Optimal Discus Fish Water Parameters

I’m not a chemist and every time I altered water chemistry it came back to bite me. After many years of trial and allot of errors I came to realize that the discus did not need me to make their water special. Today I do nothing to the water, they adapt and I have learned to do the same. Even raising fry I have learned to do nothing but give then unconditioned tap water.

In my Discus fish tanks, I keep the tanks fresh by doing 25% water changes once or twice a week. The temperature of the water in my Discus tanks, I keep between 84 and 86 for adult fish and breeding pairs, and 86 to 88 for smaller Discus. This higher temperature keeps your Discus fish eating well. Not only will it encourage growth, but will also help them to fend off diseases which cannot tolerate the higher temps. To help the tank run efficiently, allow the water to run slightly acidic at a PH of 6.5 to 7.0. This lower PH inhibits bacterial growth and helps to makes the ammonia nontoxic. As for hardness of your water I personally never check it and the discus fish adapt just fine.

My water comes out of the tap at a PH of 7.2 and will drop to 6.8 before I do another water change allowing it to climb back up above 7. So it is always fluctuating from 6.8 to 7.2 depending on when I last added fresh water. You can add Ph down each time you add fresh water and I use to do this, but not anymore.

I’m a firm believer that if angel fish do well in your local water supply then Discus fish will do just as well. The only difference is that angels tolerate a lower temp of 78-80 and Discus like it warmer, which the angel will do well at too.

So keep it simple, keep the tank warm and do water changes once or twice a week and you will be surprised on how durable and adaptable discus fish really are.