Depending on sub-species, the Discus range extends from the Amazon to the Rio Negro Regions of South America. Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) based on colored varieties result from controlled breeding. The Red Turquoise Discus is so named because of its striking turquoise and red stripes, red eyes, and red highlights on the fins. The Red Turquoise Discus has been selectively bred for its brilliant red coloration. The overall coloration of Discus will vary depending on the mood and overall health of the fish. As a result, this Discus is a favorite and prized collection member among hobbyists. The Red Turquoise Discus requires an advanced level of care due to its feeding habits and water filtration requirements. Territorial during spawning, this otherwise peaceful fish is among the schooling group, forming a well-defined nuclear family.
High-quality water conditions (warm, soft, acidic) must be maintained. Becoming slightly territorial when breeding, it is best to breed an established pair, or keep a group of young Discus and allow them to pair themselves.
Mostly carnivorous, the Red Turquoise Discus prefer freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, pellet food designed for Discus, high-quality flake food, and meaty frozen foods.
The coloring depends on the size!
The color of all discus depends on the size. Like other animals, the discus only gets their intensified coloring when they are young and, therefore, from sexual maturity with a size of 10-12cm. Discus is usually colored with a size of 12-14cm. Color changes with a lot of red content can get an even more intense red color through feed with many natural dyes.
breeding of discus fish
The breeding of discus fish is not easy. A couple is placed in a separate basin and can lay eggs on a substrate (usually a clay cone). Discus pairs often spawn, especially when there are fluctuations in temperature (e.g., after changing water). This behavior is still deeply rooted in the discus fish and stems from weather changes in Amazon’s natural habitats. Spawning and fertilizing the eggs can take several hours, and the result is eggs with several hundred eggs. The discus pair will then take care of the brood care of the next generation of discus.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Discus cichlids are shoaling fish and only really feel good in a group of 5-8 animals. In general, the more animals that are kept in a group, the less stressful the discus fish feel. Here, however, you should consider that the aquarium filter should be dimensioned accordingly.
Water condition
Our discus fish feel most comfortable at a temperature of 28 ° C – 30 ° C and a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. pH values of 5.5 – 8.5 are also possible, but a suitable biofilter system must be available so that these values cannot fluctuate too much. We keep our discus fish in normal hard tap water with approx—20 ° dGH. For water treatment, we use a carbon block filter to remove any chlorine residues and other toxins that may be present.
Feeding
Our young discus fish up to 13cm tall are given the following food three times a day:
- In the morning: granules, without color additives
- At noon: In-house fish-shrimp-mussel mix is also fed to adolescents.
- In the evening: freeze-dried Tubifex worms