How To Breed Discus Fish

To be a discus fish breeder is really a high calling. The reality is, there was a time in the not to distant past that it was thought almost impossible to reproduce these stunning freshwater animals. But that has changed. Discus fish breeders are multiplying rapidly.

Exactly what you need to raise your own personal discus is an education. Needless to say additionally, you will require the proper equipment. The setup is crucial once you learn the procedure.

Discus have earned a track record for being extremely tough, and perhaps they are without a doubt. On the other hand, the know-how about general needs for healthy aquariums has come miles from the condition of lack of knowledge that once existed.

So, step number one on your journey to breeding discus fish. Know exactly how to keep a healthy fish tank.

The 2nd move is to find some discus who actually "pair up". If you are in a rush, you can buy a matched pair, but this is fairly costly. It is much less expensive to have your own fish who were purchased as juveniles become a couple. There is no prescribed way to encourage this. It takes a bit of luck, but if you have enough fish, it should not take too much luck. A good number of discus fish in your aquarium is six. This will probably result in at least one pair.

Aquarium Setup for Discus Fish Breeding

After you have a matched pair of fish, they may start to defend part of the tank as "their territory". This is the first sign of planning to spawn.

Considering that this species of fish usually lays their eggs on a vertical surface, you will need to introduce an object into your tank. Most vertical objects will suffice.

Then, separate the parents from the others. This can be done by moving the other fish to a separate tank until the fish hatch. Another tactic for separating the happy couple is to put a divider into the tank so that other fish can not get to the "nursery". This is usually a piece of glass or Plexiglas perfectly cut to block off a section of your tank.

The Offspring

Right after the eggs have been laid and fertilized, they will hatch in about two days. Viewing the relationship of fry (newly hatched fish are called fry) and parents is interesting. The parents provide food for their young in the form of a secretion through their skin. The young fry eat the special food from the sides of their parents.

After about five days you can begin feeding them newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry will continue to eat both foods for several weeks. Then you can move the fry to a separate tank to continue their growth.

Your discus fish breeding will not stop with one hatch of fry. Your couple will lay new eggs about every week for up to twelve weeks.

Aquarium Care for Breeding Fish

All that remains is to keep your newborns healthy. They are usually separated into a separate "Fry Aquarium" after about three weeks when they can survive without their parents.

A Fry Aquarium is best kept without substrate or plants. This is so that you can keep the tank clean. Do a water replacement once a day, replacing about 15% of the water. Young fry are more susceptible to parasites and disease.

You should continue to feed the fry up to six times a day. Use a combination of brine shrimp and other protein-rich food, such as bits of fresh worms. As they get older, you can start introducing good quality dried flakes.

As you can see, discus fish breeders are busy folks. Make sure this is what you want before you make the commitment. Most discus fish owners are NOT breeders. They prefer to get their fish from reputable discus fish breeders.