Scientific name: | Symphysodon aequifasciatus (blue discus or brown discus), S. discus (red discus or heckle discus), S. tarzoo (green discus) |
Common names | Discus fish, pompadour fish, king of the aquarium |
Distribution: | Amazon river basin, South America |
Size: | 4.6–8 inches |
Life expectancy: | 10–15 years in captivity |
Color: | Wild discus fish are red, blue, or green, and other colors. Patterned hybrids exist in captivity |
Diet: | Omnivore |
Temperament: | Intelligent, peaceful, shy |
Minimum tank size: | 10 gallons per fish, or over 55 gallons for a group of six fish |
Temperature: | 82–88°F (28–31°C) |
pH: | 6.0–7.0 |
Hardness: | Soft water, 2–8 dGH |
Care level: | Challenging, requires a higher temperature than many other species |
Breeding: | Mouthbrooders |