Diskusy - one of the most beautiful breeds of aquarium fish, which, at the same time, is considered very capricious. But do not think that the content of discus is the lot of professionals. If you equip yourself with the necessary knowledge, your fish will long please you.
Description
The habitat of discus in natural conditions is the tributaries of the Amazon. These little fishes manage to co-exist alongside dangerous Arovan, predatory piranhas and freshwater dolphins. Discus people inhabit the coastal zones of the river basin, they hide between the roots of trees. In the equatorial forests a very hot climate, rains are frequent, so the temperature for discus in the aquarium is acceptable if it varies within 25-32 degrees.
Discussions - small fishes. An adult can grow up to 22 centimeters. The content of discus in a large aquarium with a suitable water quality and abundance of food affects the size of fish. If your pets do not exceed 12 centimeters in length, care of the discus requires adjustment.
The color of these fish is varied, which also depends on the conditions of detention. Good lighting, the color of the aquarium ground and the background can influence the coloring of the discus, because they adapt to the habitat. Usually fish are acquired at a young age, so it remains to believe the seller for a word, what will grow your discus: brown, red, blue, cobalt or green. Precisely, it will be known closer to one-year age.
Contents of discus in the aquarium
The discus is schooled fish, therefore it is necessary to populate at least six individuals in the aquarium. Despite the fact that they do not show aggression to other fish, they sometimes compete with each other. The most suitable condition for the maintenance of discus is an aquarium separate from other fish. And this is due not only to the water temperature. The fact is that non-dangerous diseases that other fish easily tolerate, for discus are most often fatal, and if you take into account the cost of discus ...
Many people think that plants for an aquarium with discus do not fit. This is due to the need to clean the soil, because clean water is an indispensable condition for the life of these fish. If you still decided to combine discus and plants, then choose your hard-leaved anubias, a stable echinodorus, a nice aponogetone curly or vallisneria. They will not only decorate the aquarium, but will also perfectly cope with the role of a natural chemical filter. There should not be too many plants - the fish need space for underwater walks.
Concerning the feeding of discus, the fish are whimsical, they need a full and varied menu. Tuber, bloodworm and artemia do not like discus. But live food, special minced meat and quality vitaminized feed will be welcome. The food should be given twice or thrice a day, and its remains immediately cleaned.
Alarm signals
If the conditions of feeding and maintenance of discus are observed, there will be no problems. But if you notice that the fish began to ache, move little and inactive eat, then there is a mistake somewhere. Usually the main reason is the improper preparation of water for discus. We have already mentioned the temperature. Concerning the volume, it is necessary to allocate up to 50 liters of water per individual. In this case, three changes of water per week will be enough. If the density of discus in the aquarium is high, then a daily substitution is necessary. In this case, you should create a good aeration in the aquarium and install a powerful filter. Water should not be rigid. It is better if the pH hardness index does not exceed 7,0, and dH - 15. The test obtained at the pet shop will help you to constantly monitor the water parameters.