Discus Fish Maintance

Somehow over the course of time people in the aquarium hobby have had it drummed into their heads that Discus are touchy and temperamental and difficult to keep. It so happens that the Discus is a problem fish only because people say it is. Some Discus specialists have steadily built up the legend of breeding difficulties and issues relating to keeping them. Like most aquatic fish, Discus's only fall ill if they are kept incorrectly and negligently. The Discus is tougher and more long-lived than most ordinary pet fishes. All of that said; there are some basic rules to be observed when looking after Discus to make sure that the fish remain healthy, brightly coloured and long lived. The most important weapon at the disposal of the keeper is the water. In the wild habitat, Discus fish live in extremely soft water. However, this water contains organic matter that is of vital importance to the Discus.
On the other hand, if we put too many organic substances into our tank water it will turn brown and cloudy, which detracts from the appearance of the fish. No Discus owner or any aquatic fish owner wants to see his fish swimming in a thick brown soup. It is, therefore, advisable to keep them in medium hard water. The hardness should be reduced for breeding, though peat extracts, trace elements and multi-vitamins will be added. The pH value of the aquarium water also requires controlling and monitoring. For general keeping purposes, the values between 6 and 7 pH is sufficient. What must be avoided at all costs is erratic changes in the pH value caused by the use of acidifying agents.
	Using acids can have disastrous consequences for the fish even if only a small error is made. The pH value may sink sharply, especially when the water is very soft. Slight corrections of the pH value may be made by filtering the water over peat. A slightly acidic environment should be aimed at for breeding. A slight decrease in the overall pH is required, though, the pH value should not fall below pH 5. Breeding water acidified with peat also benefits the eggs laid. The bactericidal effect of the peat is unquestionable and prevents fungus from forming on the eggs.

The Discus keeper must watch the water temperature very carefully. The Discus prefers slightly warm water. Ideally temperatures ranges are 84° - 86° F (29° to 30° C). Temperatures below 82° F (28° C) should be avoided. If you want to do your fish a favour, the temperature may from time to time be raised slowly over the course of a day to 88° to 90° F (31° to 32° C) and then allowed to drop back to normal on the third day.

Changes in water temperature also stimulate egg-laying. The fish can be stimulated into courtship and egg-laying through a change of water, with rather colder or warmer water added to the tank. The beneficial effect of this trick depends on having the fish ready for spawning before the water change is made.

And of course in the case of adding cold water the idea is to add only enough to stimulate the fish, not shock them. Stimulation can lead them to spawn; shocking them will lead only to sickness. It can be extremely difficult to protect fish against bacterial attack in small aquariums, having a proportionately small volume of water, it must again be stressed that the best means of preventing bacterial attacks is partial changes of the water.

If the tanks are over-populated or if too little water is changed, the nitrate and nitrite content in the water will necessarily rise. As stated, these toxins can be removed by changing the water or by installing ion-exchangers. The exchanger resins regulate the pH value at the same time, adjusting it to a level of between pH 6 and 7. Make sure, however, that you use an exchanger resin which leaves the organic substances in the water.

Whether a Discus feels at home depends greatly on the food it is given. As we shall largely be keeping only tank-bred specimens, we can forget about the eating habits of the wild varieties. In nature, Discus fish prefer to feed on freshwater crustaceans.

Variety is the key to feeding. It goes without saying that the fish must be offered a selection of various kinds of food. If fish are given one kind of food, it's hardly surprising that the females will not show a tendency to spawn. The standard Discus foods include not only the dry prepared foods such as the flake foods, but also, especially, beefheart and enchytraeid worms. When the beefheart and the worms are further enriched with vitamins and minerals, there is little more the fish could wish for.

Many Discus are kept in aquariums without substrate and furnishings. However, there are some aquarists who prefer to see their Discus in planted-up and fully furnished tanks.

In tanks of this kind, the quality of the substrate and of the roots introduced must be kept under strict control. The substrate in particular conceals hazards. Food residues easily settle in the gravel and foul gases develop. Bogwood roots may introduce decay in the water and start to make it smell bad. The build-up of nitrites and nitrates then soon reaches a level harmful to the Discus.

The fish turn dark and stick to one corner of the tank. At that point the aquarist should take suitable steps. One solution, for example, is to cover part of the tank bottom with gravel. The glass bottom is left exposed in the front of the aquarium while a layer of gravel and aquarium plants is built up at the back. Tanks of this kind are easily cleaned and still look good. If the Discus-lover observes these rules he will have already avoided many problems.

For information on other tropical fish Click Discus Fish Maintance