2 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful but sensitive; needs warm, clean water and quiet tankmates.
70 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful but sensitive; needs warm, clean water and quiet tankmates.
Beef heart mix, bloodworms, quality discus pellets.
Tap a food to see what it is.
No reliable outward difference; males may grow a little larger. Pairs are best identified when they form and by the breeding tubes at spawning.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Open substrate spawner ·
Pairs lay several hundred eggs on a firm surface (stones, wood or plants; a cone or slate in tanks). Both parents guard eggs and larvae, and the fry feed on the parents' skin mucus.
Grow out 6 juveniles and let a pair form; separate the pair if others are harassed.
A 250 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, flat slate or rocks as spawning surfaces and a tight lid.
Warm, clean water, frequent water changes and protein-rich food.
About 300-400 eggs per spawn (several hundred); eggs incubate 3-4 days and fry start feeding on parental mucus at about 4 days old.
Parents move the wrigglers to pits and guard the free-swimming fry; feed newly hatched brine shrimp and crushed flake.
The Heckel discus is recognised by a broad dark central bar. Described by Heckel in 1840 from Rio Negro fish collected by Johann Natterer, it is rarely bred, so almost all Heckel on sale are wild-caught.
Heckel described the discus in 1840, using specimens collected by Johann Natterer in Brazil. It is recognised by a wide dark central bar. It is rarer than the other discus species in the hobby.
First described by Johann J. Heckel in 1840. Named for Discus refers to its round, disc-like body.
16 facts checked with sources
S. discus Heckel, 1840 is the type species of Symphysodon and its validity for the Heckel discus is not disputed (unlike the blue/brown/green names). Consistent with species-discus.json: FishBase follows Ready et al. 2006 (S. discus, S. aequifasciatus, S. tarzoo); Catalog of Fishes also accepts S. haraldi; Bleher et al. 2007 apply aequifasciatus to green discus. UF/IFAS notes all discus forms interbreed freely. No 2025-2026 revision found. Trade 'Heckel cross' fish are hybrids with other discus and should not be labelled S. discus.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2024: Discus Heckel Rio Negro · Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2024: The scientific species name of discus cichlids: an open questionLegacy has no family field; sourced value recorded.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summaryFishBase gives 12.3 cm SL (preserved specimens, Kullander checklist) and 20 cm TL (aquarium reference). Wikipedia says 20 cm SL, but that seems to repeat FishBase's TL figure. UF/IFAS gives 15-20 cm TL for discus generally. Larger well-sourced figure used: 20 cm TL. Legacy 17 cm is inside the range.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Wikipedia: Symphysodon discus (cites Crampton 2008, FishBase) · UF/IFAS Extension FA166 (Ohs & Chapman): Discus Symphysodon spp. for Florida aquacultureFishBase and Seriously Fish (genus-wide profile) give 26-30 °C; wild habitat measured 26-32 °C (Wikipedia citing Crampton); UF/IFAS gives 28-30 °C for keeping. Legacy 28-32 tops out above the aquarium sources; 28-30 is a sensible target within the sourced range.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Seriously Fish: Symphysodon aequifasciatus (covers discus generally) · Wikipedia: Symphysodon discus (cites Crampton 2008, FishBase) · UF/IFAS Extension FA166 (Ohs & Chapman): Discus Symphysodon spp. for Florida aquacultureFishBase gives 4.2-6.2 for this species (wild habitat 4.2-5.2). Seriously Fish's genus-wide profile allows 5.0-7.0. Legacy 5-6.8 is within the genus range; wild Heckel are the most acid-water dependent discus, so the lower range is recorded.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Wikipedia: Symphysodon discus (cites Crampton 2008, FishBase) · Seriously Fish: Symphysodon aequifasciatus (covers discus generally)Legacy has no hardness. FishBase gives 0-1 dH for S. discus (extremely soft blackwater); Seriously Fish's genus-wide profile 0-5 dGH. Aquarium-bred stock tolerates the latter.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Seriously Fish: Symphysodon aequifasciatus (covers discus generally)120 x 45 x 45 cm = 243 L (Seriously Fish states 255 L) for a pair or a few juveniles; Seriously Fish has no separate page for this species, so the genus-wide discus profile is used. Legacy 350 L for a group of 5+ adults is more generous and can stay as editorial judgment, but no source gives it.
Seriously Fish: Symphysodon aequifasciatus (covers discus generally)Aquarium Glaser recommends at least 6 (better 8-12); legacy 5 is one short.
Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2019: Symphysodon discusSeriously Fish's rating panel lists discus as 'peaceful'; territorial when breeding.
Seriously Fish: Symphysodon aequifasciatus (covers discus generally) · UF/IFAS Extension FA166 (Ohs & Chapman): Discus Symphysodon spp. for Florida aquacultureNo source names a swimming level; Glaser notes they sift sand for food, so they use the lower half too.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summaryGlaser says advanced aquarists only; with its very soft, acid water needs, legacy 3 (hard) is supported. Seriously Fish rates discus generally 'Moderate', but wild Heckel are the most demanding form.
Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2019: Symphysodon discus · FishBase: Symphysodon discus summaryLegacy has no range field.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Wikipedia: Symphysodon discus (cites Crampton 2008, FishBase)Legacy (male same size or slightly larger, more angular head; papilla at spawning) is common hobby advice; UF/IFAS says there are no morphological or colour differences. Head shape is not supported by a source.
UF/IFAS Extension FA166 (Ohs & Chapman): Discus Symphysodon spp. for Florida aquacultureAgrees with legacy. Note: Glaser says Heckel discus are hardly ever bred in captivity; nearly all are wild-caught.
FishBase: Symphysodon discus summary · Crampton 2008, Neotropical Ichthyology 6(4) · Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2019: Symphysodon discusUF/IFAS figures are for discus generally (it cites Chellappa et al. 2005 on wild S. discus ovaries). Legacy 100-300 is low; legacy business-panel figures were not checked.
UF/IFAS Extension FA166 (Ohs & Chapman): Discus Symphysodon spp. for Florida aquaculture · FishBase: Symphysodon discus summaryBroad central bar verified. Legacy says 'the wild form is rarer than tank-bred varieties': the source says the opposite: tank-bred Heckel hardly exist, wild-caught fish are the usual supply. Legacy variant names 'Red Heckel'/'Pigeon Heckel' were not checked; 'Pigeon' is a domestic strain name and such fish are hybrids.
Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2019: Symphysodon discus · Aquarium Glaser (Schäfer) 2024: Discus Heckel Rio Negro