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Green Discus

Red Spotted Discus ~ Tefé Discus ~ Blue / Brown Discus Family: Cichlidae

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Leopard Pigeon Discus Symphysodon aequifasciata Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Greg Rothschild

   Displaying a most majestic, graceful and dignified presence, the Discus fishes have been entitled "King of the Aquarium Fishes", usurping this designation from the angelfish!

   Interesting and beautiful fish, Discus have captured the attention of aquarists throughout the world. These quiet, peaceful, and elegant creatures inspire appreciation and dedication like no other fish. Highly esteemed for their color, shape, and regal bearing they are often considered to be the pinnacle of fish keeping.

  There have been recent revisions of the Discus genus. With many local color varieties, possibly due to natural hybridization, Discus had previously been divided into several suggested species along with a number of subspecies. Today however, from study results published in the Journal of Fish Biology by both Heiko Bleher and his associates in 2007 and Jonathan Ready, Kullander, and Ferreira in 2006, three species are acknowledged and there are no subspecies.

   Two of the acknowledged species are long time favorites, the Green Discus Symphysodon aequifasciata (discussed here) and its close relative the Heckel Discus or Red Discus Symphyosodon discus. These two are found in the central and lower Amazon regions and are very similar. Both are considered valid species by the scientific community. The third species is awaiting further work to determine identification and validation. Mr. Bleher identifies the third species as the Blue Discus or Brown Discus Symphyosodon haraldi. Below we have included information on it as well.

   Discus were first imported into the United States and Europe in the 1930's and 1940's. These early efforts to ship and keep these fish proved exceptionally difficult, but much more is now known about their needs and requirements. A dedicated aquarist can successfully keep these fish.

   Today most available Discus are tank bred varieties. Through selective breeding a wide variety of body shapes, colors, and patterns are being produced. They are widely divergent from the wild caught discus which require a bit more care. Even so, tank bred Discus are more demanding of good water quality, require a larger aquarium, and are more expensive than many tropical fish

For more Information on keeping tropical fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   Discus are native to South America and are found in Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, and Columbia. They inhabit the tributaries of the Amazon River, living in the still or slow moving waters along the banks where they hide among tangled roots and branches. They feed on insect larvae, insects, and planktonic invertebrates.
   The Green Discus, Red Spotted Discus, or Tefé Discus Symphysodon aequifasciata was described by Pellegrin in 1904. They originate in the central Amazon region, mostly from the Putumayo River in northern Peru, and from Brazil near Santarem and the lake of Tefé.
   The Blue Discus or Brown Discus Symphyosodon haraldi was described by Schultz in 1960, but is awaiting further work to determine its validation.
   One of the more recently discovered discus found in the western Amazon regions in 1959 is destinguished by a unique color form, sporting red spots on the anal fin and the body. Some have suggested that it be dentified as Symphyosodon tarzoo, however in a discussion with Mr. Bleher, he identifies it is the Green Discus. He says, "S. aequifasciata - the Green Discus is found only in some areas of western Amazonia" and that "the name S. tarzoo is a synonym (a nomen nudum - not existing name...".

Status:
   This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   Discus are relatively large and the most laterally compressed (flat) of all the cichlids. Within themselves there is great variety in shading, patterning, and body types. Through selective breeding a wide variety of body shapes, colors, and patterns are being produced today.
   The Green Discus, Red Spotted Discus, or Tefé Discus Symphosodon aequifaciata are perhaps the most popular discus and are the species that most development work has been done on. One of the first challenges in the hybrids was to develop a solid blue fish and more recently it has been to develop a solid red fish.

Turquoise Discus Courtesy Marisa Monaco

Blue Discus (hybrid) Courtesy Greg Rothschild Photos © Animal-World

   Green Discus Symphosodon aequifaciata originate in the central Amazon region, mostly from the Putumayo River in northern Peru, and from Brazil near Santarem and the lake of Tefé. Though highly variable in color and pattern, the wild Green Discus are rather bland in general.

Red Discus (hybrid) Courtesy Greg Rothschild

Red Turqoise Discus (hybrid) Courtesy Greg Rothschild Photos © Animal-World

   A basic description of the wild Green Discus is a dark brownish to green body. There are nine vertical bars (though without the bold central bar), and they have irregular metallic streaks of green, blue, or turquoise on the belly, dorsal and anal fins, and on the dorsal area of the body. They reach a length of about 6" (15 cm).

   One of the most striking variants, which is quite rare and expensive, is known as the Red Spotted Discus or Tefé Discus. It has red spots on its belly and tail, and sometimes over the entire body.

   Of the many strains of captive bred Discus, the turquoise varieties are the most available. They are generally found in greens or blues with names such as; Brilliant Turquoise Discus, Red Turquoise Discus, Giant Turquoise Discus, and Cobalt Turquoise Discus.

   Popular strains that have blue or green streaks over the entire body are called the 'Royal' Green Discus or 'Royal' Blue Discus.

   Blue Discus or Brown Discus Symphyosodon haraldi have a much more varied color pattern and can have a larger number of vertical bars (8 to 16) than the other two species of discus. Other common names they are known by include Common Discus, Gypsy, Semi Royal Blue, and Royal Blue. They are considered one of the most beautiful and hardiest of the discus.

Dark Blue Discus Courtesy Jim Shiel

Cobalt Blue Discus (hybrid) Photo © Animal-World

   The Blue Discus are very similar to the Brown Discus though a bit longer bodied while the brown is more rounded. These varieties have a darker almost purple brown body and nine vertical bars without a bold central bar. (All the pictures shown here are captive bred hybrids). They often have blue horizontal stripes on the head, dorsal and ventral fins. The face is a deeper brown.
   Some hybrid strains are called Cobalt Discus, Powder Blue Discus, and Sky Blue Discus. A real beauty is the Cobalt Blue Discus. It is almost entirely blue, sometimes with a metallic sheen.  Other specialties will sometimes have blood red spots on the dorsal fins.

   Brown Discus varieties originate in the lower Amazon region in Brazil. They were regularly kept for a long time, however they are not as colorful as other varieties and are now less available.
  They have light to dark brown bodies (sometimes reddish), nine vertical bars (without the bold central bar), irregular streaks on the upper and lower fin areas, and yellowish coloring at the base of the dorsal fin, around the eye, and on the snout. They reach a length of about 5 " (13 cm).
   Redder body colors are sometimes enhanced by adding such things as prawn eggs to their diet, or by adding chemicals to their water. This enhancement is not permanent and will fade in a couple of weeks. They are not as colorful as the Green Discus or the hybrids.

Care and feeding:
   Since they are carnivorous the Discus will generally eat all kinds of live foods and need to be offered a variety. Other good foods include frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms, chopped beef heart, and for some whiteworms. Often tank bred discus will also accept food in a flake form or a pelleted form. Though they are carnivorous, they may also eat small quantities of vegetation.
   A minimum 50 gallon aquarium is okay for a single fish, though a much larger tank would be needed if keeping more. Because these fish are as tall as they are long, taller show type tanks work best. They need good water movement along with strong and efficient filtration. An aquarium best suited to discus has slightly soft acidic water and is a bit warmer than what is required for many tropical fish.
   Discus do have a timid nature and dislike moving shadows, excessive vibrations, and overly boisterous tank mates. It is best to keep their aquarium out of areas that have high traffic, lights being turned on and off, or rooms that are noisy. They are also very shy and more active at night.
   A planted aquarium with an open area for swimming suits them well, but the plants need to be varieties that can tolerate warmer temperatures 82° F and up. Some good plants selections are Dwarf Lily Bulbs, Anubias Nana, MicroSword Grass, Jungle Vallisneria and Corkscrew Vallisneria, Water Onions, Ozelot Swords and Rangeri Swords, Didplis Diandra, Rotala Indica, Java Fern, and Subulata.
   When you first introduce these fish to your aquarium avoid bright lighting, especially without a place to retreat to. They may initially prefer subdued lighting because of their shyness, but once they become comfortable normal aquairum lighting works fine.
   Discus can be rewarding to keep for experienced aquarists that are observant and diligent in providing care. These fish are sensitive to water chemistry and will deteriorate under poor water conditions. Do water changes of 25% a week. They are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the middle and bottom of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Discus are more susceptible to disease in lower temperatures.
   Hardness: 10-15° dGH
   Ph: 6.0 - 6.5
  Temp: thrive at 82-88° F (27.7-31° C), min 79-86° F (26-30° C)

Social Behaviors:
   Unlike many others in the cichlid family, discus are peaceful and highly social. They are not predatory and they do not burrow in the substrate.
   They are a schooling fish. Several discus can be kept together and they can be kept with some of the more peaceful tropical fish. A couple examples would be a pair of dwarf cichlids or some clown loaches. Also a school consisting of 15 - 20 of a single species of tetra works well; such as the Cardinal, Neon, Rummynose, Glowlight, Emperor, or Congo Tetras. It is suggested that you avoid Angelfishes and Corydoras Catfish, as these fish are prone to carrying internal parasites that can infect the discus.

Sexual Differences:
   Although it is hard to distinguish the sex, during breeding season the male will have a more pointed papillae while the female's is rounded. Males may be larger and some males have a more pointed dorsal fin and thicker lips.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Water conditions for breeding:
   Temp: 82-88° F (27.7-31° C)
   Hardness: 3-10° dGH
   Ph: 5.5-6° dGH
   Though spawning and rearing of fry can be successful in harder water, for fertilization and egg development they require a total hardness no higher than 6° dGH.
   Discus form nuclear families but will readily cross-breed with other discus. They are egg layers and will attach their eggs to plants, driftwood, rocks, and ornamentation in the aquarium. The female will lay between 200 - 400 which will hatch in about 60 hours. Fry consume a special mucus on the skin of the parents for the first 5 or 6 days. See more about breeding cichlids in: Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   Discus have become more readily available though they are still fairly expensive. You can obtain them from pet stores, breeders, specialty dealers, and online. They can range in price starting at as little as about $7.00 USD, though $25.00 USD and up is more normal when purchasing from quality retailers. Prices vary depending on size and variety.

Buy Neon Blue Discus From LiveAquaria.com

Buy Red Turquoise Discus From LiveAquaria.com

Buy Red Marlboro Discus From LiveAquaria.com

Buy Pigeon Blood Discus From LiveAquaria.com

Author: Clarice Brough, CFS

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Latest Comments
We have 6 discus (2 Tangerine, 3 Red Turquoise, 1 Blue Snakeskin) in a 90gal. People say they are "hard to care for" but I have absolutely no problem with them! They are healthy, happy and active. These are, in my opinion, the most beautiful freshwater fish available to the hobby. If you have the space for a large tank and are able to keep the tank clean (I vacuum once a week), then I suggest you pick some up. They are expensive but their personalities make up for it. They are very enjoyable to watch and they definitely respond to human presence. As soon as I walk in the room (in the area, rather, even 20+ feet away - just in view), they swim toward me and watch me as I walk by. They greet us at the closest corner when we walk in the front door. They are like little people in there and are definitely a pleasure to keep! We have had them for about 8 months now so they are still young but are growing (largest is about 5" now). We hope they will pair off when the time comes! Josh 2007-09-10
Discus can be quite good fish. I have however fallen behind and lost 2 of my fish. These guys were prior to getting sick twice, fairly hardy. They have been great and did well with a cory, BN catfish, and tetras. Currently they live in a 29 gallon tank as they are only 2-3 inches, and only 2 are left. In the process of treating their fugal infection, I lost all of my tetras and my BN cat fish. The Discus are however doing ok. I really hope to get a breeding pair out of these 2, I doubt it but that would be cool. I keep water at 84-90*F. Fishy girl 2007-05-04
Some of the coolest comments:
Buy at least two, four or six. If you buy 3 or 5 they play odd man out and pick on the most timid one. Start on live brine shrimp. They are expensive and need 0 ammonia, nitrites and nitrate, or at least below 0.005ppm. Try adding cories or snails to clean excess food. You can use shrimp but they will wind up getting eaten. Kevin 2009-03-25
I have kept and bred discus many years. Keep your temp 82-86f and p.h from 6.6 to 7.0 and kh between 60 and 120. Feed wide variety, keep no fewer than 5 in a group, and you are well on your way!!! Roger 2005-12-04
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Great website,very helpful in establishing my new tank. Wish you had lists of compatibile fish to go with each variety. Ray ray 2006-01-28

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