What you should know before owning Discus

Kelvin takes us through a beginner’s guide to keeping Discus.

Discus are a beautiful fish and can live for up to 10-15 years. So, keeping Discus is a very rewarding hobby.

What size Discus should I start with?

If you are a beginner Discus keeper, start with a fish that is as large as possible. The larger the Discus, the easier they are to care for and keep. They also have better anti-bodies so they can handle flunctuations and changes to water parameters.

Small and young Discus that you find for sale in aquariums are usually around six to eight months old. Young Discus require a lot more care and cleaner water to grow healthily and achieve maximum size. They also require three to six water changes a day! They are very high maintenance, so it’s not recommended to start with a small Discus if you are new and a beginner.

What size tank should I get?

Start with a tank that is as large as you can afford. Remember, you need approximately 40L per adult Discus.

So, if you have a pair of Discus, you’ll need an 80-100L tank. Or, if you have a group of Discus (the ideal size is five to six Discus), you will need a tank that is 200-240L minimum.

Read our article to learn how to set up a Discus tank.

What is the difference between cheap & expensive Discus?

There are many different levels or grades of Discus. Discus quality can range from below average to show fish grade. The price difference represents the difference in quality.

OZ Discus only imports Discus from established breeders such as IP Discus, Jagger Discus, Robert Lim, and Lee Chee Fong. These Discus are hand selected, so you can be assured that the fish you purchase from OZ Discus are of the highest quality.

Read our article to learn how to identify different strains of Discus.

What tankmates can I keep with Discus?

There are two schools of thoughts about tankmates.

Option 1: Discus only

The benefit of keeping a Discus only tank is that it is the easiest of the two options. If you only have Discus in the tank, you can treat the tank as a whole when it comes to medications. You can also keep the water temperature at 30 degrees celsius, which elimates problems such as white spots, increases the Discus’ metabolism, and brings out their colour.

Read our article to learn why it’s important to keep Discus in groups.

Option 2: Tankmates

Most tankmates can’t handle the 30 degree celsius water temperature. So, you’ll need to compromise and set the temperature to 27 or 28 degrees celsius. That means you can introduce tankmates such as Angel Fish, Corydoras, Plecos, Raphael Catfish, Black Ghost Knifefish, and Congo Tetras. This temperature is also great for plantlife.

Check out our article about the best tankmates for Discus.

Where can I learn more about Discus

You can learn more about Discus by visiting our Learning Hub. Read our articles and watch our videos about water changes, Potassium Permaganate Treatment, fish tank filters and more.

Disclaimer: This is a guide only. OZ Discus is not liable for any losses and holds no responsibility in the event of the death of the fish. Users of this guide are to use the information at their own discretion and accept all risks resulting from the use of this guide.