A history of the discus industry in Asia

Discus fish (Symphysodon spp.) are native to the Amazon Basin in South America, but they have been popular in the aquarium trade all over the world since the 1950s. In Asia, discus fish cultivation began in the late 1960s, when a Japanese company called Yamato Aquarium began importing wild-caught discus from Brazil.

Initially, discus fish were considered difficult to breed in captivity, and most of the discus sold in Asia were imported from South America. However, over time, Asian breeders began to experiment with different breeding techniques and water parameters to successfully breed discus fish in captivity.

One of the key pioneers of discus fish breeding in Asia was a Singaporean breeder named Tony Tan, who began breeding discus fish in the early 1970s. Tan is credited with developing some of the first successful breeding techniques for discus fish, including the use of hormone injections to induce spawning.

Since then, discus fish breeding has become an important industry in Asia, particularly in countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. Discus fish breeding has become increasingly specialized, with breeders focusing on developing new color strains and improving the overall health and quality of the fish.

Today, Asian-bred discus fish are highly sought after by aquarium hobbyists all over the world, and many consider them to be among the most beautiful and high-quality discus available.