Colors of the Discus Fish

Discus are highly popular fish with freshwater aquarium hobbyists due to their brilliant colors, which are usually found in salt water or marine water fish. Due to the cost differences between fresh water and marine water aquariums, many hobbyists opt for discus habitats because they provide for uniquely beautiful environments without the cost of operating a salt-water tank.

  1. Coloring Food Means Coloring Discus

    • According to Fish Channel.com, the type of food that is fed to iscus can affect their color. Custom mixing high carotene additives such as paprika, beet juice and shrimp into standard discus food can result in discus becoming red in color. However, to maintain this color their daily diet must consist of the custom mixed food or they will fade to brown.

    Water Conditions

    • Pet Education.com states that water conditions play an important part in healthy discus colors. In addition to monitoring standard water conditions like nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels, you will need to ensure the acidic and pH levels are tested and within a range of 6.2 and 6.6 for the best coloring conditions. To help with water conditions, a reverse osmosis machine could help to ensure proper water levels are maintained.

    Range of Colors

    • MacsDiscus.com, an online discus retailer, lists over 60 available species. The main difference between each species is their color and markings. This makes the Discus a fish species with one of the widest color ranges from which to choose.

    Why So Many Colors

    • NetPets.org states that the large variety in Discus coloring is due to extensive cross breeding of color strains. This has allowed for quick color changes from family line to family line. The result is the ability to breed specific colors and striping in the discus.