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Showing posts with label Discus fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Discus fish. Show all posts

11/4/13

Keeping discus fish does require a bit of knowledge on their background

discus fish
discus fish


When keeping discus fish you will find that they are shy and very calm in general, but when they start making couples they can often become a little bit aggressive due to breeding territory protection. Keeping discus fish will bring lots of rewards but it will also give you a few challenges as well. First off, as you will see with most groups of any type of fish, within a group it is not uncommon that the weakest discus will get bullied; this is something that can unfortunately result in death. Keeping discus fish in groups in a minimum of six individuals is thought of as ideal. By doing this you will increase the confidence of the group members and you lower the risk of group misbehavior.

10/20/13

Lighting and Temperatures for Saltwater Tanks

Lighting and Temperatures for Saltwater Tanks


One of the most common types of heating unit used in fish tanks that support saltwater fish are the underwater heaters that are regulated by a thermostat. These specific designs of heating units are offered for your aquarium to help sustain the water at a temperature that the fish find satisfactory.
Just about all species of saltwater fish would rather be in water that is at a temperature of close to seventy-five to eighty degrees Fahrenheit. These types of conditions are definite for the saltwater fish in your aquarium as this is the temperature range they came out of in the aquariums at the fish store where you bought them.

2/3/13

Discus Fish really are great pets


discus fish
discus fish

If you really want to have discus fish, you will not mind the expenses because discus really are beautiful and they will make your days wonderful.
1- You should know how many discus fish should be in the aquarium to avoid overcrowding. Usually it should be one discus for every 10 gallons. We should remember that always.
2- The tank for discus should be big because they grow very fast and become quite big. If we buy a small tank then your discus will not be happy and their growth will be stunted. So, we do not want that right? Therefore, we should keep in mind that we should buy BIG TANK.

1/25/13

Discus Fish Care Basics


discus fish
discus fish

Discus fish care is more than just the pH level of the water. It is also about where you will locate the aquarium, how to treat younger discus fish from older ones , when you will feed the fish...
Realistic plants are safer than plastic and they would provide shelter and vegetation for the fish rather than plastic ones. But you can also add some plastic designs if you want the aquarium to look more aesthetically pleasing.
Discus fish care has a lot to do with the type of habitat that you will provide for them. Remember that they would be residing inside it for the rest of their lives and you would want to make sure that the fish remain interested.

1/23/13

How to take excellent care of Discus Fish


discus fish
discus fish

Follow these simple tips and you will raise your discus fish into beautiful, colorful fish.
Aquarium Water.
The next basic discus fish care tip is keeping the aquarium water clean and free of chlorine and heavy metals. To keep your discus aquarium tank clean, you may want to invest in a water purifying unit. Be sure that the aquarium water is slow moving and filtered. The temperature should be between 82-86F.
 Aquarium Size.
Discus fish need to be kept in deep tanks because of their size. Typically, they grow up to 6 or 7 inches. As they continue to grow, discus prefer to be in shoals of at least 6.
You can keep discus fish in tanks that are empty,

1/19/13

Advanced Aquarium Discus Fish secrets



Aquarium Discus Fish



Aquarium Discus Fish need close attention to maintain them fitly. They are very temperamental fish. With some guidance you can be on your way to conserving a attractive "aquarium discus fish" aquarium.
first advice :How many discus you should keep an aquarium?
The general rule of thumb is to only keep one discus fish per every 10 gallons of water your tank can withhold. Discus admire room to roam so use this guideline and you will save yourself from overcrowding your fish.
The second advice :Discus prefer a tall sized tank
You would like to get a tank which is taller than longer. For instance if you had a tank which was 6 feet long and 18 inches deep you would be better off trying to find a three feet tall and four feet wide. However with this being said if were to have a tank similar the first one I mentioned. I don't suggest you run out and purchase a new tank. These are just some guidelines to follow. They are not gospel however as a rule you do want to have at least an 18" tank depth.I don't like to use anything smaller than 35 gallons because the smaller the tank the harder it is to maintain the water.
Aquarium Discus Fish

The third advice:Discus are creatures of habit

Upon bringing your new discus home be sure to ask the breeder or fish keeper the type of food they were feeding the fish. Even though Discus don't require any characteristic diets they don like their food to be changed all of a sudden. Feed them the new food in small doses. Do this for a few weeks increasing the dosage. This will keep your fish stress free during the food change.

The fourth advice:water quality
Keeping your water chemistry clean and stable is a MUST! First you need to keep the water clean by making sure you change it when needed.
Proper water temperature for discus is between 82 and 86 degrees F. You also need to test the water hardness. The water should be soft, between 3 and 15dH. The PH level is next important factor.
PH is possibly the biggest cause which most fish keepers have some trouble with. Discus do not like to accommodate these PH factors. They will survive in other PH conditions however do not fool yourself in doing so.The problem is they will always be stressed and their life span will be compromised. The bottom line is always test your water conditions and make very gradual changes when need be. When you make drastic chemistry changes this puts more harm than excellent on the fish causing them an abundance of stress.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_David_Jones

1/15/13

Discus Fish are beautiful pets

Discus Fish are beautiful pets
Discus Fish are beautiful pets 

Discus Fish are attractive pets . If you are a amateur or have not had much success with discus fish, no worries because you will have all the advice that you need for achievement. 

They originate from the Amazon River and surrounding rivers and lakes. They get their name from the shape of their body. Discus bodies are disc-shaped.  They enjoy deep water and you will desire to get a big aquarium to make them joyful. 

Discus Fish are beautiful pets

Discus are very sociable fish and they like in a groups. It is common to have least six of them in the tank at one time. You will have better results if you keep them grouped together. This is good for a couple of reasons. By having a group is a good way to see if they will partner up and breed and it also keeps them from misbehaving. 

It is perfectly fine to feed them a couple of times a day. Make sure not to feed them more than five times a day because you don't want to over feed them. 

Most owners and pet stores will feed the fish food that will change their colors like beet juice, shrimp, paprika, and lobster roe. If you feed your fish foods that will change their color, you will have to continue or their color will slowly fade away. 

Another way to get your discus fish to change colors is through hormones. The perceptions is that the more colorful the fish is, the more likely someone is going to purchase it. As with feeding fish to make their change color, hormone -treated fish will also start to lose their color once the hormones stop. 

The secret to having the happiest, healthiest discus fish is to make sure that their water is clean. Unclean water will make the fish stressed and it can cause illness. They are very shy and are sensitive to loud noises. For the optimal setting in the aquarium, purchase stones, corals and plants so that they can rest and be able to hide. They are highly sensitive and you want to keep them out of stressful situations. It is also a beneficial idea to put them in a quiet area in the domicile. 

Discus Fish are beautiful to have in your aquarium. They do require a little more work to conserve them happy but if you do you will have pleasing, joyful, energetic long living fish. 

To comprehend more about discus fish visit: Discus Fish Care . 

1/11/13

Discus Fish Information


discus fish
discus fish

Discus are very rare and hard to find. Discus belong to a large family called Cichlids and they are usually located in South America. The physical features of discus fish are a disc-shaped body with dorsal and anal fins reaching to the tail. Their diameter can be up to ten inches from the body of the adult fish. Selective breeding has led to the creation of some stunningly beautiful fish.
Discus are one of the 1500 Cichlid species. They are three common types of discus such as the green discus, and also the most common of the discus, the Heckel discus and the haraldi discus. Their scientific name is genus Symphysodon. You should learn as much as you can because each discus has different requirements.
This type of fish is very expensive and requires quite a high maintenance. If you want to keep or breed these fish, you should have a good knowledge of discus fish information. You should keep in mind when you starting raising or taking care of discus, you should buy a group of these fish, or a pair because they need social interactions to develop their character to its fullest.
Having the right discus information is very important. If you do not research or learn about discus, I am sure that if you try to raise a discus or if you are not careful in keeping them there is a possibility that you might kill your fish. That is why knowing all the discus fish information you can is important.
The most important thing to remember in raising or taking care of discus fish is water. When raising or taking care of a discus fish your water should have the right pH, which is 6.5 ñ 7.5 ph. In addition, the water should be clean so you can maintain their good health. You should also change the water in the tank every week.
This is another important point you should know about discus, which is TANK size. When you buy a tank, you should purchase a big tank because we all know that discus fish grow rapidly and become quite big. If you buy a small tank, your discus will not be happy and it will stunt their growth in the long term.
The other important discus information is when you are feeding a discus you should give them the right food and feed them small amounts of food rather than one large meal. After you feed your fish, clean all uneaten food to avoid disease to your fish.
For more great tips on discus fish information,visit http://www.discusfishpro.com/discus-fish/discus-fish-information/ .

12/31/12

Discus fish are very intelligent fish


discus fish
discus fish

Discus fish are very intelligent fish and have very distinct personalities, and the discus fish seems to normally recognize its caretaker and will respond with a display of affection when you enter the room. You can even feed a discus fish right out of your hand! In this article I will be going through a few things to consider when caring for your own discus fish, and also some things you can expect out of your new pet.
The first thing you need to do when starting up your own discus fish tank is to pick out an appropriate aquarium for them. It is always a good idea to purchase the biggest aquarium you can afford.
Having a larger aquarium will allow you to have a bit more leeway when it comes to environmental conditions. A larger aquarium will generally tend to be a bit more stable then the smaller ones. After you get your aquarium you will need to pick out the appropriate filters and equipment for your setup. Make sure to check for your discus fish's specific requirements and adjust accordingly for your aquarium.
Discus fish are a bit harder to care for then other species of freshwater fish, and are not typically recommend for the beginning aquarium enthusiast. Discus fish tend to be more of a schooling fish and do best when kept in an aquarium with plenty of same species companions. Also you should provide plenty of cover in the form of driftwood and rocks for your discus fish.
Discus fish also require water temperatures to be around 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. For feeding, you should feed your discus fish a steady diet of frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and typical sinking pellets. When your discus fish are young, you should feed them at least 3 times a day. As your fish get older you can cut back feeding to once a day. Avoid overfeeding your discus fish as it can cause them to be obese and pose health problems.
Once you get the hang of your discus fish, you can start to breed them. Discus fish are very loving parents, with both of the parents playing an active role in their fry's life. It is truly a sight to behold, seeing your discus fish swimming around with their very own offspring and I highly recommend you try and breed your discus fish when you are comfortable in your ability to provide adequate care for them.
I hope you have found this article helpful in considering owning and taking care of your very own discus fish. There are many more in-depth guides around the web that can go more into detail about the various aspects of providing care. I have just tried to give you a brief overview of a couple things to consider. As always, if you are still stuck up on some unanswered questions about discus fish, you can always contact a friendly sales representative to answer any questions you may have.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wilson

12/30/12

Discus fish like clean water and a quality diet

Discus fish
Discus fish


Plants utilized in the discus aquarium should be completely washed with a harmless aquarium plant disinfectant.
Snails can rapidly over run an aquarium and snail excluding chemicals are harsh on discus. A decline in water quality will lead to stress in discus fish. Clean water, at the correct temperature is considerable.
Clean water should have zero ammonia and nitrite levels. Elevated nitrate levels indicate a need for water changes. Overfeeding can increase nitrate levels. High nitrate levels inhibit growth and color development in discus.
New discus fish arrivals may have scratches or torn fins. Adding non iodized salt at a rate of one tablespoon per 20 gallons will promote rapid healing. Salt has many uses at various doses. The salt should not remain in the aquarium over an extended period. contrary mollies or goldfish, discus do not require or admire water containing salt.
New discus arrivals that were shipped have spent several hours in a dark box. Avoid opening the box under bright lights. Discus eyes are designed for vision in murky waters and bright lights can irritate them. Opening a dark box in bright lights will irritate their eyes and in an effort to escape the light the discus may lie down. I recommend leaving the aquarium lights off for four or five hours after introducing new discus to the aquarium This allows time for the discus to adjust their eyes.
Sources:http://rockymountaindiscus.com/Discus_Fish_Care.htm

12/29/12

ADDING DISCUS FISH TO THE AQUARIUM


discus fish
discus fish

It is considerable to add discus fish to the aquarium briefly upon completion of the nitrogen cycle in the filter. The authority of thumb for stocking density is to allow at least five gallons per discus fish. If the filter is cycled and discus fish will not be increased for awhile, it is considerable to nourish the filter bacteria.The filter bacteria desire oxygen and a food source. The mature filter can be conserved alive by feeding ammonia every two days at a rate of five pm. 
Plural experienced hobbyists, as a precaution, quarantine any current discus fish before accumulating them to a fully setup aquarium full of discus fish. If a quarantine tank is utilized for recent discus arrivals it should have a very energetic biological filter. This is to ensure adequate filtration to prevent ammonia or nitrite spikes which will damage the discus. Air driven sponge filters are excellent filters to use in a discus quarantine tank. 
The tank should not be too small. If an air driven sponge filter is kept in the main discus aquarium, a quarantine tank can be rapidly set up using aged water from the main tank along with the established filter. 
Should a difficulty arise in the main discus aquarium it is greatest to treat the main tank. If you purchase discus fish from a pet shop to add to your discus aquarium, they should be located in a quarantine tank for observation and possible treatment.
 Difficulties arise with discus fish health from introduction of fish carrying a pathogen or parasite and from the stress constructed due to aquarium maintenance neglect.
Sources:http://rockymountaindiscus.com/Discus_Fish_Care.htm

12/17/12

Knowing how to care for discus fish



Discus fish really are beautiful and they will make your days wonderful.Many owners would like to understand how to care for discus fish, how to prolong their life and how to create the connection.
Follow these 10 simple steps and you will raise your discus fish into beautiful
1. Check the quality of water. Do not just use any tap-water. Make sure to remove the chlorine and other chemicals and to use soft water to maintain the pH of the water.
2. Sign up for fish practical fishing magazines in order to get more helpful hints on how to care for discus fish.
3. Use warm water never a cold one to maintain the needed water temperature by the discus. pH 7 - Gh 15 - Kh 8 - conductivity 800ms - temp 30C
4. Never buy only one discus fish. It has to be able to interact with 5 or more discus in order to thrive and never alone.
5. It would be best to care for an older discus fish and they tend to be stable. Choose 12cm and over so that you can be definite regarding the color and the shape that you will be getting.
6. It would be best to keep the design of the tank minimal. You can include some plants and a few stones and wood but less is better in order to make the maintenance faster. It would be best to give the discus fish swimming space.
7. Make sure that the water is clean and changed every now and then, it would be best not to place gravel in order for an easier maintenance.
8. Never use a carbon filter as this could affect the quality of life of the fish.
9.It would be good to use a grolux tube for discus for lighting.
10.Never underestimate the power of a book. Although online suggestions are good and contain helpful hints, nothing is better than taking the time to go and research on the real informative ways to care for the discus, learn the variety of the fish, how they came about and what makes them thrive.
Some make the mistake of buying a fish that they do not even understand. Having an aquarium is a serious responsibility and is considered to be rewarding and fulfilling once done correctly

6/8/12

The discus is a social fish



The discus lives in large groups in their native waters, and has a very advanced social behaviour; they are one of the few real schooling cichlids. Remember to keep this in mind when starting care for discus; always purchase a group of animals. They need the social interaction to develop their character to its best potential.
Currently, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the original colour variants in pet shops, only the Heckel is sometimes imported. Most of the discus fish you encounter today are captive bred colour variants. At this time the list of described colour variants is nearly endless. Some of the discus colour variants have lost their stripes and therefore their natural ability to communicate in the school. But as always these new variants are finding their way to the aquarium hobbyist quickly for exceptionally high prices and this will stimulate the breeders to try to find a new one. One of the advantages of the captive bred discus is that they are now much easier, not easy, to maintain as the imported ones. They are much more tolerant concerning water conditions.

It is getting increasingly easier to keep discus with new technology to improve water quality and health of discus fish which could be the cause of the rise in demand. New dealers and breeders are growing rapidly and even small aquatic shops are stocking a range of Discus.

They are beautiful but yet still remain a challenge to keep and breed with the later been very rewarding and will even pay for the hobby. Most people that keep Discus will at some stage want to breed them as it is a great experience.

6/6/12

Discus fish : Water


Water Preparation
If after testing your water you are happy that it fits the water chemistry required to keep Discus Fish you can do a couple of things. You can simply add a treatment like Tetra Aqua Safe which will take out chlorine, chloride and some metals. You can also use a heavy metal filter which will take out all heavy metals and make the water perfect. Or you can mix the two like I do to save on time and money If your water doesn’t match and you have poor water to start with, you will need to filter it through a Reverse Osmosis unit. These can cost a packet, but are worth it if you need them. This filtration process will remove a very high percentage of heavy metals, chlorine, pesticides, silica, nitrates and most of the Total Dissolved Solids, it will also lower the pH of freshwater. The product water, as with distilled water, on its own is unsuitable for Discus. The reason for this is that there are no salts in this water which would buffer any drops or peaks in pH. What you do is add to it a supplement containing electrolytes and salts, or some de-chlorinated tap water. Better still mix RO water with a percentage of water prepared with a HMA filter. The exact percentages to mix really are determined by your geographical location, but as a rule 75% RO to 25% tap is usually about right.
If you wish to breed Discus Aquarium Fish and to care for the fry you need a supply of very soft water, in order to keep the water very soft, i.e. less than 50 ppm; you use less tap water in the mix. But a word of warning, soft water is very unstable and must be changed daily to avoid pH crash.

Water changes
It is very important to change the water in your Discus tank on a regular basis, in a display tank I recommend around once or twice a week and with the later for breeding tanks and anything up to once a day for growing on tanks. I like to change in between 20-40% of the water in the tank but in the fish farms in the Far East they change 100% of the water once a day in the growing on tanks with great results. The reason for this is that discus like other fish, secrete a hormone into the water that inhibits their growth. This allows the fish to stay appropriately sized for the volume of water it is contained in. It is for this reason that wild specimens and those subjected to abundant water changes grow to such large sizes. When changing the water clean the bottom of the tank and suck up all of the debris on the tank floor but try and disturb the Discus Fish as least as possible. Once they feel more secure, you can clean aggressively, but do not cause them stress by being noisy about it, just remember that sounds are amplified in water as it is a much better conductor of sound and shock.

6/3/12

Discus Fish Photo Gallery

Discus Fish  
 Daddy defending his young



Discus Fish
Mommy with young




Discus Fish
 Baby Discus after being fed brine shrimp



Discus Fish
 Powder Blues



Discus Fish
 New Strain - Red Centurion (based on pattern on gill plates)



Discus Fish
 Pigeon Blood - Reds



Discus Fish
 Pigeon Blood - Reds



Discus Fish
 Discus in pairing out tanks - Turquoise Greens



Discus Fish
Discus in pairing out tanks - Turquoise Greens

Sinking Fish Food for Discus


Discus Fish

 There are different types of discus fish foods, which mainly contains three categories: frozen food ,dry food and live discus food. These can be further classified as slow sinking food ,sinking food and floating fish food. Since discus, fish are mostly mid water feeders slow sinking fish food for discus is most preferred.
Different types of sinking fish food for discus are:
Pellets: Small and mostly round shaped, pellets are both sinking and floating. Giving dry pellets to fish can cause them to bloat therefore soak them in water for a little while before feeding.
Granules: These are smaller forms of pellets are can be fed in the same way you feed the pellets. Flakes: Flakes come under the category of top floating food but if you pinch them a big before feeding they sink down.
Wafers and tablets: These are one of the most popular forms of sinking fish food for discus. They have a very well balanced ingredient content. Although they sink rapidly but since they are small enough to be eaten in one bite the fish eat them up quickly. Also they don't cloud the water.
 Gels: These are pre-processed slow sinking food for fish. These than be thawed, then mixed with homemade food or other frozen food and then frozen again to feed the fish. They can be used to give your fish a varied diet.  
Slow sinking discus fish food is preferred because then the fish can reach it easily. If the fish sinks too fast then they will not be able to reach it and it will rot in the bottom and can harm the fish.
 Discus fish follow a routine and therefore you have to keep in mind to feed them at fixed times every day.
Also, since discus fish like to follow a routine therefore feed them at regular intervals and give small feedings at a time.
They like to eat frequently and hence if you give them feed only once or twice a day.
Any variation from the routine will make them confused and disrupt their system.

Harry Koots is an experienced Aquarius and he has been teaching people on how to successfully breed Discus.

4/13/12

Discus Fish Breeding


To breed the Discus Fish, a bare bottom tall 20 or 27 gallon tank is best. A vertical surface for them to deposit their eggs on is best because discus lay their eggs just like angels. If so desired, a potted plant or two can be added to the breeding tank. This will provide shelter for the pair, but this isn’t critical. An outside power filter should be used to pick up an debris in conjunction with a sponge filter for the biological waste.
Discus come from the warm, soft, acidic waters of the Amazon River so naturally they’ll thrive if these conditions are replicated in home aquariums. The ideal conditions for breeding of discus are: the pH at 6.5 and the temperature at 86 F. if alterations need to be made to the water chemistry it should be done prior to the water being added to the tank.  Water changes should be done weekly for general maintenance, however a small water change should be done every day, or, at least, every second day. Frequent water changes increase appetite and promote mating activity in discus. This is why discus will often spawn shortly after a water change.
Good water quality must be maintained if the discus are to have large appetites.  Spawning discus should be fed frozen blood worms, frozen or live brine shrimp, Tetra Color Bits, live white worms or beef hearts.  Care must be taken with beef heart to make sure nothing is left over because it will quickly foul the water. Never feed tubifex or black worms to discus at any time, as they will introduce parasites into the tank.
A breeding pair will lay eggs as often as every week and as many as fifteen times. They will usually go through two spawning cycles a year. The eggs are free-swimming and take about 48 hours to hatch. Upon becoming free-swimming the fry will move to their parents’ sides, and start feeding off the mucous secretion that are produced by the parents during this time. The fry will feed off their parents’ sides for as long as you leave them together, but newly hatched brine shrimp should be offered after being free-swimming for five days.
Remove fry between two and three weeks after reaching the free-swimming stage. If left in with parents the fry will start ripping off scales and bits of flesh from the parents. The parents will spawn shortly after fry are removed. Put the fry in a tank of their own and feed them six or more times a day. Newly hatched brine shrimp and chopped blood worms are the best food. The first few weeks there will be noticeable daily growth. Be sure to do a partial water change every night after the last feeding in the fry tank.
For more information click here for Discus Fish Secrets

12/31/11

Two critical factors in the care of Discus

 .
Discus Care Management Skills and Organization
It starts by proper organization and planning. This is all about finding a way to let the discus fish recognize the owner and interact with you. The discus fish is unique because it does not only swim, eat or hide. They are fun to have because they can also watch a person across the room. They are aware of what is going around the room and it is easy to learn to love them due to their personality. In order to win the affection of this fish, one must learn discus care to be able to train the fish to greet you when you are near and for them to eat their food out of your hand. This fish is very interactive, which makes it interesting and lovable to have.
Understanding Discus Care Feeding Patterns
It would be important to understand the feeding patterns of a young discus fish from a mature discus fish. One must understand that fish would normally die not out of hunger but out of excessive eating, which is why it is best to learn the proper eating proportions in order to avoid overfeeding them.
The younger ones would need more and would tend to be active during feeding time. But as they grow older, the need for eating would decrease. This type of fish in intelligent and would require attention and c are in order to win. The parents of the discus fish would raise their young together.
In order to be good at discus care, one has to be able to understand what they need for breeding, feeding, daily needs and plan a way to meet these goals without overshadowing other goals. A starting hobbyist does not have to worry about the costs because they can plan methods to make it affordable. What is important is to check the parameters of local tap water and to check if the pH is suitable for the discus. If this is the case, it would be good to use soft water and combine it with tap water in order to create desirable water condition for the fish.
Remember that some local water tap in the US are not good for the discus care due to the chloramines being used to disinfect it. It would be better to have the water filtrated and dechlorinated. Remember to keep the school of discus fish in groups and exclude different varieties of fish. For discus care to be effective, there should be at least 5 or more discus fishes in a water tank because one discus fish cannot stand alone.
Tom Rollins a Discus Fish expert. If you want to learn more about discus care, visit http://www.discusfishpro.com/.

8/31/10

Enjoy the life of keeping discus fish.



Most people complained about how difficult and tedious it is to keep discus fish. Following the tips and tricks as listed below will certainly help hobbyists to enjoy the life of keeping discus fish.
 What is the suitable water temperature?
The suitable temperature is 28 to 30 degree Celsius. In Malaysia, a tropical climate country, we do not use heater if we keep the fish indoor. For outdoor, we do need to apply heater, if not, the fish will lost appetite and feel sick.
 What to do if the fish become sick?
When the fish is sick, it will hide in one corner and the best solution is to apply methylene blue and change the water after 1 to 2 days. Installing a heater will be necessary too.
 Do we need to change water everyday?
For hobbyists who are busy, changing water is unnecessary since the fish are fed less frequently. With a simple water filter system installed, water changing is to be done only once a couple of weeks. For retirees who feed the fish very often, water changing is done twice a day.
 What is the best diet for discus?
The best diet is certainly minced beef heart. It is advised not to feed discus with live food since it can cause sickness.
 How to improve the color of discus?
In order to enhance the discus color, most discus farms and exporters feed the fish with coloring agent which is quite expensive. The color agent used is normally astaxanthin which promote reddish color in just a few daysWhy discus grow too slowly?
There is a stage where discus get to grow slowly from 3" to 4". In order to improve the growth rate, treatment with 1000mg metronidazole could be done for 5 days.
Why people give up keeping discus?
The most common reason are slow growth rate and no time allocated to this hobby.


9/4/09

Discus Fish Care

The discus fish is a popular aquarium fish that have been taken as pets by lovers and those who enjoy the sight of these colorful fish in fish tanks. Even if they are nice fish, proper care is always important to have them grow up healthy and happy, even if they are not in their natural habitat, so you need to learn the tricks of discus fish care and technical make them feel they are still in their habitat.

If you're one of those attracted by the beauty of this fish and you want to add them to your aquarium, here are some important tips to help you master Discus fish care.

- Understanding the behavior of discus fish. Discus young can be aggressive when it comes to eating, but as they grow older, their eating habits change. They also learn to become more graceful as they ripen. One of the basic care of discus fish trick to keep in mind is that they live in groups in their natural habitat, so you should also try to give the fish a number of companion. It is advisable to have a group of six or more discus to prevent them from entering alone in your aquarium and to prevent them from being aggressive to their own species. Discus fish are shy, so it is important to put some ornaments and plants in your aquarium to give fish a place to hide. They are also sensitive to noise, so you may not want them in the office or in places where there is noise and distraction.

- Understand their specific needs. Another thing to consider for basic care of discus fish is their need for clean water and proper nutrition. As a freshwater fish, Discus loves the water free of chemicals. Chlorinated tap water may need to be dechlorinated. You must also follow a regular schedule to change the water in their tank to keep it clean. In terms of food, you should not also their overeating. Good nutrition for your fish promotes growth and healthy development of beautiful colors and it may include Omega One, brine shrimp and other nutritious foods.

- Make sure you give them an environment as close as possible to their natural habitat. The temperature must be as hot as their natural habitat. If you're keeping them in your aquarium for display, the ideal temperature falls from 27.5 to 29 degrees Celsius. Do not put too naked in a vat, or alone with other types of fish, but also give them an aquarium big enough for them to swim freely.

- Put them in tanks healthy peers. If you choose to discus healthy in your aquarium, be sure also to choose their mates tank. Make sure that these other species of fish will not transfer diseases to your Discus, or intimidate them.

Before any attempt to discus your home, always be responsible and make sure you really know how to take care of them and you know the basics of Discus fish care. With this, you will be assured that you can have your fish with you for a longer period.