Contents of discus

Fish discus belongs to the family of cichlids. These are schooling fish, so they are best kept in a small group of five to eight individuals. Many cichlids are quite unpretentious incontent. But the discus does not belong to such fish. The content of the discus will require you considerable effort and cost to fully please all the desires of these fish.

Adult aquarium discs are quite expensive, so many aquarists preferbuy these fish fry. Of course, this has its advantages, because you will save a large sum. But the fact is that all fry have the same brown color. As the fish grow, their natural beautiful color begins to show up. But in full glory the discus in the aquarium will show itself only when they form pairs and begin to spawn. Therefore, it is recommended to buy immediately 8-10 discus, thereby increasing the chances that you will have at least two pairs of fish.

What is difficult content discus? To start it is necessary to correctly recreate all the conditions of their habitat. Therefore, you have to take into accounthardness, pH, temperature and water condition. It is also necessary to choose a good variety of food. Let us dwell on all the subtleties of the discus content in more detail.

Water temperature. Discussions love warm water, so their betterall contain separately from other aquarium fish. The optimum water temperature for discus is 27.5-29 ° C. As you can see, for many other common aquarium fish such warm water is unfavorable. For fish fry and in the breeding season for adult fish, the water temperature should be 30-33 ° C.

Hardness of water. For discus the water from undercrane. They do not like hard water, so carry out a test of the water that you are going to use. To mitigate water, you can use special filters. The content of discus is unacceptable in hard water, because they can have an osmotic shock.

PH level. Pay attention to the acidity level of the water. The content of discus will be ideal only in non-acidic water. Therefore, be sure to measure the pH level of your water. Ideally, it should be between 6.0-7.0. Of course, discs can withstand a pH of 5.5, but it's better not to deviate from the above indicators.

Impurities. Make sure that there is no chlorine in the water orchloramine - the usual substances that disinfect water. Fishes do not tolerate chlorine, because it is destructive for them. Also, the content of discus will require you from time to time to conduct a water test on the level of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Keep these substances in the normal state.

Water replacement. Discussions require a weekly water change. These fish do not like when they completely change all the water, so spend a substitution of only 1/4 of the volume of the aquarium. Try not to make noise, because sounds, reinforced in the water, will only irritate the fish. Be sure to clean the bottom, removing the remains of the feed. In addition, discus love that they have always fresh water. Therefore, a small amount of water can be changed every day. If you have time for a daily change of water, try to do it at least two hours after feeding.

Feed. Fish discus is very fond of a variety of food. From the monotony of food, discus quickly become weak and lose all interest in what you offer them. Give them food rich in vitamins and omega-acids. It is the omega acids that best affect the growth of fish and the formation of their beautiful pattern. You can also use live food (bloodworm and tubing). Excellent for the content of discus is also suitable frozen food (shrimp or various worms). Make sure that all fish get enough feed, but do not overfeed them. The content of discus will require from you first their feeding three times a day, because young animals need increased attention. But over time, you can switch to one-time feeding.

Also, do not forget that you need a discus aquarium. One small fish will need 10-15liters of water. Therefore, the minimum volume of the aquarium should be 100 liters, in which you can contain no more than two adult fish. But since the discus keep flocks, you will have to purchase several copies. Therefore, choose an aquarium with a minimum volume of 200-250 liters. Also, do not forget about the powerful water filtration system for these fish.

If you try to best ensure the best conditions for these fish, the content of discus will not seem too complicated for you.