FAQ - OzDiscus

General FAQs

Why shop at OZ Discus?

OZ Discus is Australia’s number one dedicated Discus fish importer and store located in Sydney, Australia.

We only sell the highest quality Discus that we have sourced from world renowned breeders. We possess a dedicated quarantining facility and have experienced staff that are able to identify illnesses and treat our fish.

We uphold social and corporate responsibilities in meeting RSPCA and AIAA certification and practices.

Thanks for choosing OZ Discus in your fish keeping journey.

Use our Live Fish Explorer to discover the new releases, what’s coming soon, and the most popular fish in store.

Do you negotiate on price?

At OZ Discus, we strive to bring you select strains of quality imported Discus from world renowned farms and we are proud to stand behind the fish they supply to us. This means that we do not negotiate on the price that we sell the Discus to you.

We do have regular specials and sales on our Discus. View our specials now.

To keep up to date with the latest offers, apply for an OZ Discus membership, join our Facebook Group, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Discus FAQs

Do you medicate your Discus?

Usually, when the Discus are in our holding facility, they are treated with a de-worming product. We usually use praziquantel and Levamisole. These products are used to treat worms and gill flukes.

Once this has been completed, we add metro to the food that our Discus eat. All these procedures are conducted as preventative rather than treatment.

Watch our Behind The Scenes video of a new Discus shipment.

I’m starting a new tank, what do I need to check for?

Starting a new tank is an exciting time for any hobby keeper. Quite often, people forget that you are creating a sustainable environment for your fish. Therefore, the water, bacteria needs to be just right. You must cycle your tank (can take up to 2-3 months). There are options to cycling tank, such as fishless cycle or with fish. The aim is to allow good bacteria in your filtration to tackle ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite must fall within safe levels. Once you get to the last stage of the cycle, you will have nitrate reading until it falls to sustainable levels.

Always have the testing kits for Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate at hand.

How many Discus is ideal?

This depends on the size of your tank, however, you should aim for at least 5-6 in a colony. This size is recommended and best for Discus fish.

How many fish can I keep in my aquarium?

Rule of thumb is 40L per adult Discus. If you have 400L tank, then you can aim for 10 adult Discus. If you are getting smaller Discus, then you can have more to that ratio however, be very prepared to upgrade your tank when they outgrow.

Read our guide: What you should know before owning Discus.

What medication should I have in my cabinet?

This is purely our recommendation and what we have tried that works.
– Blue Planet Gill and Tapeworms – Gill flukes and Tapeworm
– Potassium Permanganate – Gill flukes
– Levamisole – Round Worms
– Metronidazole (require prescription) – HEX or HITH (Hole in the head)
– Multi-Cure – a bath for your new Discus before entering into your tank
– API Melafix – When introducing new Discus
– Blue Planet Aquacycline – Require Guidance. Contact OZ Discus
– Epsom Salt – Bloat
– Blue Planet Tri-Sulfa – Finrot and cloudy eyes
– Blue Planet Paracide – Lice and external parasite

You can find some of these medications here.

Watch our video to learn more about essential fish medicine.

Shipping & Delivery FAQs

Do you starve your fish prior to shipping?

Yes. We must starve the fish for at least three days prior to shipping. This is to reduce the collection of ammonia inside the bag. Ammonia spikes once you cut the bag open. This is especially important when shipping runs overnight.

Read our full shipping policy.