Discus fish are known for their vibrant colours and peaceful and friendly natures, they have become extremely popular in aquariums around the world and are, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful of all the cichlid fish. Their flat round bodies grow to up to 10 inches in diameter and give them a disk like appearance, from which their names derive, these wonderful fish come have a great number of discus species, but can be divided into two main discus types:
Naturally occurring discus types, original native to the Amazon and it’s tributaries, can be divided into 4 species and although they all have different scientific names, their common names derive from this various colours and patterns. Due to their popularity as pets many discus breeders have selectively interbreed the original 4 discus species to create a vast variety of discus fish. This rich variety is one of the reasons that the discus aquarium has become so popular today.
Hence the two main division of the discus species are as follows: firstly the natural discus types, as the name suggests these are the original species found in their natural habitat, and cultivated or man made discus types, which due to generation of selective breeding have literally hundreds of variations in colour, patterns, and shape.
Natural Discus
Heckel Discus (Symphysodon Heckel): The first Discus to be discovered in 1840 by Dr. Johann Jacob Heckel. Available in both red and blue varieties, the stand out feature of this discus species is the bold red vertical lines running down their bodies.
Brown Discus (Symphysodon Aequifasciatus Axelrodi)
Of the four natural discus types, the Brown Discus is considered the easiest of discus species to breed and keep in a personal aquarium. Before the man made varieties appeared this was the most popular discus fish. Though they are not as vibrant when compared with other discus types, they do have distinctive vertical stripes on the body and near the fins, which makes them stand out in any aquarium.
Blue Discus (Symphysodon Aequifasciatus Haraldi): Many Blue Discus are often mistaken for brown discus, due to their colouration being very similar to their brown discus cousins. If you look closely however you can see a vivid blue hue covering their bodies and they are also set apart by blue stripe on their heads, bodies and fins. As in the picture there are however far brighter varieties of this discus.
Green Discus (Symphysodon Aequifasciatus): Yep you guessed it, they come in any colour as long as it’s green, with red spots and dark stripes along their sides. They do however range from a bright green to a much lighter more yellow colour.
All the Secrets That Every Discus Fish Owner Should Know Are Right Here
Discus Tank Mates
Cultivated Discus
Blue Turquoise Discus: One of my personal favourites, a colour variation due to cross breeding different species. these beautiful fish have stunning blue bodies, with dark red stripes on their bodies and fins.
Red Turquoise Discus: They get their name from the dark red and turquoise stripes on their bodies and fins, they have a white/yellow body are red eyes.
Pigeon Blood Discus: This discus first appeared in 1991, their bodies are a creamy white colour with bright orange splashes, which makes an amazing contrast to their blue/black tails and red eyes.
Blue Diamond Discus: Blue diamond’s vibrant blue body and fins, combined with its red eyes make this one of the most beautiful tank fish in the world.
Golden Discus: These vibrant fish make a great addition to any Discus tank, their solid golden bodies and translucent fins make them one of the most popular discus around.
Albino Discus: A relatively recent addition to the discus clan arriving in 2000, their name comes from the fact that they have white bodies and red eyes. Although not as brightly coloured as other discus, Albinos can bring balance to a fish tank when mixed with other discus fish.
These are some of the more common discus types, but are literally hundreds other discus species and with some many breeders around I am sure more will continue to emerge. If you are interested in discus breeding , or any other aspects of discus care, then I highly recommend taking a look at my recommended reading, it covers all aspect of discus care and breeding.
Available for Immediate Download
Here is a nice video of some beautiful discus types
Hi...Adam here,
Here at Discus Care.org we tried to create a resource for discus care enthusiasts, whether you are a new discus owner or a long time discus lover like me then this resource should help you with and questions you may have about discus fish.
Our goal at Discus Care.org is to remember where we started and “Pay it Forward” to those who just need some HELP and advice on caring for discus.
To learn more about me, visit my