Green Discus - Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus

Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus

Species Name: Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus

Common Names: Green Discus

Family: Cichlidae

Order: Perciformes

Class: Actinopterygii

Max Size: 13.7 cm

Environment: Freshwater

Origin: South America – Amazon River Basin

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Company: Peaceful species are best. Small tetras, cories, and smaller plecos work best.

Aquarium Setup: Minimum of a 20gal tank for a breeding pair. If they are to be kept for display purposes only then a tank of 40gal should be provided.

Food: High quality pellet food, brine shrimp, and beefheart should comprise the bulk of the food given. Black worms and blood worms may also be fed on occasion.

Breeding: Many different methods are used to sex discus based on secondary sexual characteristics, but the safest method is to take a close look at the breeding tubes when they extend. The male breeding tube is always tapered while the female breeding tube is not.

Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus form monogamous pairs and will breed quite readily in the home aquarium. Once a pair has been formed in the aquarium, they will seek out a suitable vertical surface and start cleaning it together. It is therefore important to provide your fish with a suitable vertical surface in the aquarium if you want them to breed.

During the actual spawning, the female Green Discus will swim over the clean breeding site and release her eggs. The male will follow behind and promptly fertilize them. This process will be repeated multiple times.

When the spawning is over, the pair will take turns fanning the eggs with their pectoral fins. Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus is a dedicated parent and both sexes will help guard and care for eggs and fry. You can expect the eggs to hatch roughly 48-60 hours after being fertilized.

The newly emerged fry feed off the egg sacks at first and then proceed to eat a nutritious slime excreted by the parents. Both the mother and father produce slime. Once the young leave the parents and are free swimming they need to be fed by you, you can for instance give them newly hatched brine shrimp to begin with and then gradually serve larger and larger brine shrimp as the fry grow bigger.

The fry require extremely high water quality to survive and stay healthy. Change upwards of 90-95% of the water during each water change and carry out such as change at least once, preferably twice, a day.

The fry may be left with the parents or be separated out. If you keep the pair for breeding purposes, move the pair to a separate aquarium as soon as the fry no longer rely on them for food.