Discus fish are quite difficult to care for and breed, and they may not live long on your first attempt to care for them. One of the advantages of this fish that is not found in other aquarium species is the instinct of young fish to eat from the skin of their parents. This makes it easier to care for when there are two generations of fish in one tank. However, if you want to grow these fish in a protected environment, away from the threat of cannibalism or diseases transmitted by adult fish, you will need special foods that can replace the role of nutritional food from the skin of the fish's parents. The two methods begin with creating a suitable environment for breeding, and are described separately.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Encouraging Discus Fish to Breed
Step 1. Keep several fish stocks to increase the chances of male and female fish
There is no definite way to determine the sex of discus fish, especially when they are not yet fully mature. Adult male fish "usually" have thicker lips, and are also more aggressive. However, if you have a large enough aquarium, it is best to have four discus fish, to increase the chances of having both male and female discus fish.
- Some discus fish may show a pattern that distinguishes between males and females, but this is not a guarantee.
- Female discus fish usually mate at 9 months of age, while male discus fish usually mate at 13 months of age.
Step 2. Keep your discus fish in a large aquarium
Discus fish will likely not want to mate if kept in an aquarium that is too small. An aquarium for discus fish should be 38 cm deep. Keep a pair of discus fish in an aquarium that can fill up to 191 liters of water. If you want to keep four to six discus fish, use an aquarium that can hold 225 liters of water.
Step 3. Measure and regulate the levels of nitrite, nitrate and ammonia in your aquarium
Aquarium stores usually sell the equipment you need to measure the levels of these substances in the water. If your nitrite (with "'i'") or ammonia levels are below 0 ppm, or nitrate (with "'a'") levels are above 20 ppm, then your aquarium water may be toxic to your fish. Do a fishless cycle if your aquarium water is empty or ask an experienced aquarium owner.
Look for better aquarium equipment. Equipment that can provide some or all of the test kits in the steps below
Step 4. Thoroughly test the water conditions in your aquarium and manage them carefully
The temperature in your tank should be around 27.7 degrees Celsius or more to create suitable conditions for fish to breed. The pH value of the water should stabilize around pH 6.5, never exceeding 7.0. Purchase an electronic conductivity tester to test your mineral levels, which should be between 100 and 200 microsiemens. If any of these require resetting, make the adjustments small so as not to harm your fish. And, follow these instructions:
- Adding a substance to increase or decrease the pH level will also increase the conductivity. Continue to measure all levels in your tank when you do the reset.
- It is not recommended that you add reverse osmosis water unless you need to lower the conductivity of your water below 200 microsiemens. In other cases, you can simply use plain tap water.
Step 5. Change some of your aquarium water regularly
Change 10% of your aquarium water regularly per day or 20-30% per week so that your tank is always clean and can allow your discus fish to breed. Vacuum up any debris at the bottom of the tank whenever necessary. Also clean the sides of the tank to avoid changing the color of the water and also to avoid contaminating the new water added.
Step 6. Feed your discus fish protein food
A variety of foods such as mosquito larvae, mature brine shrimp, or live white caterpillars are the best foods to provide your discus fish with the nutrients they need. If live food is not available, give your discus liver beef. As a last resort, give your discus fish flakes that are high in protein for the animal. Sometimes you may need to give your discus fish a vitamin supplement for tropical fish, spinach powder, spirulina, or high-quality food flakes for added nutrition.
Collecting live food for your fish from fresh water can reduce the risk of transmitting disease to your fish. Many aquarium lovers buy live food from a trusted source that provides live food without disease, then treat the live food at home to reduce the chance of getting sick in the future
Step 7. Add an area for spawning fish to your aquarium
A low surface may encourage your discus to lay eggs, and it will be easier if you plan to separate the eggs from the parents. You can use a tall, upturned flowerpot, a place designed for spawning fish that you can buy at an aquarium store, or a short PVC pipe. Placing your aquarium in a quiet place can also increase the chances for your discus fish to breed.
Don't worry if your discus lays eggs directly on the surface of the water, as long as the spawning fish protects the eggs from other fish
Step 8. Watch the mating fish
If a pair of discus fish starts cornering, clearing the area for spawning fish, or becomes aggressive with other discus fish, there's a good chance that the pair are male and female fish that will be mating in the near future. If the pair becomes very aggressive, you may need to separate them from the rest of the fish in the tank.
Step 9. Add methylene blue to your aquarium
A few drops of methylene blue in the aquarium water will protect the eggs from bacteria and fungi. Look at the ingredients at an aquarium store or online, then apply the drops using an eye dropper.
Step 10. Decide whether to breed young discus fish with their parents or not
If all goes well, raising a young discus fish with its parents increases its chances of longevity. However, some discus parents may eat their own eggs or young or also spread disease. It's possible that discus fish raised by their own parents will make good parents in the end, and that's useful if you plan to breed discus fish for generations. Proceed to the relevant section once you have made your decision.
If you or someone you know owns a pair of discus fish that have experience mating, you can use that pair as a "representative" parent/surrogate parent
Step 11. Replace the strong filter with a sponge or air stone filter
Aquariums with small fish should only use filters and a gentle oxygenating device to prevent small fish from being sucked in by the filter or exhausted by the constant flow of water. Adjust your aquarium filter if needed after you have decided what type of aquarium you will use to grow your little discus fish.
Method 2 of 3: Keeping Discus Fish With Their Parents
Step 1. Watch if the eggs hatch
After two or three days, the eggs should have hatched, but the small fish that have just hatched from the eggs will remain in the egg area for some time. If you see the parent fish eating the eggs while you wait, consider removing the parent fish and follow the instructions for raising the discus fish without the parents.
Step 2. Reduce the amount of water before the minnows release their eggs (optional)
A few days after the eggs hatch, the small fish will break away from the eggs and move to the side of their parents, and will eat from the shell on that side. You can increase the chances of small fish finding their parents by reducing the total water level in the aquarium, even if it is only 25 cm.
- Parents with brightly colored discs may be more difficult for their children to find.
- Remove the surface of the tank where the eggs have hatched if small fish try to eat them.
Step 3. Give baby brine shrimp to small fish 4-5 days after small fish start swimming
Once the chicks have started to swim freely for about four days, start feeding them small amounts of baby brine shrimp, 4 to 4 times a day.
- Clean the shrimp that died because they were not eaten on the same day to keep the aquarium water clean.
- If you can't provide live brine shrimp, use frozen ones. Use the soft bubbles on the air stone to make the frozen shrimp move around the tank. If you don't do that, the small fish won't even notice that the frozen shrimp are food.
Step 4. Change your minnow diet after six weeks
When the minnows are six weeks old, they can eat a more varied diet. Try to give a variety of animal protein and vegetables that are rich in vitamins. Many discus fish breeders are willing to share their discus fish food recipe, which contains all these ingredients mixed together and is easy for small fish to eat.
You may transfer the minnow to a different tank at this age, away from the parents. This may be important to avoid excess capacity in the aquarium
Method 3 of 3: Keeping Discus Fish Without Its Parents
Step 1. Transfer the water containing the eggs to the new aquarium
Make sure the new aquarium has the same water conditions as described in the section on encouraging discus fish to breed. However, you will have more success if you use a smaller aquarium. If the eggs are on the surface of the tank instead of on the pipe or spawning cone, you may need to remove the adult fish instead.
Continue to change the water regularly, as described in the section on encouraging discus fish to breed
Step 2. Wait for the small fish to swim freely
After a few days, the eggs will hatch, but it will take a few days for the small fish to emerge from the eggs and start swimming freely.
Step 3. Ideally, feed the minnows with rotifers from a clean source
Rotifers are tiny organisms found in pond water. However, rotifers taken from the wild may contain dangerous diseases. Therefore, buy a clean rotifer from an aquarium store.
Rotifers can multiply, making feeding instructions difficult. Ideally, feed small fish rotifers in very small quantities (about the size of a blunt pencil tip) about ten or more times per day, or according to the instructions for minnows on the rotifer package
Step 4. Otherwise, mix the egg yolks with the other ingredients
Many breeders pour egg yolks on the sides of the tank for small fish to eat. The results of the development of small fish with this diet will be slower than using the rotifer method, but this method is cheaper and easier. Mix egg yolks with other discus foods such as spirulina and brine shrimp for added nutrition. You can also mix hard-boiled egg yolks with hard-boiled egg yolks to make a mixture that will stick to the sides of the tank.
Discus can be given normal food after six weeks, although you are advised to use a discus food recipe after the previous step as they develop
Tips
- Small fish that are physically disabled are usually taken by farmers. At the very least, you should transfer the deformed little fish to a separate tank so they don't transmit the disease and will eventually thrive with healthy fish.
- If adult discus fish start fighting with each other, use a separation net or transfer the two fish to separate tanks.
