The Discus fish is a large cichlid from the Amazon River, its tributaries and flood plains, in South America. Discus and the many varieties were first described in 1840 by Dr. Heckel as Symphysodon discus, this name is used now for the Heckel discus variety. The three original color varieties were green, brown and blue, though now a much wider choice are available.

The discus is a social fish and large schools live together in their native waters, and has ahighly advanced social behaviour; they are one of the few real schooling cichlids. Keep in Mind when starting to care for discus; always begin with a number  of them. They need the social interaction to nurture their character to its best potential.

Right now , it is difficult to find the original color variants in pet shops, only the Heckel is sometimes imported. Most of the discus fish you encounter today are captive bred color varieties. Some of the discus have lost their stripes and thereby their natural ability to communicate in the school. One of the bonuses of the captive bred discus is that they are now less difficult to maintain than the imported ones.

It is getting increasingly less difficult to keep Discus Aquarium Fish with the new technology improving water quality and Discus Fish health, which may explain the increase in demand. The amount of new dealers and breeders is growing rapidly and even small aquatic shops are stocking a range of Discus. They are beautiful, while still remaining a challenge to keep and breed, withthis last being very rewarding and will even cover the costs for the hobby. Most people that keep Discus will at some stage want to breed them as it is a great experience, though breeding Discus Fish can be challenging

Discus Fish are very timid fish and often hide when they are not confident so keep the aquarium away from loud and busy areas particularly near doorways and halls . The only other component to think about is the height of the tank, the higher up the better as Discus are distracted by movement above and this may cause them undue stress .

Discus should be given a varied , vitamin and protein rich diet, therefore it is important to use several different types of food: Fish flakes provide a complete diet, though Discus prefer to feed lower in the water, even at the bottom, so soak and squeeze out the flakes before putting into the tank. Frozen brine shrimp, defrosted and rinsed, make a great supplement and the carotene helps enhance colors. Frozen irradiated bloodworms make a good daily addition, even if the flakes contain some already. Do not over feed, Discus fish are grazers, and will eat a little at a time , so allow them time.

Although not easy to keep, these beautiful fish are a very rewarding hobby, if you have the time and patience for them: The exquisite colors are a wonderful addition to any tank or aquarium.