People keep all three species as pets in home aquariums. Humans interact with these fish quite frequently. This generally reflects the flood and drought seasons when food availability changes. While animals in aquariums eat primarily commercially-produced fish foods, their wild counterparts alter their diets seasonally. They also search the water for detritus, or small floating pieces of edible matter. They feed on algae, plankton, insect larvae, and other small invertebrates. These fish are primarily omnivorous, which means that they eat both plant and animal matter. A large population also exists in fish farms in Asia. People also keep these fish in home aquariums across the world. You can find all three species in South America, primarily throughout the Amazon River Basin. Each of the three species has its own unique preferences, though most prefer floodplain habitats. Some also live in clear waters of rivers and streams. Others live in whitewater habitats with lots of suspended mud or clay. Some live mostly in blackwater habitats with warm water and acidic pH. They occupy primarily freshwater ecosystems. Its appearance is somewhat similar to that of the brown variation of the green species.Īll three species live in similar habitat types. Green – While it doesn’t look particularly green, this species has a yellow-ish body, small red spots, and dim black stripes. The long stripe gives this fish an overall appearance similar to that of a cat’s eye. Red – It’s easy for you to spot the red species, not because it has bright red coloration, but because it has a distinctive black stripe down its body.The brown has a yellowish body with light brown stripes, iridescent blue pattern on the upper fins and head, and red pattern on the lower fins. Don’t let the name “brown” fool you, even that variation has bright colors and patterns. Blue – This species actually has two color patterns, the blue and the brown.Learn more about the three species, below. These bright colored fish have a number of unique traits and features. Generally, these fish measure between five and nine inches long. Those in home aquariums reach larger sizes than those in the wild. Size varies based on the species and where they live. This means that their bodies are tall from top to bottom, but thin in width. As their name suggests, they have a disc-shaped body that is laterally compressed. They are beautiful and easy to care for.Their bright colors and odd shapes make these fish quite unique. These include Rummy-nose and similar sized tetras. Plants also act as a nutrient sink, meaning drops in water quality are rarer.ĭiscus can often be shy, but this can be helped by surrounding them with a couple of other fish (known as dither fish) that show them they are not in danger.įish that come from the same warm Amazon waters are a great place to start, and shoaling Tetras can look amazing. Plants such s the Amazon Sword plant or Dwarf Hairgrass are easy to add to your tank and provide oxygen to your fish. They prefer soft to medium sediment, as they often search for food on the substrate and larger pieces could injure them as they forage. Vertical wood can also be used to break the water flow, just make sure that these pieces of wood can’t injure the side of the Discus as it swims past. The water flow in your aquarium should be weak, this can be broken using a spray bar or by using driftwood or ornaments. Keeping this warmer temperature will reduce the chance of illness and deaths, it can be maintained using a good quality heater.Īmazonian water is soft and slightly acidic, with a pH between 6 and 7. These fish require higher temperatures than most fish 28-31°c. They do prefer to be free swimming but need the option to be close to cover such as large driftwood or plants in the tank. They tend to stay in the mid-levels but will rise to the top and dip to the bottom to forage so they can easily dominate all levels of the tank. This means smaller discus will need to be monitored to make sure they are able to eat. Like all cichlids, there can be some competition in the shoal and a pecking order will be established. They are a schooling fish, and in large groups can create a wall of patterns across the tank. In most tanks, they are one of the largest and brightest fish. These areas are shaded, and the riverbed is soft sediment.ĭiscus fish are very peaceful, avoiding conflict through escape and intimidation. They are found in crevices and breaks in the water flow, such as small inlets or among fallen trees, where their wide body is protected from the current. This pulse provides much more space for growth, breeding and best of all, feeding. Discus originates from the flood plains of the Amazon, where a ‘flood pulse’ can change the level of water by metres in depth as it rises along a shallow flood plain.
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