Discus fish are incredibly popular with both aquarium owners and people who keep large outdoor ponds since they look stunning, they’re very social and they bring an element of calm to both settings.
However, before you decide to buy some discus fish, it’s important to know what you’re getting into – and how big your discus will get.
It means, how big do discus fish get?
Here’s everything you need to know about how big do discus fish get.
What is a Discus Fish, Anyway?
A discus fish is a tropical freshwater fish, native to South America.
Discus fish can grow up to 12 inches (31 centimeters) in length and weigh more than 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms).
Because of their size, discus fish need a tank that’s at least 50 gallons (190 liters) with lots of hiding places.
They like living in pairs or trios, but if you only have one, he’ll get lonely easily and become aggressive toward other fish.
When it comes to feeding time, most discus fish eat smaller pellets or flakes that are specifically formulated for them—make sure you check out your local pet store before buying!
ALSO READ: What Do Discus Fish Eat?
Keep reading below for more information about these interesting freshwater beauties!
There was a record that the largest discus ever caught measured 17.5 inches (44 cm) long and was almost 10 pounds heavy.
Sadly, it didn’t survive very long in captivity after its capture.
See how big do discus fish get!
Oh well—at least we all got to see what an awesome species they are!
Let’s talk about care-taking: Discus fish love to live by themselves because they’re pretty antisocial creatures by nature, so go ahead and buy yourself a single specimen; unless you’re willing to risk having two go after each other during feeding time.
ALSO READ: Guide on Wild Type Discus
What are Some of the Biggest Discus Fish you can Buy Today?
A discus fish can be purchased at a wide range of sizes, from 1.5 inches to 12 inches.
A fish that’s one and a half inches long, for example, would weigh about two ounces.
The larger your discus gets, of course, the more food it’ll require and therefore, longer it’ll take for your pet to grow up.
In fact: if you purchase a 2-inch fish (which is roughly four ounces), you should expect your pet to hit maturity around nine months later; 3-inch fish should mature in six months or so; 4-inch in three months; and 5-inch in just one month.
Just observe how big the fish get.
The Size of an Adult Discus Fish
It’s hard to pin down a specific size for an adult discus fish, since these fish aren’t found in their native habitats (South America).
You can expect to pay between $40 and $1,000 or more per discus fish depending on size.
The price range is high because of demand, not supply.
When breeding your own discus fish, you can consider having a tank that is as long as six feet to ensure that your pets will have ample room in which to swim around and grow.
That said, keep in mind that it might take a while for your pets to reach full size.
These creatures grow slowly even when they are properly cared for.
It can take at least five years or longer before they reach full maturity.
Again you have to observe: how big do discus fish get?
ALSO READ: Discus Fish Tank Mates
Are They Always This Size?
All discus fish are born small and grow to adult size over a span of 1 to 2 years.
Adult discus can reach a length of up to 11 inches and weigh between 3 and 4 pounds.
While it’s possible for some discus fish to grow even larger, they don’t typically get much bigger than 5 or 6 pounds, which is about average for an adult.
The largest recorded specimen was just shy of 7 pounds, but it would have taken over 20 years for that fish to reach its full size!
Although most aren’t quite that big, they do still make great pets if you take care of them properly and give them what they need to live a healthy life.
What Determines How Big a Discus will Grow to be?
When it comes to size, there are four factors that determine how big your discus will grow to be.
The first is tank size and being able to have a large area in which they can move around freely, so that they do not stunt in growth due to lack of space.
The second is diet and nutrition; if a discus fish is getting proper nutrition, then it will grow at a healthy rate and get as big as possible.
The third factor is genetics; no matter what you do, some discuses will just never be huge and others will always stay small.
But by combining proper diet with good genetics, a discus can reach its maximum growth potential.
And finally water quality has an effect on how big do it get.
ALSO READ: Discus Aquarium- Beginners Guide
What if I Don’t Want to Keep My Discus as Large as Possible?
Although many people want to make their discus as large as possible, they are happiest in smaller tanks and bowls.
If you’re concerned about your discus being too big for your tank or bowl, keep in mind that a 10-gallon tank is an ideal size for one adult discus.
So, you should have no problem keeping one fish in such a tank—but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other factors to consider.
For example, what if you already have multiple discus fish living in a 10-gallon tank?
Well, there may be some territorial issues if you add another (larger) discus to an already existing group.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Size
FAQ #1 :
How big do discus fish get, and what size tank do they need?
As far as discus fish size is concerned, some are larger than others.
The biggest I’ve ever seen was about a foot long.
This isn’t really that big, as far as fishes go, but it is quite large for a Discus.
At that size, a single Discus requires at least a 200-gallon aquarium to swim freely and safely without hurting itself on any of its tank mates or floating decorations like driftwood or anubias roots.
Most aquarium owners with adult Discus choose much larger tanks.
ALSO READ: Water Condition of Discus Aquarium
A common rule of thumb is: 1 inch of fish needs 5 gallons of water to live in comfortably.
So if your pet store sells you discus which are between 1 and 2 inches in length, then you’ll want to choose a tank no smaller than 50 gallons in volume.
That’s because your adult male discus will grow another inch by adulthood (and his mate will probably grow even bigger).
Also remember that these measurements do not include room for decoration or substrate (which most experienced hobbyists add).
Adult female discuses should be housed in tanks no smaller than 100 gallons; many aquarists house their largest Discus in up to 300-gallon tanks!
It means that how big do discus fish get depends on the large size of tanks!
Additional Resources about Discus Fish Size
If the common “question How big do discus fish get?”
Comes, we must start with it’s age.
Actually, the size of it depends on its age.
A young one may only grow to be about 1 to 2 inches in length.
However, once they are fully grown and have reached maturity, discus fish can reach lengths of nearly 16 inches.
As is true with most fish, there is some variation between male and female discus fish. Female discus tend to be larger than their male counterparts by an average of about 10 percent.
Also known as: Singing-fish Size chart: Here are a few other important aspects to consider when it comes to discus fish size: Body Shape – Discuses come in a variety of shapes, so they can range in size from oval or heart shaped to tall and slender as well as horizontally flattened.
ALSO READ: Setting Discus Aquarium
At the End
On the final discussion about “How big do discus fish get?” We can conclude that discus fish is the best for home aquariums although it’s very sensitive.
One of many unique facts is that there are approximately 300 known varieties.
Some discus can reach lengths of up to two feet! With such a wide range of size and color variety, discus makes great conversation pieces.
If you’re interested in adding one or more to your tank, stop by any one of our Central Florida locations today!
We’d be happy to help you pick out just what kind of pet would best suit your needs.
But if you need more information about these interesting creatures beforehand, feel free to send us an email or give us a call!
We’re always happy to help!
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.
