Aquarium discus fish in my opinion are the most beautiful fresh water fish you can keep. Now I know some people might say cichlids or clown loaches however it's not the point. With their beauty comes a price Discus can cost in upwards of 300 dollars a fish. Yeah I know it sounds crazy and I would never pay or recommend someone pay such a price for a fish. However where I'm from in Michigan you can expect to pay around 45 bucks for a juvenile and up to 100 bucks for a full sized adult. Even though these price are high when you follow some careful tips you may only have to buy two fish for your tank.
Breed and save.
Keeping discus is only the first fun part of the hobby. Breeding is taking your fish keeping to the next level and a very popular method to save money on your expensive fish. Keep in mind this is not as easy as it sounds; it is not as difficult as it sounds either. Breeding discus is very popular among discus keepers because of the high cost of the fish. In some cases the fish will even bred without any special care giving you a nice surprise in a few weeks.
Breeding Tips
There are a couple of ways to get started breeding your discus. When you are setting up a new aquarium discus fish tank you have two options. The easiest option would be to buy a mating pair for your fish dealer. This is the fast track way to start breeding your fish however it is the most expensive one. Some mating pairs can cost between 100 and 300 dollars. The next option is to purchase a group of at least six juvenile fish. When using this method it isn't one hundred percent guaranteed however it usually does work in most cases.
Determining Mom and Dad
In a little bit of time you start to notice mom and dad. What I mean by this is you will see two fish pair off and they will start defending their territory against all of their other tank mates. When you notice this behavior you have found mom and dad. Now it's time to move them both into the breeding tank. A breeding tank is a tank separate from the main tank you put your fish in. I recommend at least a 20 gallon tank for breeding discus.
Setting up the breeding Tank
When you set up your breeding tank use the water from the original tank to keep them unstressed during the exchange. You want to keep the bottom clear, no rocks no gravel. The reason for this is to make it easier to keep the water clean by removing any leftover food and waste. The only decor you want in the tank is a vertical spawning surface. "Aquarium Discus Fish" lay their eggs like angle fish do. They like to spawn there eggs on a vertical surface. A vertical surface would be either a plant or an upside down ceramic pot. if you so desire you can put a potted plant to give the fish some shelter but it is not necessary by any means. Filtration is another important factor. Use a sponge filer for the biological load. I like to use small power filter as well and put a little bag of peat moss in the back to keep the pH level in check.
IMPORTANT BREEDING TANK TIP
Keep in mind the breeding tank is a usually a lot smaller than your original tank. You have to watch this tank for ammonia spikes and water temp. Check the water every day and clean the waste out of it every day. This is very important in the breeding process. Discus like clean water and will not breed without it..
About The Author:
Author Resource:
Steve James is an avid fish keeper who owns an aquarium shop in upper Michigan. You can also view his Aquarium Discus Fish website for more tips on taking care of your aquarium discus fish. You can also read his blog at http://aquariumdiscusfish.blogspot.com
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