Get a Huge Tank

All fish

Discus Tetra

Brachychalcinus orbicularis

Freshwater South America

The Discus Tetra is a striking, coin-shaped characin with a silvery disc-like body. Placid in disposition, it must be maintained in a cohesive shoal to thrive. Keepers must note that this species is voraciously herbivorous and will demolish delicate aquarium plants, making hardscape-focused setups strongly advisable.

Also called: Discus tetra, Disk characin, Disk tetra.

9 cm adult length, drawn to scale. deep body.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 6 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 9 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 150 L, at least 90 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 12 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 3 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 22 to 27 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 5.8 to 7.2 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 3 to 12, KH 1 to 6 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Low Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Moderate Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size At least 6, ideally 8 Kept alone or in small numbers it hides, fades or turns on tankmates.
Temperament Peaceful Not territorial.
Swims in Middle water Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 7 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Some experience helps A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Discus Tetra is an herbivore that swims in the middle of the tank. It eats or uproots plants, so choose hard-leaved species or none. Give it some cover.

Tankmates

Works with

No close matches in the data. Check the pair tool.

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.