F1 Ica Red Discus
$41.00 – $159.00
Endowed with vivid golden and orange-red hues which are contrasted with flecks of white and zebra-like dark stripes the length of its body, the striking Ica Red Discus is a wonderfully bright-colored addition to any tropical aquarium. This exquisite fish’s circular shape gives it an appearance reminiscent, of course, of its athletic namesake, but it also resembles in many ways a luminous celestial body floating through the depths space. Surrounded by fluttering dorsal, pelvic and ventral fins that harken to a star’s bright outer regions, or corona, this radiant sea creature is sure to garner lots of attention.
A subdued translucent tail fin subtly guides this magnificent specimen, as its inviting facial features engage tank observers. With a vertical dark stripe running centrally down the head region through each jet-black eye on either side, the Red Discus’ small puckered mouth completes a simultaneously serene and alluring appearance.
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Every fish we sell bears our gold seal that represents the Discus.com promise to our customers. When you make a purchase with us, you are entrusting our team with shipping you a collector grade specimen of unparalleled quality, beauty, size, and heft based on our judgement accrued over 25 years of experience. We guarantee the fish you receive will match the exact fish represented in our product photos. We are the gold standard of discus. Note: our discus are always measured from tip of nose to end of tail. |
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Care Level: | Moderate, see our Learning Center for comprehensive care. |
| Temperament: | Peaceful |
| Color Form: | Huge variety available |
| Lifespan: | 15-25 Years |
| Adult Size: | 8-12 inches |
| Diet: | Omnivorous |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 50 gallons |
| Tank Set-Up: | Bare-bottom, or Intermediate |
| Compatibility: | Often compatible |
Natural Habitat for Discus
Discus are found in floodplain lakes and flooded forests of the lowland Amazon River basin and some of its tributaries, including the Rio Negro. These areas experience extreme changes in water level due to seasonal flooding. Discus tend to congregate near fallen trees, known as “galhadas”, along the shore. They prefer quiet water, and are rarely found in areas where there is strong current or wave action.
Discus Water Requirements
Discus prefer warm, soft, acidic water. pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0, with hardness between 1° and 4° dKH (18 to 70 ppm). Temperature should be kept between 82° and 89° F. Water conditions for both wild and hybrid discus are the same. While captive bred discus can be kept in dechlorinated tap water reverse osmosis or deionized water supplemented will ensure the the best conditions. Discus require pristine water quality, and depending on the filtration system being used, a weekly or bi-weekly water change of 10% to 25% is highly recommended. Don’t forget to treat tap water with conditioner before refilling your aquarium!
Housing Requirements for Discus
Discus grow to be quite large, and full sized discus will require an aquarium of 50 gallons or larger when they reach adult size. Tall aquariums are best, to accommodate their body shape. Current should be gentle, and décor if used at all should include large broadleaf plants and driftwood that is arranged vertically to simulate downed branches and trees. A few floating plants can also be added to provide shaded areas and cover. Substrate should be fine to medium grade and smooth surfaced, as discus like to forage along the bottom for food.
Discus Behavior/Compatibility
Discus are generally calm, peaceful fish, but as cichlids they can be aggressive toward one another, especially when attempting to pair off and spawn. Shy or submissive fish should be removed if they are unable to compete. Most serious hobbyists do not mix their discus with too many other species. However, suitable aquarium mates include cardinal tetras, neons, emperor and rummy nose tetras, as well as clown loaches and dwarf cichlids such as rams and Apistogramma species. All of these fish tolerate the high temperatures and low pH/hardness required by discus.
What do Discus Eat?
In nature discus eat a considerable amount of plant material and detritus, but also forage along the bottom looking for worms and small crustaceans. They are omnivores and will thrive on freeze dried black worms, beefheart, frozen blood worms, and a variety of pellet and flake food. Frozen and live foods may be fed as treats or to help induce spawning. For best results, rotate their diet daily and feed only what they can consume in 2 to 3 minutes, once or twice a day.
Discus Breeding Level – Difficult
Captive bred discus will pair up and spawn relatively easily, but young, inexperienced parents may eat their eggs the first few times, particularly if other fish are present. After hatching the young feed on heavy body mucus secreted by the parents for a few days until they begin to free-swim. Parents will transfer the young back and forth several times a day.
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Q: How are your stated fish measurements conducted? A: All measurements are made from tip of nose to end of tail. Photographs are representative of the strain or variety, and not the exact specimens that will be shipped. Q: How do I make a purchase? A: Every discus you see on our website is available for immediate purchase and ready to be shipped to you. Click the “Add to Cart” button on your desired products, adjust your quantities, and follow the checkout instructions. We honor all special requests. Please allow a 2-day minimum handling period for discus. Shipping Tiers for Live Tropical Fish:
Blackworms: Free USPS Postal Shipping Plants: $10 FedEx Priority Shipping, Minimum Order: $15 International Buyers Please Note: Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer’s responsibility. Please check with your country’s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to purchasing. |
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yes it has been awhile. Good to hear from you.
I have been struggling with my discus. Unfortunately after I went in for the brain sur...More
Hello Michael,
yes it has been awhile. Good to hear from you.
I have been struggling with my discus. Unfortunately after I went in for the brain surgery, and all the treatments that I went through and still do, my tanks have not been getting the attention or upkeep that they deserve. Two tanks decided to leak. So with all the moving of fish, I now seem to have picked up something that has moved from one tank to another tank. Luckily it was in some juvenile fish. Anyway, enough with my fish. I tried to get some photos of the fish I received from you. A photographer I"m not. but have enclosed a few. I'm planning to go down to just two tanks soon to lighten the load so to speak.
This BGM cancer treatment requires me to take 4 heavy dose chemo pills daily, for 5 days, then 23 days off. Today is day # 3 of the five days. I will continue this for the remainder of my life. 20 pills for $9000 every 28 days. Luckily, I have really good insurance.
Michael is Amazing! He knew how upset I was about losing 9 fish, most 3 years old, which a couple were ordered from here. He showed empathy and did expedite shipping them which was above and beyond in my opinion. Thank you Michael for yet another beautiful group of Discus.
I will not buy anything more from you unless I get the plant I ordered and paid for I am super frustrated about this. I paid you a lot of money and you didn’t even complete my order. Sincerely, Tod Carlson From Michael: This customer's plants arrived separately within 3 days of this email.
Hello Michael, nice to hear from you. I really enjoy my discus they are healthy active and they eat everything from flakes to pellets and frozen food. Really good quality discus.