons, dwarf cichlids - apistorammas, ancistrus , angelfish .
Discus fish content photo
Discus fish are very shy fish. They feel comfortable in aquariums densely planted with plants: Vallisneria , Tiger nymphea , Anubias , Echinodorus , Ambulia , Schisandra , Thai fern , etc.).
Remember, discus fish are very sensitive to elevated concentrations of nitrogenous compounds: ammonia, nitrites and nitrates . Maintaining the required water parameters is the key to a long life for your fish!
Every conscientious aquarist should always have a set of drop tests on hand, at least for nitrate and phosphate. Fortunately, they have now become inexpensive, there are no problems with their assortment and acquisition. For example, we can with a clear conscience recommend you the cool UHE drop tests, , but they are sold only online. In stores in your city - offline, you can find inexpensive Vladox tests . Friends, watch out for nitrogen compounds, keep them in check and everything will be fine for you and your pets.
Features of aquarium maintenance and care
Since in nature Discus is born and lives in almost sterile and very soft water, in the Amazon and a small number of other South American rivers, it is very sensitive to environmental parameters. Beginners should not keep this fish; when they gain experience, they can start equipping an aquarium for this phenomenally beautiful, but capricious fish.
The most important requirement for a tank with Discus fish is constant water parameters, large capacity and its flow:
- aquarium volume - from 250 liters for 2-3 fish;
- temperature +27…+32 °С;
- acidity from 4.8 to 7.2 pH;
- hardness 1-8 dH, water should be very soft;
- substrate - fine sand, marble chips or complete absence of soil;
- type of lighting - dim or moderate;
- the presence of salt in water is unacceptable;
- The filter stream is very weak.
It should be taken into account that Discus fish are schooling fish and do not like being alone. This means that for a flock of 5-6-7 fish you will need an aquarium of at least 500 liters, and maintaining such a volume is not so easy. In addition, the flow rate, while the parameters remain unchanged, should be very high.
Experienced aquarists install 1000 liter tanks for Discus fish and connect it to an automatic draining, filling and heating system. The fish is tall in diameter, this should also be taken into account when choosing an aquarium. The flock will look beautiful only in deep water; low walls are not suitable.
The water is very warm, so food debris and excrement (despite the fact that Discus fish are incredibly clean and there is very little waste from them) quickly decompose, forming nitrates. Therefore, it is necessary to siphon the soil daily. Professionals prefer not to use it at all in such aquariums.
The filter must be very powerful and remote. A high-quality aeration system is also required. In addition, you will need a cover with fluorescent lamps. There should be several of them with the possibility of partial and complete shutdown.
For decoration and design, aqua wallpaper is most often used for the background and bottom. Their color scheme depends on the species of Discus in the artificial pond. For example, Red and White breeds look great against dark.
Snags and grottoes can be installed, but they must be proportionate for large Discus fish. Unpretentious, non-bushy algae can be fixed in the tank, but Discus does not need them. Many pros prefer to place this fish in a completely empty artificial pond. This makes it easier to keep the water parameters clean and unchanged, and the pets themselves in this case are its only and best decorations.
Thus, keeping Discus is not only troublesome, but also very expensive. A large tank costs a decent amount, in addition, you should install it on a special, also expensive cabinet. Drain and fill systems, heating, lighting, aeration, and filtration are also very expensive purchases. According to rough estimates, equipping a 1000 liter aquarium will cost from 300 to 700 thousand rubles, depending on the quality of the equipment chosen. But keeping such a fish is considered very prestigious. Many people believe that Discus trees in the home or office are symbols and guardians of wealth and prosperity.
We must not forget that Discus fish are very easily susceptible to stress due to noise, moving, or disturbances in water parameters. Therefore, you should choose a place for the aquarium so that the fish can feel calm there.
Types and breeds of discus
Discus fish species photo
Today it is very difficult to understand the huge number of discus breeds due to selection, because... specimens similar in color have different names.
There are currently three known species that live in nature: green discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus), Heckel discus or red discus (Symphysodon discus). The third species, described by Heiko Blecher , is the brown discus (Symphysodon haraldi).
A selection of all types and breeding forms of discus is presented in the article ALL TYPES OF DISC PHOTOS .
Discus fish species photo
Below we offer some of the most popular discus color variations.
Red discus fish have body colors ranging from fiery orange to blood red. Some varieties of red discus require specialized food to maintain their bright colors. Such breeds have the word “Super” in their name (for example, Super Red).
Alenquer Red Discus
, the most popular is Alenquer Red . Adult males are brown to brick red, females are fiery red, and juveniles are brown with a slight hint of orange. The Alenquer Red discus has a round, flat body. The pectoral and dorsal fins extend all the way to the caudal fin. An adult specimen reaches a size of 20 cm long. In the absence of selection, the fish quickly degenerate and take on a brown color.
Discus photo Red Eddy
An interesting variation was obtained from the red Alenker - Red Eddy , which has an orange color with red and blue spots.
The Red Ruby Discus is a stunningly beautiful fish for any freshwater aquarium. It is the result of careful crossing of several varieties of discus to produce specimens with rich, vibrant color. Juvenile red ruby discus have a golden body color with a hint of red. As the fish matures, the color deepens. The head and body are white to golden in color, with no grooves or spots of any kind on the body. The dorsal and pectoral fins of the red ruby discus have lightly colored grooves that form lines. The fish's tail fin is the same color as its base color.
The red ruby discus has a rounded shape, which is emphasized by the dorsal and pectoral fins. An adult fish reaches a size of 20 cm long. A burst of red-orange color among plants, this beautiful discus species is sure to be an eye-catcher in your freshwater aquarium.
Discus photo Discus Red Melon
Red melon discus ( Discus Red Melon ) , also known as red melon discus, is a discus species bred through selection with a pure red-orange body color, a pale orange or gray head and scarlet eyes. The dorsal and pectoral fins have shades of the colors of the head and body. An adult specimen reaches a size of 20 cm. It was first introduced in 1991 in Thailand.
Cobalt discus have a blue-violet color with shiny stripes and sparkles along the entire body and on the fins. Obtained by crossing Heckel Discus and Blue Discus.
photo Royal Blue Discus
the cobalt discus is the Royal Blue Discus . Depending on the hue and saturation, the following varieties can be distinguished: Solid Cobalt, Metallic Cobalt, Turquoise Cobalt, Cobalt Blue.
Turquoise discus have a bluish-green body color. the Russian market back in the 70s is the Snake Skin Turquoise discus .
It is worth noting that the snakeskin discus was obtained by accident by crossing wild-caught blue and brown discus. The fish are distinguished by the presence of a fine pattern of scales, which is very similar to snake skin. Therefore, all discus fish with 14 or 16 transverse stripes have the prefix Snake Skin in their name.
photo PigeonBloodDiscus Discus blue blood
Blue blood discus have a body color ranging from yellow to reddish, and the main color is tangerine yellow, because the lack of melanin led to the loss of blue and green pigments. Winding blue and red stripes extend along the entire body. The ventral, pectoral and anal fins are black. The iris of the eyes is bright red. A distinctive feature of discus is blue blood - all the melanin is expressed in the form of a black coating on the periphery of the body and on the front of the fish’s head. The most popular representative is the Pigeon Blood discus, for which there are red, super red, pearl Pigeon Blood, gold Pigeon Blood and orange Pigeon Blood forms.
It is worth noting that the blue blood discus was obtained in Thailand by crossing the red turkis and turquoise discus. The result is a snow-white fish with red wavy stripes running longitudinally along the entire body. The fins are decorated with stripes - red and white.
Golden discus have a golden body color. Particularly beautiful is the unusually bright, without dark pigment, Super Gold discus.
This variation was obtained in Malaysia as a result of selection. The genetic work consisted of numerous backcrosses and inbreeding, which often resulted in individuals that were light brown in color and did not allow the gold color to be established. The first specimens of golden discus had a light, yellowish, and in some places almost transparent body with red eyes and the absence of pronounced stress stripes. The difficulty of obtaining and the East's love of all things gold have made this variety of discus very expensive. Subsequently, to enhance the golden yellow color, a golden discus was crossed with a yellow discus (Pigeon Blood). The yellow genes turned out to be stronger and the offspring were more like Pigeon Blood than golden discus.
photo SnowWhiteDiscus White discus
White discus are obtained as a result of selection. The main body color is completely white, although the fins may be slightly green and red. The eyes are almost colorless. Due to these factors, this variety of discus is most often used to form new species.
Description and habitat
Discus fish are fish of the genus Symphysodon. Their homeland is the Amazon River basin.
The body of the fish is large, almost round in shape and strongly flattened on the sides; they rather resemble a flat pancake.
The colors of freshwater Discus fish are varied, but there are always nine transverse stripes on their body, visible to a lesser or greater extent. Its length is about 15-20 cm.
Sexual differences in Discus fish are not at all pronounced; even a professional cannot always determine whether it is a male or a female.
It should be explained why in nature this fish lives only in the Amazon and in some other isolated South American rivers. After the rainy season (December-May), the crystal clear water of the Amazon turns muddy and clayey, spilling over many kilometers and flooding nearby forests. In June-July, the water settles and becomes transparent again, and multiple small reservoirs with clean but dark liquid are formed; it is characterized by high softness, lack of electrical conductivity, relatively high acidity and sterility. The bottom of these puddles and streams is covered with rotting leaves, and the roots of coastal trees and shrubs also grow there. They will serve as the substrate for Discus spawning.
“Black” water in individual reservoirs has its own unique parameters, which sometimes vary slightly, sometimes greatly. Therefore, different Discus fish are born with colors and properties characteristic of this isolated group. These local populations include schools of hundreds of fish. They feed on insects, shrimp, and small mollusks.
Piranhas, stingrays, some species of cichlids, tetras, and knifefish can live in these same reservoirs along with Discus fish. But their only dangerous predator is electric eels.
Feeding and diet of discus fish
Food for discus Tetra
Discus fish are predatory fish and in their natural habitat feed mainly on small fish, fry and larvae, various aquatic insects and invertebrates.
There are no difficulties with feeding discus fish in aquariums. Healthy fish are not picky and readily eat food offered to them. Discus fish should be fed in small portions 2-3 times a day.
To maintain the rich coloration of discus fish, food must be varied. You need to be especially careful when handling live worms, because... they can be carriers of various infections.
Vitamins play an important role in the full development of discus fish: vitamin A - responsible for the processes of regeneration and growth; vitamins B2, B6, B12 - are responsible for the development of color and vitality, also help in the breakdown of carbohydrates and converting them into energy; vitamin C - responsible for maintaining growth and healthy bone tissue (deficiency leads to pathological development of the gills). We recommend using specialized food for discus fish, which takes into account all their gastronomic preferences and, in fact, is the key to their health. For example, such as Tetra Discus.
Feeding Discus
It should be noted that when purchasing any dry food, you should pay attention to the date of its manufacture and shelf life, try not to buy food in bulk, and also store the food in a closed state - this will help to avoid the development of pathogenic flora in it.
Tips for choosing discus fish
You should buy fish only in trusted stores, and if possible, then at a hatchery, where they can tell you exactly the date of birth of the fry and show you its parents. Observe the discus fish for several days before making a purchase. Pay attention to their appearance. The hydrobionts you are observing should not turn pale or lose weight. Ask the seller or breeder to feed the fish. If they eat with pleasure, then they are healthy, but if there is no appetite or the fish do not take food well, then you should not buy them.
It is recommended to take discus fish in one place and preferably juveniles that have reached 6-8 cm. If you decide to buy fry, keep in mind that they need to be fed 5-6 times a day and after each feeding, collect the remaining food from the bottom and change the water, which takes a lot of time . The body of the fish you like should resemble a circle and be slightly elongated in height; the back should not be thin. It will be good if the fish have developed fins. Pay attention to the eyes. Young animals with bright red irises will be brighter than their counterparts when they grow up. If a young discus fish has a bright body color, then it was given dyes along with food, or it is an adult, drawn-out fish that will not grow anymore.
The eyes of healthy fish do not have a veil, they are clean and clear, the gill covers are without deformation and do not protrude, and the fins are straightened. If you lightly knock on the glass of the aquarium, the fish will be scared at first, and when you knock again, they will swim to see if they are being given food.
Be sure to ask the seller about the parameters of the water (pH and kN) in which the fish were kept. The higher the difference between the indicators, the longer the transfer to your aquarium should take. If there is a strong difference in parameters, the discus fish are transferred to new water using the drip method. This is a long and labor-intensive process. When the parameters are equal, they are transplanted from the bag into the aquarium. Often after transplantation, the fish lies on the bottom, and sometimes it begins to swim as if it had something wrong with its swim bladder. In this case, there is no need to worry. Give your pets a day and they will get used to it. Feed them the next day with the same food as in the store. If you refuse to eat, add anti-stress vitamin preparations to the aquarium.
Breeding and propagation of discus fish
Discus breeding
Determining the sex of discus fish is very problematic. Males are larger and brighter than females, the fins of males are more pointed, and males also have thicker lips. It is best to purchase a group of discus and wait for a pair to form.
To achieve success in breeding discus fish, it is necessary to strictly observe the conditions of detention and diet. As the fish grow older, they split into pairs. The formed pair of disux is transplanted into a specialized, pre-prepared spawning aquarium.
Discus caviar photo
The female is capable of laying eggs on broad-leaved plants (Anubias, Echinodorus), cleaned substrate, driftwood, and cone-shaped decorations. If you want to actively breed discus fish or want more convenience for your pets, then you can purchase special cones for their spawning. Like these ones.
Discus fish like to spawn on these cones, and most importantly, it is convenient to carry out manipulations with such cones, for example, transferring a clutch of eggs for subsequent incubation without breeders in another aquarium. If you buy similar decorations in the store, it is better to take cones made of black clay, for example, such as in the photo above. These are decoration cones from Gloxy. They are rough and somehow look better in an aquarium than their brick-red counterparts.
A female discus can lay 200 to 400 eggs, after which the male fertilizes them. Water for breeding should be slightly acidic, soft and warm. The parents guard the eggs, which hatch in about 2 days.
Discus fry photo
Discus fry
For the first 1–2 weeks after hatching, the fry feed on skin secretions secreted by their parents. At this stage, the first conflicts between new parents may occur in cases where little or no mucus is secreted on the body of one of the parents. The consequence is the destruction of offspring. In order to prevent the death of fry, there are many ways to protect them. For example, a mesh with cells stretched out in an aquarium between the parents, allowing the fry to swim freely from one parent to the other. Mature discus fry are fed with artemia and nauplii with a gradual transition to regular fortified discus food.
It is worth noting that it is very important to maintain cleanliness in the aquarium with discus fry. Timely removal of leftover food is the key to the healthy development of fish, which need to be fed constantly throughout the daylight hours, in small portions.
Breeding Features
After an aquarist has learned how to keep Discus fish, sooner or later he will want to start breeding these amazing fish.
This is still considered the highest achievement in amateur aquarium keeping. And the first problem here is the selection of a compatible and simply good pair. In a small aquarium, a couple reaches puberty by 18 months; the larger the tank, the later the Discus matures. You need to choose the brightest, most beautiful and healthy individuals for mating.
More often, a pair forms independently in a flock of 5-8 individuals. The two fish begin to constantly swim together, often touching their fins.
If you have to select individuals by sex from juveniles, you can monitor their behavior. The young male usually starts chasing the females around the aquarium.
It is difficult to distinguish males from females, but males are usually slightly larger, brighter, with a steeper forehead and pointed anal fins. The main difficulties in this case, provided that the male-female ligament is formed, are as follows:
- individuals do not begin preparing the substrate for spawning;
- one of the individuals is overly aggressive or passive;
- the couple stops caring for the clutch;
- the parents eat the clutch.
You can stimulate the pair by selecting the water parameters (that is, raise the temperature to +30...+32 °C and reduce the hardness), but to preserve the clutch you will have to isolate the parents or try to add another pair to the spawning tank.
For spawning, you can use a small tank of 100-150 liters; it does not require soil or aquatic plants. And as a substrate you need to install special ceramic cones, clay tubes or use new flower pots. The couple may choose another place, for example, heating tubes or the filter wall, and in the future they will show enviable constancy in their choice. The water in the spawning tank should be updated in the same way as in the main aquarium, daily. The lighting is constant and very weak. And most importantly - absolute silence.
When breeding Discus fish, it is necessary to remember that the behavior of each pair is individual and there is simply no single pattern of actions.
Usually the courtship period does not last long, and spawning itself most often occurs in the evening or at night. First, parents clean the substrate and prepare it for laying.
The female then lays eggs; within 30 minutes she can lay up to 300 eggs. The male fertilizes them immediately and begins to carefully monitor the clutch, regularly fanning it with his fins. The mother very rarely takes the place of the father, and even less often do both look after each other.
At a temperature of +30...+32 °C, the fry begin to hatch within four days. After the first two days, the eggs darken, and after another two days the larvae begin to hatch. Parents carefully monitor the clutch, returning those that fall out to the substrate. When all the babies have hatched, the couple moves them to another location. This procedure usually takes several days.
The next important point is the attachment of the fry to the bodies of the parents. It is impossible to help them now. You should simply leave the spawning tank alone with very low light and do not change the water.
The readiness of parents to feed their children with their skin secretions is manifested in the fact that their bodies darken, and their heads, on the contrary, become unnaturally light.
If the fry rush around the spawning ground and do not attach to the parental bodies, then they are all doomed to death.
When feeding babies, parents themselves eat very little. They should be fed small portions of clean (but treated for bacteria) tubifex. No other live food should be given, as it irritates the Discus at this point. They will simply kill the bloodworms, but will not eat them, and the water will become polluted.
A healthy Discus with good parenting qualities can feed babies for up to two weeks. But, if the couple is weak, unfriendly, then feeding from cyclops nauplii, ciliates and rotifers should be organized on the fifth or sixth day. After another two days, you can add artemia.
The young animals are fed fractionally, up to five to six times a day in small portions.
Typically, within the first two to three weeks, small Discus fish grow up to 2 cm and acquire their characteristic body shape. They are already quite independent, but at the same time the slightest noise causes fear in them, and they hide behind their parents.
After a month and a half, the male and female stop producing leathery secretions, and the babies reach a size of 3 cm. The parents can now be returned to the common aquarium with the flock.
As soon as the babies begin to receive complementary foods, it is necessary to resume updating the aquatic environment. In addition to cleaning and ensuring flow, this improves the health and appetite of the young and accelerates growth. During the first year of life, children grow to 10-13 cm, and by the end of the first or second year they also become sexually mature.
If for some reason a couple does not feed their offspring, you can try to solve this problem in two ways:
- Try adding another pair of fish to the fry - perhaps their parental instinct will awaken.
- Try to choose artificial food for feeding.
But losses are inevitable. In addition, such juveniles will definitely not grow into good parents; they simply will not be capable of producing a leathery secretion.
Common Discus Diseases
Common Discus Diseases
All fish are prone to diseases. A well-maintained aquarium will never become a center of disease.
Main symptoms: rapid breathing, loss of balance, swollen abdomen or swollen eyes, fin rot, leeches on the discus body, skin ulcers due to bacterial infection, infectious parasites, white thread-like feces, cloudy eyes.
Main diseases: diseases of external organs (gill and skin fluke worms (monogenea)), disease of internal organs (intestinal disease) and bacterial infection (bacterial or Asian), dropsy, all kinds of fungal infections.
Most of these diseases can be avoided by changing the water regularly and keeping the tank clean.
Keep in mind that anything introduced into a discus tank can potentially carry bacteria or parasites! Even plastic decorations and various inanimate (plastic, clay, etc.) materials can threaten your fish. Therefore, be sure to quarantine new settlers and thoroughly clean all new decorations and filter elements before introducing them into the aquarium.
Diseases and prevention
Under good conditions and proper care, Discus fish can live in an artificial reservoir for up to 10 years. But we must remember that they are susceptible to many diseases. Here are just a few that occur more often than others.
Hexamitosis disease
The causative agent of the disease is the intestinal flagellates Hexamita and Spironucleus.
The pathology manifests itself in loss of appetite, complete refusal of food, darkening of the body, solitude, and discoloration of excrement.
For treatment, use a gradual increase in the temperature in the tank to +33...+35 ° C, adding Metronidazole (250 mg of the substance per 35 liters according to the scheme for two weeks) and Ciprofloxacin (by two single treatments, one per week at the rate of 500 mg) to the water substances per 50 l).
To prevent infection with flagellated parasites, Discus fish should be protected from stressful situations and fed medicinal food with the addition of Metronidazole (500 mg of the substance per 0.5 kg of minced meat) once a month.
Damage by fluke worms
Discus fish become overly fearful and restless, breathing heavily. The gills take on an unnatural appearance - they protrude greatly or, on the contrary, stick to the head.
If flukes have affected the skin of the fish, then the pets also show anxiety and swim strangely, unsteadily and swaying. Affected dull areas and ulcers appear on the body. Loss of appetite and exhaustion occur.
In order to help the fish, they take baths with formaldehyde or a special medicinal product sold in an aqua salon for a week. Ampullaria snails, which are active eaters of these worms and their eggs, can also help.
Dropsy and intestinal obstruction
These are different pathologies, but their external signs - severe abdominal distension and lethargy - are so similar that they are difficult to distinguish. But with dropsy, Discus often refuses to eat, and in case of gastrointestinal obstruction, it often eats until its intestines burst.
The cause of both diseases is a violation of maintenance parameters and poor quality food.
Fish affected by this disease are unlikely to be saved, but it is possible to prevent the death of other inhabitants by restoring optimal conditions and establishing high-quality nutrition.
Interesting facts about discus fish
Discus Unicorn
— In the photo above there is a genetic spontaneous mutation in discus “Unicorn” - the causes of which have not yet been established.
— Discus fish gradually took their place in traditional competitions held at major international forums, thus displacing goldfish, colored koi carp, guppies and other aquarium inhabitants.
— Discus fish feed their fry with a special skin secretion. Therefore, during the first days of life, the fry swim near their parents.
— Discus fish form pairs at a young age, spawn and care for their offspring together.
— Deliveries of discus fish to Europe began in 1932.
Feeding
They mainly eat animal food, which can be either frozen or live. For example: tubifex, bloodworm, brine shrimp, coretra, gammarus.
But, fans feed them either branded food for discus fish, or a variety of minced meat, which includes: beef heart, shrimp and mussel meat, fish fillet, nettle, vitamins, and various vegetables.
Almost every fan has his own proven recipe, sometimes consisting of dozens of ingredients.
It is important to remember that these creatures are quite shy and inhibited, and while other fish are eating, they can huddle somewhere in the corner of the aquarium. For this reason, they are most often kept separately from other fish.
We also note that the remains of protein-rich food falling to the bottom cause an increase in the content of ammonia and nitrates in the water, which has a detrimental effect on the fish. To avoid this, you need to either regularly siphon the bottom, or not use soil, which is what amateurs often do.
Live food, especially bloodworms and tubifex, can cause various diseases and food poisoning, which is why they are most often fed either minced meat or artificial food.
Behavior and neighbors
Although discus are a peaceful and even melancholy cichlid species, it is best kept in a separate aquarium as this species is more heat-loving than most freshwater aquarium fish. Discus fish are also quite slow, so they can be left without food if there are more agile neighbors. In addition, other fish can be hidden carriers of diseases: the fish themselves do not care about these diseases, and discus fish, due to many years of selection, have very weak immunity, they get sick easily and many diseases are fatal for them. If, nevertheless, the desire to add neighbors to the discus fish is great, then it is possible to keep them together with neons, tetras, catfish, dwarf cichlids, for example, apistograms.
Reviews
People who have purchased discus fish for their aquarium are fascinated by their beauty, elegance, and royalty. But in contrast to beauty there are rather difficult conditions of detention, in the absence of knowledge about which caring for discus fish becomes an impossible task.
Possible content difficulties
An incredible combination of enchanting shades and elegant shape are the main advantages of these aquarium inhabitants. But owners should know that discus fish often get sick and require special conditions and careful care. It is necessary to maintain stable parameters of the aquatic environment, provide these pets with a spacious tank, high-quality filters, and feed them well.
Therefore, such pets are not very suitable for beginners; even experienced aquarists often encounter difficulties. For example, a regular move can cause stress and subsequent illnesses in fish. In addition, these fish are by no means cheap, and the more original they are, the higher their price.
