

Water hardness is a crucial factor for breeding fish. If left untreated, it can cause serious harm to your pet fish. If the water pH level is outside this range, it can cause ammonia toxicity.

The ideal pH is 6.5, but captive discus can also thrive at a pH of 7.8 as long as there’s no variation. It’s a measure of the alkalinity or acidity of the water and must therefore be maintained accurately for the healthy development of your fish.Ī discus tank requires the water pH to be between 6.0 to 7.8. Recommended: Discus Fish Care | Are Discus Fish Aggressive?Īnother important factor to consider is the pH level of the water. Keeping the temperature in the higher range will keep the discus active, improve its metabolism, assist in growth, and help in developing brighter colors. So be careful while choosing other tankmates for your discus. You must note that the dissolved oxygen is lower at higher temperatures. So you must ensure it gets the stable water temperature that it needs to thrive.ĭiscus prefers water temperature in the range of 82☏ to 88☏ (28☌ to 31☌). Given below are the ideal water parameters required for discus.ĭiscus prefers warm water temperatures.

Maintaining adequate water quality is vital for the health and longevity of discus as it’s known to live for an average of 10 years or more in pristine water conditions. However, this fish needs specific water parameters to stay healthy and thrive. However, discus can’t survive in most parts of the Amazon basin where the water isn’t clean or often flows too quickly.ĭiscus is sometimes referred to as the “King of the Aquarium” because of its beautiful and regal colors. They can also flourish when they receive continuous freshwater flows. They live in the margins of the floodplains of the lowland Amazon basin, which consists of a few lakes and rivers.ĭiscus fish are found in tropical waters with dense vegetation and long periods of rainfall. These fish are found in Southeast Asia and South America around the Amazon. They contain various additives that can be detrimental to their health. You should also avoid table salt and marine salt for discus. However, overdosing on aquarium salt can be hazardous for freshwater fish. The recommended dose is between one tablespoon for 5 to 10 gallons. It acts as preventive protection against external parasitic infections.ĭosage can vary from one tablespoon for every ten gallons to one tablespoon per gallon. However, small amounts of aquarium salt are believed to help the slime coats of fish. If placed in saltwater tanks, the water inside their cells gets flushed out in the saline environment, and they can’t take outside water because of the higher salt concentrations. Like other freshwater fish, discus fish regulate the water intake and release through various mechanisms like drinking less water and producing dilute urine. If placed in saltwater, they will lose water from their bodies because of the hypertonic environment and perish from dehydration. Freshwater fish regulate their body fluids by controlling the amount of water they take in and release. Let’s now understand more about the ideal water parameters for discus fish.ĭiscus can’t live in saltwater as they’re freshwater fish. So a robust filtration system and regular tank maintenance are required to maintain adequate water parameters. These fish are sensitive to water quality and need tank conditions that mimic their natural habitat. They’re native to the Amazon river in South America.

Discus are one of the most resplendent aquarium fish.
