Discus Fish as a Hobby

 

The Discus fish is a large cichlid from the Amazon River, its tributaries and flood plains, in South America. Discus and its varieties were first described in 1840 by Dr. Heckel as Symphysodon discus, this name is used now for the Heckel discus variety. To begin with the only 3  color varieties were green, brown and blue, but now a much wider choice are available.

 

The discus is a social fish and forms large groups in their native waters, and has ahighly advanced social behaviour; they are one of the few real schooling cichlids. Be sure when Edit this text to care for discus; always begin with a number  of them. They need the social interaction to grow their character to itshighest potential.

 

Right now , it is difficult to find the original color variants in pet shops, only the Heckel is sometimes imported. Most of the discus fish you see today are captive bred color varieties. Some of the discus have lost their stripes and thereby their natural ability to communicate in the school. One of the bonuses of the captive bred discus is that they are now less difficult to maintain than the imported ones.

 

It is getting increasingly less difficult to keep Discus Aquarium Fish with the new technology improving water quality and Discus Fish health, which could be the cause of the rise in demand. The amount of new dealers and breeders is growing fast and even small aquatic shops are stocking a range of Discus. They are beautiful, but still remain a challenge to keep and breed, with the latter being very rewarding and will even cover costs for the hobby. Most people that keep Discus will eventually want to breed them as it is a great experience, though breeding Discus Fish can be challenging

 

Discus Fish are very shy fish and often hide when they are not confident so keep the tank away from noisy and busy areas especially near doorways and halls . The only other component to take into consideration is the height of the tank, the higher up the better as Discus are distracted by movement above and this may cause them undue tension .

Discus should be fed a mixed , vitamin and protein rich diet, and so it is important to use a few different types of food: Fish flakes provide a complete diet, though Discus prefer to take food deeper in the water, even at the bottom, so soak and squeeze out the flakes before introducing to the tank. Frozen brine shrimp, defrosted and rinsed, make an excellent supplement and the carotene helps enhance colors. Frozen irradiated bloodworms are a great daily addition, even if the flakes have some in already. Do not over feed, Discus fish are grazers, and will eat little by little , so allow them time.

 

Although not easy to keep, these beautiful fish are a very rewarding hobby, if you have the patience and time for them: The exquisite colors are a wonderful addition to any tank or aquarium.