The discus fish is different in its own ways compared to other tropical fish that just swim, eat and hide. Discus is very popular among hobbyists because they carry a personable behavior. They like to observe what’s going on around them and what’s nice about them is that they recognize their owners. If you want to own this type of fish, the first thing that you have to prepare is the aquarium of course. A fish bowl is not recommended because they need a bigger room so that they can grow to their maximum size. The bigger your tank is the better especially if you are planning on buying 6 or more Discus fish. The minimum tank size is 55 gallons.

Some owners prefer to have a bare bottom tank than a planted tank. If you are planning to breed in the future, a bare bottom tank is recommended. This kind of setup only has an air stone or power head to allow circulation and a sponge filter for biological filtration. The advantage of having a bare bottom tank is very easy to maintain and cleaning will be a brisk. You don’t have to worry about uneaten food being confined in the gravel. Also, your fish will not shy away because they have no place to hide. This is pretty cheap to build, the only problem is, your tank will not look attractive and you cannot decorate it with plants.

A planted tank on the other hand is more pleasing to the eyes and if you set it up properly, you will allow a more balanced biological cycle. However, keep in mind that you need to have the skills and time to maintain such. If you’re a newbie in this hobby, you can start with a bare bottom tank unless you are confident that you can be effective in maintaining a planted tank.

So now you have your big tank, the next thing that needs to be taken care of is water.

Discus fish need clean water all the time. Know the conditions of your local tap water. If the water in your area has high pH level, you may want to take care of this first. You can soften water by making use of a reverse osmosis filter.

If your tap water contains chloramines (blend of ammonia and chlorine), you can remove this by using dechlorinating water conditioner. Make sure your tank has completed cycling before you put your Discus fish in it.