Discus Water Tips

Clean water is a crucial element in growing out your fish. You will want to match the water conditions as closely as possible to that of the source of your Discus. Daily changes of 50 to 60 percent is recommended and at least on an every other day schedule. You will want to provide new tap water that has been de-chlorinated and matches closely to the tank water in temperature at 84 degrees. Avoid using RO water for young Discus, they need the minerals of harder water to aid in there development. Once they have matured and if you're interested in breeding them you can dabble with softening their water. If you have purchased Discus from different places you will need to keep them quarantined separately for 4 - 6 weeks. Don't Cheat!   

Discus fish needs clean water and good nutrition in order to thrive. When you are putting tap water in your aquarium, make sure that the water is treated first before you place the discus fish inside. This is to ensure that the water is free from chemicals, such as chlorine and other heavy metals. Discus fish lives naturally in soft water that is slightly acidic. 

The temperature of the water must be kept stable. In their natural home, discus fish usually thrives in water with temperatures between the range of 28 and 31 degrees Celsius. Any higher or lower than these temperatures will be enough to kill the fish or not let them survive for long. This is why you may want to invest in a water thermometer in order for you to constantly monitor the water so it won’t exceed or drop below the required temperature. 

Lastly, the water hardness should also be considered. Also, you should keep in mind that discus fish thrives in tropical waters. So, keep the water temperature in your tank between 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a water heater in your tank to keep the water temperature stable and you should also invest in a water thermometer in order for you to constantly monitor the temperature. 

The water inside your tank should simulate the temperature which is round 25-30 degrees Celsius. Anywhere in the middle would just be perfect. It has always been said that prevention is better than cure, so knowing what signs to look out for to determine whether there is something wrong with the tank or with your discus fish. To be honest, it’s much more bothersome to be treating illness rather than just plainly keeping a routine of maintaining a clean tank, at least you can put it in your schedule. Besides, keeping your tank water clean is just one of the responsibilities of owning an aquarium.  

Changing the water in your tank should be done at least once or twice a week. A partial change will also be good and it will require less handling of your fish. Changing at least a quarter to half the water in the tank will suffice as long as you have a good biological filtration system installed. In some cases, some aquarists would just add some medication to clear up the dirt. This though should not be done often. To help keep the tank clean, always clean your tank two hours after you have fed them, remove the excess food right way. 

As a discus fish owner, you need to understand that you should test the water prior to every water change. This is to ensure that the water chemistry is correct for your discus fish to thrive or live in.