NOTE: If tetras swim freely in the aquarium, it indicates that there is nothing to fear from the Discus as well. Plecos that are ideal for Discus fish tank mate compatibility include Bristlenose Plecos, Zebra Plecos and Orange Spot Plecos since they remain small even past the age where a Common Pleco should have gotten bigger. The reason for this is that they go after the dwarf species of Plecos, not the bigger ones such as the Common Pleco or Sailfin Pleco. Thus, the Discus fishes are often left injured.īut the reality is that a lot of breeders have been able to combine Plecos with Discus fishes in an aquarium without having any nipping problems. The reason for this is that there are certain Plecos that may consider the thick slime on the body of Discus fishes to be a meal, and as a result, they often attach themselves on the slow swimming Discus fishes and try to rip off the slime coat on their bodies. There is a major controversy as regards putting Pleco or L-number catfishes in a Discus fish aquarium. NOTE: The ideal tank size for the Bleeding Heart Tetra is more than 20 gallons of water with some rocks and driftwood (which favours both Discus and Bleeding Heart tetra) to help mimic its original South American habitat, this way, stress is lowered for both fishes.įurthermore, if the tank water is a little bit acidic and is high infiltration, the Bleeding Heart tetra will thrive, and they feed on a lot of small portion fish foods like brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, micro pellet food, and high-quality flake foods. If you are considering putting Cory catfish with your Discus, it is advised that you make sure that at least a school of about 6 of them be put together this won’t be any trouble at all since aquariums for Discus tend to be large, and this is a good opportunity to observe the natural behaviour of the Cories.įor an even better environment, you should consider having leaf litter and driftwood in your aquarium so as to give your Discus and Cory catfishes the structure of an Amazon biotope which works well for both species. They are commonly referred to as “armoured catfish” so it is unlikely for them to be provoked by Discus that could be making trouble. To start with, Corydoras species inhabit a totally separate layer of water they mostly are substratal – to be specific, they like to stay around the bottom of the tank or aquarium, and they feed on the leftovers that your Discus might not have eaten. NOTE: Corydoras sterbai specifically is quite large in size, and it is able to adapt to high temperatures.Īmong the most suitable tankmates for Discus fish is the Corydoras and the following are a couple of whys and wherefores. Conclusion 17 Best Discus Tank Mates – Corydoras SterbaiĪll the Corydoras species are very good fishes to be considered to be tank mates for Discus fishes as regards their temperament.Is It Necessary To Add Discus Tank Mates?.– Beckford’s Pencilfish (Nannostomus Beckfordi).– German Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi).– Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon Axelrodi).

– Rummynose Tetra (Hemigrammus Rhodostomus).– Marbled Hatchetfish (Carnegiella Strigata).You can put some fishes that are compatible tank mates with Discus include but not limited to Cory fish, Assassin snail, Apisto Agassizi, Cardinal tetras, Plecos, Rainbowfish, Beckford’s Pencil fish, Penguin tetras, and German Blue ram among others. Color & Appearance Issues Submenu Toggle.

Discus freshwater fish