Discus Fish Tank Mates

Discus fish is a popular species of exotic freshwater fish mainly with the aquarium aficionados. They are tropical fish with a distinct discus shape and are native to the basins of Amazon river. When in wild, discus fish are always found very close to the shores, near the submerged tree roots. They are found in glorious red, blue, green, yellow and brown colors. They are a kind of fish that can surely enhance the visual value of any tropical aquarium.

There are many species of the discus fish available for the display purposes. Other types of fish hardly require the atmosphere and dedicated TLC that these exotic fish require. For those of you who have already got the discus fish of their choice, make sure you give the utmost care and affection to this beauty. Discus fish tank size is also different from the regular fish. If you are planning to combine many fish in it, then there is a need for a bigger tank as they are quite big in size. Discus fish tank setup requires plantation and companions of their choice too! I guess now you know what I mean by care and affection. Discus fish tank mates are a huge cause of concern for you as well the fish itself.

Discus Fish Tank
Let me first introduce you to some of the distinct characteristics of this fish. Discus fish are calm, silent and sort of timid in nature and they like to keep their privacy, just like you do. They never like the hustle-bustle of fish around them all the time. They would like to be kept in a group of 5 to 10 fish instead. This is the reason why they are called the "king of aquarium fish". They have lots of attitude and constant demands to accompany them and that's enough for them. Just as a real king, a small mistake about the requirements of the discus fish tank, will not be tolerated.

Don't worry! They do not jump out and run away! What I want to say is, they need a 'little bit more' of attention than the ordinary fish. With all the knowledge about the correct discus fish tank requirements, there are still some chances for you to miss out on the most important point - discus fish tank mates! Although, they are not much antisocial, discus fish do have a different choices for tank mates. Let's find out more.

Discus Fish Tank Mates
Discus fish tank mates (other than their own species) must not be too many. A healthy number that can give them enough space, is all that these fish need. There are many fish that match with the discus fish compatibility meter. Here is a choice that you can make while selecting tank mates for discus fish.

• Characins: These are the kind of freshwater fish that gel great with the discus fish. Discus fish find it safe when the characins are around them. Characins species like rummy nose tetra, neon tetra and cardinal tetras can prove to be a great choice for discus fish tank mates.
• Dwarf Cichlids: The South American dwarf cichlids are also a great choice when one has to select tank mates for discus fish. Maximum size of the dwarf cichlids ranges between 10 to 12 centimeters, which makes them a great fish breed for discus fish compatibility.
• Gouramis: These another very exotic translucent fish are also compatible tank mates for discus fish. This species and other smaller species of dwarf gouramis and pearl gouramis are always recommended discus fish tank mates.
• Corydoras: Also known as cory cats, cory catfish and corys, these exotic freshwater fish also show very high discus fish compatibility. They work as bottom feeders for the discus fish and hence are a great choice for discus fish tank mates. Read more on discus fish food recipe as well.

Many people recommend freshwater angelfish as tank mates for discus fish, but from my observation, they grow older and start to bully the discus (which we don't want)! Try keeping blue ram instead, it is a great fish to top the list of discus fish tank mates. If you are breeding the discus fish and still looking for discus fish tank mates, I would advise to not to do so. The reason for that are the discus fish diseases. Also read on for some tips on aquarium maintenance.

So, we have come to an end of our quest of finding the perfect discus fish tank mates. As a last advise for the new discus fish breeders, do not try to over-experiment with your discus. Raise it in a group of 3 or 5 first and then think about adding on the list of discus fish tank mates. Have a happy time with you discus king!