Factors to Consider When Choosing and Buying the Best Discus Fish
To be successful in keeping discus fish doesn’t necessarily require learning rocket science. When you have chosen and selected the best quality discus fish in the first place, then you are already halfway towards the goal. However, if you were wrong in selecting the discus breed and variety right from the start, then a lot of subsequent problems are expected to arise in the next steps.
Various factors are to be considered if you wish to choose and buy the best discus fish for your aquarium. This article should very well serve the purpose.
Beyond the Appearance
Discus fish for beginners are oftentimes all about color and shape – the outward appearance. However, there are other important things to consider when choosing and selecting discus fish. What are they?
Responsiveness
Beyond their outward appearance, the health of the discus is very important. Signs of a healthy discus would include their quick responsiveness. They should be responsive to human hand movements. Usually, they come to the surface when presented with food. In noteworthy situations, discus fish would follow your hand if you motion it up and down the surface side of the tank. Needless to say, a shy discus is a tell-tale sign of stressful living condition.
Eyes
The eyes could also tell what you’re getting. Cloudy, matt, or white-colored eyes are the clear signs of illness in discus fish. Bubbled or popped out eyes sing the same awful story. Even the size of the eyes should be looked into as well. If it’s too big relative to the body, then it seems that the fish is suffering a stunted growth syndrome.
Color and Skin
The stress, sickness, and other dire conditions being suffered by the fish would show in its skin surface and color. Try to scrutinize more if you’re opting for black or dark-colored discus. Such colors often hide conditions. It is also best to avoid fish displaying white spots and circles around the body. Of course, you wouldn’t want to do anything that which has scratches, scars, or wounds on the skin.
Fins and Tails
Healthy discus fish has crystal clear fins or tails. Like the skin, it should not be damaged, in any way, with scratches or scars. Also watch out for sores, holes, or discoloration as they can also be suggestive of sickness.
Internal Signs
You may also want to look at the internal factors when you want to choose the best quality discus fish.
Feces
Like humans, excrements of the discus can tell a lot about what’s inside the fish. Move right away if you see long strings of white or yellow feces hanging from the fish’s anus. They are indications of internal infection brought by parasites and viruses.
Gills and Breaths
Surprisingly, the way the discus breath can tell a lot. Healthy fish typically breathes once every second or just slightly less. If the fish appears to breathe fast, maybe thrice in a second, then there’s probably wrong with its internal organs. We say “probably” because fast breaths are not always signs of problems. However, you can never be too cautious when selecting the best batch for your aquarium.
If you are new to keeping discus fish, we further recommend talking to discus fish care experts for more tips and suggestions.
