Discus Fish and Dwarf Cichlids, Etc.

Discus fish are a freshwater fish first discovered in 1840. You may be familiar with the Discus fish due to its popularity as an aquarium inhabitant…  they have been popular aquarium dwellers since the 1920s.

The taxonomy of discus fish classifies them as part of the genus Symphysodon, which includes three species of fish: the common discus, the heckle discus and blue discus.  Any Discus fish description must mention that this is a cichlid fish and its name comes from the shape of its body. While the body of the discus is nearly completely round, laterally they are basically flat, giving them an appearance somewhat similar to Angel fish.  This is a characteristic common amongst all Symphysodon species. Discus come in numerous colors: green, orange, blue, red and more. The coloring of discus fish can be enhanced by their diet. For instance, if you feed your discus a diet high in brine shrimp, you’ll enhance the red coloring in their bodies.

Discus Fish: A Peaceful South American Cichlid

No Discus fish description would be complete without mentioning their temperament. Discus fish are rather docile, which needs to be taken into consideration when choosing the variety of fish for an aquarium. If you place the Discus into an aquarium with more aggressive fish, you may find the Discus goes without food as it does not have the kind of temperament to fight for their food. It is also recommended that you keep discus fish in a small group of 6 to 8 Discus fish. This will have a calming influence on the fish. Good tank mates include corydoras, neon tetra, apistogramma and other mostly peaceful South American tropical fish.

Discus fish’s reproduction and sexual dimorphism are an integral part of their Symphysodon genus.  Symphysodon species have a highly developed system of caring for their larvae and young fish. Both parents provide care for their family. An important thing to remember is the fact that both the male and female discus secrete a substance through their skin which the discus larvae live off of for their first few days.

Wild Discus vs. Tank Bred Discus

The distribution of all species of Discus fish originates in the Amazon region of South America. A discus fish description must include the fact that they are a freshwater fish and prefer to dwell in lakes, smaller rivers and streams. The water in their natural environment is acidic, and this should be kept in mind when you are balancing the pH of your aquarium for wild discus fish. The pH of your aquarium should be between 6.0 and 6.5, the water should be soft and between 77-84°F.

The Stenkder discus fish we sell are acclimated to neutral water and therefore transition easier to most hobbyists aquariums. They are tank-bred fish and are much more hardy than wild discus. Another benefit of Stendker discus is the wide array of color forms available. They eat pretty much anything you have on hand… flake, brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc. Although they will grow faster with high protein foods like shrimp, discus can still lead happy, healthy lives eating only flake food.

We feature the largest selection of Stendker discus fish available online. Take a moment to check out our Stenkder discus packages, designed to fill your tank with fish with discus at ridiculously low prices.