Discus fish are one of the most popular types of aquarium fish, and for good reason: they’re beautiful and stay relatively small at just two to four inches long as adults (depending on the species).

But if you own discus fish, you need to make sure that you choose discus fish tank mates carefully, because they can be extremely territorial, they’re not great community fish!

Luckily, there are some other species of aquarium fish that do great with discus, so you can add variety to your aquarium while still keeping your discus safe.

ALSO READ: What Do Discus Fish Eat?

When deciding which fish to include in your discus tank, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.

Most important is your water parameters. If you’re keeping discus, make sure that at least some of your tank mates (if not all) can live comfortably within these parameters as well.

If one or more of your potential tank mates requires conditions which differ from those of Discus, you may need to consider adding another aquarium for them.

Discus Fish are Easy to Care for

Discus fish are tropical freshwater fish that can be kept in a home aquarium.

If you’re thinking about getting discus fish, here are a few tips on how to care for them:

Use proper tank mates – Discus fish do best in schools of three or more.

If you only have one discus, it won’t feel comfortable in its tank and could suffer from serious health problems as a result.

ALSO READ: Guide on Wild Type Discus

Goldfish can be Discus Fish Tank Mates

Remember that goldfish are herbivores and will do best in a planted aquarium or with other peaceful fish like bettas and angelfish.

A single discus can be kept with many goldfish, so long as it is large enough to avoid being bullied.

Even better would be to have a large school of smaller fish like neon tetras, white cloud mountain minnows, or cherry barbs.

These active fish will help keep your discus entertained and provide companionship while also eating up any food that falls to the bottom of the tank.

ALSO READ: Discus Fish Care Feeding

Cichlids are Inappropriate Tank Mates

Discus fish are one of those fish that is almost always sold in pairs; however, discus can grow to be quite large.

So it’s important to know how big your fish will get.

If you have a cichlid tank, it is best to avoid placing discus with cichlids as cichlids will often pick on them. Cichlids also produce a lot of waste and might overwhelm your discus.

ALSO READ: Discus Aquarium- Beginners Guide

Tips to Consider when Choosing Discus Fish Tank Mates

There are a few tips to consider when choosing discus fish tank mate.

You want to make sure that you choose a tank mates that is larger than your discus.

Since they tend to be territorial and will try to bully smaller tank mates.

There are also different species of fish that you can choose as discus fish tank mates; some examples include tetras, other cichlids (livebearers), barbs, gouramis, and angelfish.

When choosing these fish, it’s important to remember that not all are compatible with discus tanks.

ALSO READ: Water Condition of Discus Aquarium

How Many Discus Fish can You Keep in a Single Tank?

Discus fish are carnivorous and omnivorous, meaning they will eat both meaty foods and plant-based food.

Typically, discus fish can be kept in a tank with around three other discus fish as long as there is a tight-fitting lid to prevent jumping.

However, you should never house adult male discus fish together because they are territorial and may fight or injure each other.

A tank full of discuses should have plants at both ends so that when one is sleeping at either end, another can feed in peace.

You will need to feed your discus fish several times per day if you want them to grow quickly, although their appetite depends on many factors including water temperature and available sunlight for optimal growth.

ALSO READ: Setting Discus Aquarium

Nextaaqua is a unique ornamental fish farm in India. We mainly focus on the production, raising, and grooming of Discus Fishes and their tankmates. Contact us for more.