Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Discus
Symphysodon aequifasciatus Pellegrin, 1904
Also called Blue discus, Brown discus, Pompadour fish, Discus fish
From South America: the Amazon basin in Brazil; S. aequifasciatus lives in the eastern and lower Amazon east of where the Negro and Solimoes meet. Large farmed populations now exist in Southeast Asia.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Very deep, round, side-flattened cichlid body
A nearly circular, plate-thin cichlid that looks like a disc from the side. Wild fish carry vertical bars over brown, green or blue tones, while farmed lines come in an enormous range of patterns.21
Personality what they are like
A calm, sociable cichlid that lives in groups and only pairs off to breed. It prefers a quiet tank without boisterous neighbours.21
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A gentle, deliberate swimmer that likes steady conditions and moderate movement through the tank.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keeps best with very clean, stable water and regular water changes; steady conditions matter more than hitting an exact pH. Males can be told by a more pointed dorsal fin and thicker lips once they reach about 10 cm.2
Home where they are happiest
At least about 120 cm long (55-75 US gallons) for a group. Water 26-30 C, pH 5.0-8.0 overall (wild fish prefer 5.0-6.0, tank-bred 6.0-7.5), soft water 0-12 dH. Roots and tall plants make good cover.12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Wild fish eat insect larvae, small invertebrates, algae, plant material and detritus. In the aquarium a varied menu of quality prepared foods and frozen foods works well.12
Company who they like around
A group animal; keep five or more together, and give pairs their own space when breeding.12
The story where it all began
The genus was named by Heckel in 1840, and discus reached European and American aquariums in the 1930s and 1940s. Today it supports a large breeding industry, especially in Southeast Asia, with shows such as the annual World Discus Competition in Guangzhou.2
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Parents feed their young with a skin secretion often called discus milk for roughly the first four weeks.2
- 2
Unusually for American cichlids, wild discus live in groups of dozens.2
- 3
Colour forms such as turquoise, pigeon, ghost and cobalt were created by breeders and are not found in the wild.2
- 4
The genus name refers to the fish's distinctive tooth structure.2
- 5
An annual World Discus Competition is held in Guangzhou, China.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 7 November 2018)1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Pellegrin in 1904; genus Symphysodon named by Heckel in 18402
- Family
- Cichlidae (cichlids)1
- North American Discus Association
- Dedicated hobbyist organisation for the genus2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Discus. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Symphysodon aequifasciatus fishbase.seused for distribution, size, water parameters, diet, IUCN, group keeping
- Wikipedia: Discus (fish) en.wikipedia.orgused for taxonomy, names, lifespan, colours, behaviour, care, hobby history, fun facts
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.