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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Discus
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Variations

11 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Discus

Symphysodon aequifasciatus · Pompadour, King of the aquarium

Peaceful, shy group fish; stressed by fast or boisterous tankmates.

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13.7 cmBody length, without tail ✓
26–30 °CTemperature ✓
5–7pH ✓
250 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Discus eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 21–25 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Discus eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Ember tetra only grows to 2 cm.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 16–24 °C). No setting suits both.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 26–27 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

191 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓0–5 dGH
Group size ?5 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–10 cm
Growth Slow

Behavior

Peaceful, shy group fish; stressed by fast or boisterous tankmates.

Food

Discus granules, frozen bloodworms, beef-heart mixes.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleThicker lips, steeper forehead, pointed breeding tube
FemaleRounder head, blunt breeding tube
TipVery hard; most keepers wait for pairs to form
How hard to tellHard

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Hard

Pairs spawn on firm surfaces such as submerged roots (in tanks, a cone or upright surface). Both parents guard the brood, and the newly hatched fry graze on a nourishing mucus from the parents' skin.

Pairing

Buy 6-8 young fish and let pairs form, or buy a proven pair. Pairs take time to bond.

Setup

A 30-55 gallon (110-200 L) tank, 28-30 C, soft acidic water, spawning cone or tube. Keep it bare and spotless.

What starts it

Warm, very clean soft water and large frequent water changes.

Eggs

Eggs hatch in about 2.5 days at 28 °C; larvae start eating other food at about 5.7 days. Parents feed fry with skin mucus intensely for about 2 weeks, tapering off by week 4.

Raising the fry

Parents feed fry with body mucus. Add baby brine shrimp after the first week. Fry need very clean water and many daily water changes.

Common mistakes
  • Using poor water quality
  • Moving the pair too often
  • Stress from loud noise or lights
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionAmazon basin – Brazil, Peru & Colombia
Rivers and lakesAmazon and tributaries such as the Rio Negro, Tefé and Purus
HabitatFlooded forest and lakes
Native rangeAbout 1,500 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

Amazon sword

The story of the discus

Often called the 'king of the aquarium'. Both parents feed their fry with a nourishing skin mucus ('discus milk'), something almost unique among fishes. Needs warm (26-30 °C), very soft water and a mature, stable tank.

Jacques Pellegrin described Symphysodon aequifasciatus in 1904. Discus became known as the 'king of the aquarium', and breeders in Germany and Asia later developed many colour strains. Parents feed their young on a special secretion produced on their skin.

First described by Jacques Pellegrin in 1904.

  • Young discus feed on mucus produced on their parents' skin.
  • Wild discus live in very soft, acidic water.
  • Their round shape gives them their name.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources