Creating the proper environment for discus fish involves a certain amount of work and documentation for achieving the best living conditions exotic fish needs. The first question you need to answer about your discus aquarium refers to the tank size. This very much depends on the room you’ve got at home and your financial availability. The discus aquarium should include a deep tank as these fish feel better in lots of water, not to mention that the more the water, the more stable the conditions. Hence, the discus aquarium should be at least 120 cm x 40 cm x 50 cm.

The position of the discus aquarium is very important precisely since the discus are very shy fish when they distrust the surroundings. Make sure the discus aquarium is far from any noise or direct heat and light sources. Heat in excess causes plant overgrowth, while also reducing the level of oxygen. The discus aquarium should also be positioned somewhere high as these fish are disturbed by movement, and it is not advisable to cause them undue stress. Then, the next big issue for a discus aquarium is the stratum you place on the bottom.

In case you create the discus aquarium for display purposes then fine gravel is great to place on the bottom of your tank, but if you use it only for breeding than leave the bottom uncovered. Thus, the discus aquarium is easier to clean as you need to disturb the fish as little as possible during the mating period. As for the plants for your discus aquarium, it is best to go for the natural ones, even if the plastic may look great. Presently you can even order the plant selection for your discus aquarium by mail and have it delivered at home.

Since many people are concerned about the aesthetic dimension of their discus aquarium you may choose rocks and driftwood as decorations. Such items are close to the discus fish native waters where they mainly serve as shelter. Be careful with the kind of rocks you use in your discus aquarium since they should not contain any metal ore or other contaminants. Rocks of the same color and texture are recommended though you may bring diversity to your discus aquarium. Similar texture prevents functionality problems particularly when the rocks have the same provenience, so, you may have to sacrifice some of the good looks for the health of your pets.

Just as dogs make great companions, discus fish make a great show. Breeding discus as a hobby has become so popular that aquariums all over the world have become the home of this king of the exotic species. For some breeders, discus as a hobby means an immense satisfaction particularly when one manages to get some baby discus too. It is truly rewarding to see that what started with discus as a hobby has turned into a life time experience and a true friendship. What is so special about discus as a hobby? Apart from the great beauty of these fish, discus are unique in their social and loving behavior.

Those who breed discus as a hobby will be more than surprised to notice that the discus show signs of connection to the environment outside the tank. For instance breeding discus as a hobby implies spending lots of time around the tank, cleaning, feeding or simply watching the discus. They are said to recognize the owner in time and they can get as close to you as to eat out of your hand. When breeding discus as a hobby, some owners have noticed that the discus will watch you move around the room or even react to TV noise.

Apart from such social behavior, discus enjoy silence and a close community with other fellows from the same species. If you take discus as a hobby, you may want to take into consideration that they prefer living in close communities that is together with several other members. The dominant discus would be the first to couple, followed by the others if proper conditions are met. Even if you breed discus as a hobby you may still have to separate the couples in a different tank allowing them to raise their fry.

For everyone who takes discus as a hobby, it is important that all the proper living conditions are kept under constant observation. You should not use for instance a too powerful lamp for your discus; as a hobby you’d like to keep them in the spot light, but this warms the water above the accepted level and reduces the oxygen quantity. There is a short step to take between breeding discus as a hobby and breeding them at a professional level, after all, discus require the same attention no matter your devotion. Even if you take discus as a hobby, you still have to pay attention to their needs all the time!

It is not uncommon that exotic fish owners find breeding discus fish a little bit difficult to get baby discus. The hardest part about breeding discus fish is finding the right mates, this issue rises from the fact discus like to choose their partners alone, and not anyone suits their “taste”. Under such circumstances, you’ve got two solutions for breeding discus fish: you can either buy a couple or raise them together in a group and hope they will make couples. The first variant is not the happiest, since a discus fish couple can be as expensive as a few hundred dollars, which is a lot.

Therefore, the most advantageous option you’ve got is to start breeding discus fish by creating a discus group of at least six members and keep the fingers crossed that you get at least one couple. How do you recognize mates? Well, breeding discus fish is not that difficult from now on if you follow some basic rules. First of all, the “new-weds” will delimitate a perimeter in the tank and will start defending it against trespassers. This means it’s time for you to move to the second phase of breeding discus fish.

You should prepare a separate tank for your breeding discus fish and keep it as simple as possible. There’s no need to put anything on the bottom of the fish tank, all they need is a vertical surface where they could lay their eggs. Your breeding discus fish should soon begin to spawn. Don’t worry about the eggs that look whitish, those are infertile for sure, as for the rest, it is possible that the parents may eat some of them and protect the others. The good part about breeding discus fish is that they feed their own siblings for a few weeks.

In about three weeks time, you’ll have to move the fry into a special tank as it is not uncommon that the breeding discus fish be injured by their own babies who eat their scales for instance. Once they’re off the parenthood responsibility, the breeding discus fish will begin a new cycle of reproduction and you may have some more siblings soon afterwards. Feeding and water are essential all throughout the breeding period, so, make sure that you don’t make any mistakes. For further professional information on breeding discus fish you can always turn to the advice available on www.discus-fish-secrets.com.

Before breeding discus, you will definitely need to learn all you can on the habits of these exotic and charming creatures. Before breeding, discus like to choose their partner alone, which may make it a little difficult and even expensive for the owner. Breeding discus should be kept in groups of maximum four individuals as the ideal formation. Keep the water warm enough and feed them properly and breeding discus will be a true joy; it won’t take too long before they will spawn. To understand the principles of breeding discus you’ve got a lot of things to read as there will be quite some changes in your tank.

First of all you should know that breeding discus will choose an almost vertical site for their mating and will clean it before laying eggs. Don’t be surprised if they spawn on the bottom or the side of the tank. After laying the eggs and fertilizing them, the two parents will be guarding the perimeter preventing other fish to come close. Breeding discus also means noticing behavior changes in your so calm and shy fish. They are not going to become aggressive to other tank inhabitants unless the eggs are in danger. Breeding discus sometimes means having some eggs sacrificed. Therefore, the parents eat the eggs they cannot protect.

It is easy to find out when you’ve got a pair of breeding discus; once two of them start defending a perimeter in the aquarium, you need to act quickly. It would be perfect if the owner separated the breeding discus to a different tank set up for the purpose. Don’t put anything on the bottom of the tank of the breeding discus as you’ll have to clean it very easily. They only need a vertical surface to deposit their eggs. To improve the environment of the breeding discus you can add a small bag of peat moss in the power filter, thus recreating the natural water conditions of the discus.

Water and food are the two main principles for successful discus breeding. For assistance and useful information on how to deal with breeding discus you may visit the following web page: www.discus-fish-secrets.com. Practical information is always welcome particularly when you haven’t been breeding discus before; so, enjoy the experience and don’t forget that the appearance of new healthy fry is entirely your responsibility from the beginning to the end. Good luck!