Discus fish are one of the most magnificent tropical fish, but to have them can be a great challenge because their environment is very important. There you can find some key tips how to keep Discus healthy and happy:
1. The first tip is to keep the tank clean because Discus fish are very sensitive to water conditions and diseases. Discus fishdo not like water wells for quality changes. On the other hand a smaller tank fluctuates it’s pH levels, so the smallest proper sized tank for them should be 40 gallons.
2. Quarantine new fish for two to three weeks in a separate tank before put them together with others in your tank. New fish can bring bacteria, disease or parasites. If you do not notice any signs of ill health by the end of this period it is safe to put them in the tank together with the other existing fish you have before.
3. Regulate the water temperature because Discus as any other tropical fish thrive at 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit so you can use a heater to the perfect water temperature for your fish.
4. You should be aware of the kind of environment suitable for Discus fish. These fish is swim through foliage in the nature, they hide under rocks, logs, plants, or other shelters so you should have plenty of places in your tank where Discus can hide.
5. Fed Discus with the right food. They love live foods like worms, daphnia, bloodworms, or brine shrimp. But be careful because sometimes these foods can have parasites and bacteria.
6. Tip number six goes right along with the last tip; the feeding process itself. Discus are a very reactive fish. They will react to your presence in the room, things on TV, or they even may tap on the glass at your approach before feeding time. Take notice of their feeding habits on a regular basis. If they are not eating, there is something wrong. Do not overfeed them. This can pollute the tank and overeating can cause the fish stress.
7. Supply your Discus tank with a good filter. You can buy an overhead filter because it is easy to clean and eliminates chlorine and heavy metals from the water without changing the pH level.
8. Position your tank in a quiet place with no activities to make fish jumpy.Avoid places where there are shadows or vibrations.
9. Put overhead lighting to cut down the on the shadows which may frighten the fish.
10. Change at least twenty to thirty percent of water in the tank once a week. Do not change at once a large amount of water because it stresses the fish and fluctuates the quality of water too much.
If you follow these simple tips Discus fish will flourish for years to come!
source: http://www.petscomfortadvisor.com/ten_tips_for_caring_for_your_discus_fish.html