Discus Fish Care: The Importance of the Water

When it comes to discus fish care, it can be a quite complicated task to make sure that you fish are happy and healthy and getting everything that they need, discus fish are not really recommended for beginner aquarists but if you would like to give it a try, then there are some important factors that you should consider when it comes to discus fish care, and one of the most important factors in the health of a discus fish is the water.
Discus fish come from the Amazon River and so they are used to warmer and more acidic water types. The ideal temperature for a discus water tank should be around 26-31 C for adult fish and for baby discus and young discus fish, the ideal temperature of the water should be kept at 31 C. it is important for the water to be soft and acidic with a pH lever of between 5.5 and 6.5, and this is an ideal pH level for wild caught discus fish to maintain their health.

Many aquarists think that the water in a discus fish tank should be changed often (this is the same with any fish tank) but if you maintain a well planted tank that includes adequate filtration, lighting and bottom dwelling fish to clean up the mess that discus leave behind after eating, then this should keep the tank a lot cleaner and the water clearer for longer and you can simply top up the tank every other day with RO water. When it comes to the plants and other fish that you decide to keep in the water with your discus fish, you should choose fish and plants to compliment the discus so that they are able to thrive and do well.
When it comes to captive discus fish which have been bred, then it is possible for them to adapt to harder water which makes discus fish care that little bit easier. Captive discus can survive in water with a pH balance of up to 6.8 (this is not suitable if you are attempting to breed discus however, soft and acidic water is best for breeding) when the pH balance is low then it protects the discus fish from the poison of toxins which allows the discus to live in conditions that are almost the same as the water conditions that they were evolved from.

It is important to note that a pH level which drops below 5 can inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria which can exist in the filter that you provide. So when it comes to discus fish care you must remember that the temperature and the pH balance of the water is very important any drop or change in the pH can cause the discus to get sick and can even cause them to die, which is why that it is not considered acceptable for inexperienced fish owners to look after discus fish, however we all must learn some where and if you are really interested in owning your own discus aquarium, then be sure to read up on all of the information that is available to you on discus fish care.

Important to note that a pH level which drops below 5 can inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria which can exist in the filter that you provide. So when it comes to discus fish care you must remember that the temperature and the pH balance of the water is very important any drop or change in the pH can cause the discus to get sick and can even cause them to die, which is why that it is not considered acceptable for inexperienced fish owners to look after discus fish, however we all must learn some where and if you are really interested in owning your own discus aquarium, then be sure to read up on all of the information that is available to you on discus fish care.

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Tue, 9 Jun 2009 at 10:30 AM, by Sean Wesley
A well presented article. We would welcome such inclusions in our own directory.


Sean Wesley
http://www.articlefountain.com

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