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Due to their large adult size and sensitivity to water parameters, an aquarium of 50 gallons or larger is ideal for discus.
Discus do best being kept in schools with other discus—as they are likely to bully smaller fish or get bullied by other semi-aggressive fish. Discus' unique water parameter requirements also limit the list of compatible species.
Learn how to care for a Discus, recommended diet and aquarium setup. Find Discus for sale, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on April 9th, 2026
Learn how to care for semi-aggressive fish, recommended diet & aquarium setup. Find the right food, supplies & equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on April 9th, 2026
Learn how to pick the right aquarium plants, substrate, lighting, and fertilizers to ensure that your aquarium plants thrive and stay healthy.
Updated on July 17th, 2026
Learn how to care for freshwater community fish, recommended diet & aquarium setup. Find the right food, supplies & equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on April 9th, 2026

Tanks with live plants can be excellent additions to your home, bringing a touch of nature indoors. Learn how to take care of aquatic plants.
Updated on November 6th, 2025
Thanks for your questions about your tank. You have a number of fish in your tank already - a general rule of thumb is 2.5 square centimeters of fish per 3.8 liters. Depending on how large your fish are, you may be close to the carrying capacity of your tank, and you will also need to plan on how the fish in your tank will grow over time (mostly the rainbow sharks). If you are looking for tank mates for discus, it is best to look for fish that are housed in the same temperature zone, and occupy different areas in the water column than they do. Examples would be bottom feeders like cory catfish, those that live on the sides and bottom such as plecos, and those that are in the middle of the water column like some species of tetras. For the question about vacation - I would not recommend leaving your tank for that long without someone checking on it regularly. Power outages can be detrimental for tanks, and water changes or additions would likely be required. Also, automatic feeders also have the potential to fail, and this could cause a large spike in ammonia if a large amount of food was fed, and starvation if there was no food dispensed over a long period. I hope that helps to answer your questions, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Thanks for reaching out. There are many products available in pet stores for either adjusting pH up or down. Adding a buffer as a substrate (dolomite) could help regulate also. Maintaining water quality is obviously very important. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
As a short term bath of up to seven days and a concentration of up to 1 tablespoon/ 1gal water can be used but this is just the fish as a treatment. You cannot add it to the daily aquarium as it will damage the plants and can damage the fish. Remember these are freshwater fish, not salt water.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Without anything to use for scale, it is hard for me to tell how big your tank is, but in general it seems very small. Also, the water that is in the tank appears very cloudy right now, so that would be the first place to start. Water quality is very important, and will make or break your ability to house and care for fish. I would recommend getting a good filter system (you can visit a local pet store to assist you with brands in your area, as I am not familiar with what you can get in India). Be sure to bring the measurements (height, length, width) of your tank, or the gallons or liters so they can tell you what capacity of filter you will need. Everything else will depend on what types of fish you get - if you plan on getting multiple fish, they will need to be small - a general rule of thumb is one square inch of fish per gallon of water. Depending on the species you get, you may need to also get a bubbler to ensure there is enough oxygen in the water for them, and you will also likely need to get some sort of substrate for the bottom and cage furniture (different species have different air requirements, and some are secretive and like to hide). You may also need a water heater, depending on the species you would like to house. But, depending on how small your tank is, it may be hard to get a water heater that will fit. The food type will also depend on what species you get, as there can be differences in diet type between species. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
These catfish, and most fish, should not be handled frequently if at all. They have barbs, for self defense, that can injure you. If you must handle them, wear gloves and gently scoop them up from underneath. There may be some concerns keeping all these species together in one tank. Arowanas get very big and require large tanks. They can also be quite aggressive and may go after the Discus and Angels. The catfish, being a bottom dweller, may be safe. Another issue may be water hardness. Discus and Angels come from soft, acid water while Raphaels prefer hard water. Also, the Aro, Discus may do better in warmer water than the Angels and Raphael. These are all impressive fish and a joy to keep, but you consider the natural environment of each species before placing them all in the same tank.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
