Discus

Author : Efrain Silva

Appearance

Now, we are going to discuss the Discus (See what I did there? If you know me, you know I love my little plays on words, heh heh heh). The Discus, my friend, has all sorts of bright patterns across its main body, as well as colors, neat to look at, to say the least. It has bright red eyes and black dark pupils, similar to a piranha. Its main body is sort of diamond shaped, and it has one very small fin in the back. This guy really looks like no other fish out there, which makes it so distinct in itself.

Diet

When in the wild — get this —- the Discus eats loads and loads of plant life, as well as detritus. Go figure. You will also find it foraging right through the bottom of the ocean, as much as it can, to see if it can pick up some leftovers in the form of small worms or crustaceans. This fish is 100% omnivore, by the way. You can also make sure to feed it pellets or flakes, too, even colored ones as it loves. Algae Rounds can also work quite nicely, I might add, as a side note. Do not overfeed it.

Origins

South America’s Amazon rivers, the very basin around these, is where this fish first holds its origins. And the Symphysodon is its actual, full name as well —- try saying it 5 times in a row, and then saying it backwards, for a real challenge! Also, this fish is now quite popular, for the industry of agriculture, across multiple countries of Asia. Some also call this little buddy the Pompadour fish, a title you might have also heard before. The Heroini Tribe is this fish’s proud tribe, and its kingdom is Animalia. Now we’ve talked about its roots, so now let’s talk about what kind of other fish work well as its partners, housemates, or just buddies….

Roommate Situation

The roommate situation is not looking too slim, this time around — we can find your Discus a nice roommate(s) and in no time. Here is some advice, to that end : Keep in mind that the Discus can be peaceful and calm, yet aggressive as well (a two - edged sword, eh?). Its more aggressive nature, experts say, can come from it being a Cichlid, naturally. Don’t mix it with way too many other kinds of species at once, but instead, try the waters for a bit…. Tetras can work best (Neons, Cardinals, Rummynose and even Emperor ones).

Other Facts to Note

If the Discus is captive in a tank, it has no trouble pairing up with another of its kind and mating. If the parent, however, is young and inexperienced, it most likely will consume its own eggs for the first couple of times or so….just keep this in mind, so that it doesn’t catch you by surprise, should it happen. All in all, the Discus is a fabulous pet to have!