The Discus Fish Tank

Once you decide that keeping Discus Fish is for you - the very first thing you need to consider is - "What size aquarium do I need?"

Obviously you need to stick to what you can afford, and the amount of space you have available, but remember that the aquarium you get is going to be home to your Discus Fish, so it has to meet certain standards.

Since you're likely to want to put your Discus Fish on display, most Discus Experts would recommend a fish tank no smaller than 120cm X 40cm X 50cm. Due to their body shape, Discus Fish tends to like deep tanks better. Also, to keep stable water conditions, you need an aquarium that will hold a lot of water.

Discus Fish are naturally rather shy, so you should keep them away from busy and noisy areas. Placing a Discus Fish tank next to a doorway is a big mistake. Also, their tank should be kept away from direct sunlight and radiators(as should all fishtanks), to avoid excess heat and algae.

Last, but not least, do place the Discus Fish tank at a good height. Discus Fish doesn't like overhead movement - and will get stressed if it occurs.

So, other than Discus Fish, what should you put in your tank?

Putting some fine gravel in the bottom would be a good start.

If you want plants in your aquarium you can use both live plants, silk plants or plastic plants, according to your personal preference - but nothing really beats the real thing.

Other items you may want to add to your fishtank, to give it that all natural feel, would be rocks and driftwood. Both are quite welcome additions to a Discus Fish tank, as they're often present in the discus' native waters, providing them with shelter.

Gimmics like "No Fishing" signs and sunken ships or plastic figurines doesn't have place in a discus fishtank.

The decor should be kept to a minimum, as it will serve the fish tank best both functionally and aesthetically.

Find more advice, tips and valuable resources on how to keep Discus Fish at Squidoo.com