With many names based on colored varieties resulting from controlled breeding, Symphysodon aequifasciatus is referred to as the Pigeon Blood Discus. The body of the Pigeon Blood Discus is bright orange with black marbling. The fins are brown with a turquoise hue. The overall coloration of Discus will vary depending on mood and overall health of the fish. The Discus has surpassed the Angelfish as the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. Depending on sub-species, the natural range of the Discus extends from the Amazon to the Rio Negro Regions of South America.

The Pigeon Blood Discus requires an advanced level of care due to its feeding habits and water filtration requirements. Territorial during spawning, this otherwise peaceful fish is among the schooling group, forming a well-defined nuclear family.

Becoming slightly territorial when breeding, it is best to breed an established pair, or maintain a group of 6 or more young Discus and allow them to pair themselves. What I have read says that warm, soft, slightly acidic water is required for spawning. My fish have spawned in my tank where the pH is around 7.5. The pair will clean a flat surface (usually a broad leaf or the side of the aquarium) prior to spawning. Once the eggs are laid, the male and female will take turns fanning the eggs with their pectoral fins and picking off dead eggs. After about 2 days, the eggs hatch. The fry spend about 24 hours wriggling on the spawning substrate. Once free swimming the fry will cluster to the mothers side and eat the slime from her. The mother and father take turn feeding the fry. After 4 or 5 days of the fry being free swimming, you can start to offer the fry baby brine shrimp. When the fry are 10 to 15 days old they can be moved to their own rearing tank.

The rearing tank to raise the juveniles should be a bare bottom tank. Feed juveniles 4 - 6 times per day. Most people do large water changes every day.

2/14/04 - My discus had there 1st spawn.
2/16/04 - Looked like a few eggs were missing when I got home from work. Later in the evening they decided to finish up the eggs.

4/3/04 - My discus have spawned for the 7th time.
4/9/04 - I got to see a few free-swimming fry that were feeding from the parents. By evening they had eaten all the fry. My pair keeps getting closer to getting it right with every spawn. I think it would be a great sight to have a swarm of fry around the parents.

I lost count on how many times they have unsuccessfully spawned. I would like to start counting on how many successful spawns they have.

Largely carnivorous, Discus prefer freeze-dried bloodworms, pellet food designed for Discus, high-quality flake food, and meaty frozen foods. I feed mine live blackworms, frozen and live brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, frozen beef heart, and frozen mysis shrimp. I have gotten my discus to eat Tetra Color Bits, Formula One Marine Pellet, and Formula Two Marine Pellet.

I had my discus in a 40 gallon breeder planted tank for over 8 months. I gravel vac and did water changes twice a week. This was not enough to keep up with the fish. The plants started to go down hill, so I set up a 29 gallon bare bottom tank for my breeding pair. The others unfortunately were sold. So I would recommend that if you want to keep discus, I strongly recommend a bare bottom tank.

Here's forum just on Discus.