Discus Fish Tank

Discus fish prefer large tall tanks and I would recommend a minimum of 55 gallons (200L). As for the setup, it entirely depends on the purpose. If for breeding, it is best for the tank to be bare bottom, meaning without any gravel. However, if you want a show tank then it is best to emulate the natural habitat of the Discus fish by provide hiding places, open swimming areas, driftwood, fully planted aquascape and some floating plants to diffuse the light. A heavily planted tank may also need CO2 injection for the plants to do well; in an upcoming post we’ll be showing you how you can make a CO2 unit yourself out of household items.

Discus fish flourish in water with conditions similar to their natural habitat, however many Discus fish are raised in captivity and tolerant of a higher range of water conditions. While not ideal, most Discus fish can tolerate water with a pH of 5.0-7.5, water hardness of 0-8 dH and temperatures of 77-86°F (25-30°C). Peat moss can be a great way to naturally lower the pH of your aquarium, which I personally use in my planted freshwater Angelfish tank. You can buy some from any garden center for rather cheap, if they happen to not have any you can buy some online, after that put some in mesh bag (cut off panty hose also works) and place it in the compartment where the filter pad sits so water can flow through it. If you would rather not deal with peat moss, blackwater extract contains natural humic and tannic acids that simulates water conditions of the Amazon River basin created by soil, peat moss and decaying vegetation. It makes for better water chemistry, encourages spawning, aids the hatching process and tints the water a light brownish yellow color just like the Amazon River, which is rather cool looking.

Discus fish are delicate and rather intolerant of poor water quality, thus regular partial water changes must be made and maintaining proper filtration at all times is essential in Discus fish care. I do 30% water changes once a week, but I have a fully planted tank, some would argue more or less. I am a huge advocate of the Python water siphon, years ago I had to lug around heavy buckets of water to change the water in my aquariums but this makes it incredibly easy and saves a lot of time as well, it is an amazing investment. Which filter to use for your Discus fish aquarium entirely depends on preference and the setup, personally I use a Penguin 350 for my 55 gallon tank. A fully planted tank once established will aid in this as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are among the nutrients that plants use, they help the beneficial bacteria keep levels in check and if something happens to your beneficial bacteria there is a buffer present to minimize the problem.