Wild Discus Fish vs Domestic Discus Fish

Discus fish are quite popular among freshwater aquarium keepers. Types of discus fish are increasing all the time. Find out how and why in this article.

Discus fish turn heads. It does not matter where they have been bred. They could be from the waters of the Amazon River basin (their natural habitat), or they could have been spawned in a local breeder's tank.

A visitor's first sight of a freshwater discus setup is usually the same. Eyes widen, mouth drops open, comments such as, "What type of fish are these?" or "Holy Cow, what a gorgeous aquarium!".

The first incorrect presumption that many observers make is that the aquarium is a saltwater tank. This is because of the really bright colors and patterns of discus fish, quite dissimilar to most freshwater fish.

There as so many varieties of discus fish now, but most of them are "created" in private breeders' tanks. In nature there are just four species of discus fish. (Well, the truth is there is possibly still one more species that is being considered now by scientists).

Their natural habitat is the Amazon River basin in South America. That is the only place you will find discus spawning naturally. And each species is unique to a certain area of the Amazon. They don't mix togeher in nature.

The types of wild discus fish are reasonably elementary. Scientists have their own methods of naming discus, but identifying them as Green, Brown, Blue, and Heckel is much easier. Heckel, you ask? How the "heck" did they get the name Heckel ?

But it, the Heckel, is also characterized by two colors, either blue or red. You can tell if it's a Heckel by the prominent darker stripe every fifth stripe along the body.

The demand for discus is huge. Their beauty just draws folks in. It is extremely relaxing to watch fish do their thing in your home aquarium.

The result of the demand has itself spawned "discus farms" all over. These domestic breeders have used selective breeding techniques to produce many different varieties of discus that have even more eye-catching colors and patterns.

Sometimes the colors are solid, as in the Golden Discus. This fish is a solid striking yellow color, one that you would definitely not see in the wild.

Then there are patterns called Leopard and Snakeskin and Leopard Snakeskin, each of which has a different color and/or pattern. But all have the typical round, yet thin, body style.

Which are the more desirable, discus fish from the wilderness or man-bred\domestic discus? Before you decide, pay attention to these couple of things.

Wild and domestic discus come from totally diverse ecosystems. You have the clear, clean water of the breeders vs the muddy, murky water of the Amazon River. The requirements of the aquarium vary, depending on the origin of the discus fish that live in it.

The second consideration, fish from trustworthy breeders are used to the type of environment that you will probably supply for them, and they are more likely to be healthy coming from a controlled tank (remember, the key is getting them from "reliable" breeders - know where your fish are coming from).

Finding the most outstanding variety of types of discus fish for you is really a matter of individual preference and personal education. If you are an aquarium hobbyist "wanna-be", make sure you get the education before you dive into the tank with pricey fish. You might want to check websites that are dedicated to getting you the best start possible.

Article Tags: Wild Discus Fish, Wild Discus, Discus Fish, Domestic Discus, Amazon River