The Top Five Discus Myths Debunked!

Discus are well-known fish, and just like with any popular person or species, many myths exist about them. In this article, we will debunk those myths.

Schmidt-Focke Striated Red Discus

THE TOP FIVE DISCUS MYTHS

• You need to change your discus’ water daily.
• You need to put your discus in a discus-only tank.
• You need to be a water quality expert.
• You need fancy, industrial water filters for the tank.
• You need to feed your discus very fancy food.

DO I NEED TO CHANGE MY DISCUS’ WATER EVERYDAY?

Although discus need clean water, you don’t need to change their water everyday. Of course, the more frequently you change the discus’ water, the better. However, if you simply change most of their water once a week, or if you simply change 20% to 25% of the water a few times weekly your discus will still be healthy. Even if you sometimes forget to change their water, there won’t be a problem. Your goal is simply to prevent waste from building up in the tank. 

DO I NEED A DISCUS-ONLY TANK?

Nope, you don’t need to keep your discus in a discus-only tank. If you want to, that’s fine. If you don’t want to, then welcome other species into your aquarium. Check out our article about Other Fish for Your Discus Aquarium.

Manacapuru Red and Blue Discus with Tetras and Altums

Some species commonly kept with discus include cardinal tetras, lamp eye tetras, rummy nose tetras, corydoras, and ghost shrimp.

DO I NEED TO BE A WATER CHEMISTRY EXPERT?

You don’t need to be a water chemistry expert to give your discus the care they need. However, you do want to check your water quality before you put your fish into new water. 

To get your water quality checked, you have a few options. First, you can go to a local fish store and ask them to test your water quality. Most fish stores are willing to test your water quality for free.

If you are not near a local fish store, then buy water quality test strips online. These are color coded and can provide a huge spectrum of tests on each strip. They are easy to use and read. 

If you want to be very precise and know exactly what your water’s parameters are, use electronic meters. These are not necessary, and they are often expensive. However, if you want to know your water’s exact measurements, they are a useful option.

What should you do if your tap water is not within acceptable levels? Simply use water-treating equipment to adjust your water’s chemistry.

DO I NEED SUPER FILTERS?

No, you don’t need fancy filters. You can have perfect discus water without advanced filters.

Actually, you might have perfect discus water flowing out of your faucet! Test your faucet water. Besides dechlorination, you might not need to do more to have great discus water out of your faucet. If you need to only dechlorinate your water, use a carbon filter.

If your faucet water is not good for discus, you can use water from a water store. Many water stores have invested into massive filtration systems that are more effective than at home filter systems. Be sure to test the water’s quality.

Although it’s not necessary, you can use at-home fish tank water filtration systems instead of the aforementioned options.

DO I NEED TO FEED MY DISCUS VERY FANCY, SPECIAL FOOD?

Fancy food is not required. Discus will eat almost anything. However, if you want them to look their best, they do need a healthy diet rich in protein. 

Discus are genetically programmed to be large. All that growth requires an ample supply of protein. If you don’t feed your discus a healthy diet, it won’t grow to its fullest potential. Its growth may be stunted.

Many people buy fish food flakes and then supplement them with other foods. You have a vast array of foods to choose from, including bloodworms, black worms, beef heart, shrimp, earthworms, krill, and many others. Check out our articles under the Feeding section to explore your feeding options in more depth.

Now that these myths are exposed, you can see that discus really aren’t too hard to care for. Are you ready to learn more about them? Browse the rest of our Learning Center where we have loads of articles waiting for you.

Orange-Tinted Yellow Leopard Discus

QUESTIONS

• Were you surprised that any of these myths are false? 
• How will you ensure proper water quality?
• What do you like to feed your discus?