Cichlids · Symphysodon
Discus
Symphysodon aequifasciatus · Floodplain lakes of the Amazon basin
Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature ≈
28–30 °C 82–86 °F
pH
5–7 soft, acidic water
Adult size
14 cm 5.5 in
Swims ≈
Mid-water mostly in open water
Keep together
5 or more a shoal feels safe
Current ≈
Calm still or slow water
Food
Meaty foods
Temperament
Peaceful
Where it comes from
Home water
Floodplain lakes of the Amazon basin
Amazonas
Lives in flooded forest habitat.
The dot is placed on its home rivers, not an exact collecting site. Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
German blue ram
Cichlids · 4 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Ember tetra
Tetras · 2 cm · mid-water -
Kuhli loach
Loaches · 9 cm · bottom -
Sterba's corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom
Keep apart
-
Aggressive and will eat the discus
-
Will eat the discus
-
Need a different pH
-
Need different temperatures
-
Need a different pH and aggressive
-
Want fast, strong current
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Discus get?
About 14 cm (5.5 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Discus need?
28–30 °C (82–86 °F).
What pH does a Discus need?
pH 5–7.
Does a Discus need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 5.
Is the Discus aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a Discus eat?
Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.
Where does the Discus come from?
Floodplain lakes of the Amazon basin.
What fish can live with a Discus?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Boeseman's rainbowfish, German blue ram, Agassiz's dwarf cichlid.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 28 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 30 | Sourced |
| pH min | 5 | Sourced |
| pH max | 7 | Sourced |
| Adult size (cm) | 14 | Sourced |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Habitat | floodplain | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 5 | Sourced |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Sourced |
| Diet | Carnivore | Sourced |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 60 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 200 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.