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Fish profile · Cichlidae
Discus
Symphysodon aequifasciatus
A disc-shaped cichlid from central and eastern Amazonian waters. It favours quiet floodplain and flooded-forest habitats; captive strains are popular, but their warm-water and water-quality needs require careful husbandry.
Last reviewed 26 October 2026 · 7 sources
- Max length
- 15.2 cm
- without the tail
- IUCN
- LC
- Least Concern
- Family
- Cichlidae
- order Perciformes
Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.
How big?
Linear scale · hand 18 cm
Up to 15.2 cm without the tail.
How to identify
- Deep, rounded body flattened from side to side.
- Blue and brown wild forms; aquarium strains show many additional colours and patterns.
- The fins do not extend into the long points seen on freshwater angelfish.
Habitat
Floodplain lakes and flooded forests, often sheltering around fallen trees.
- Diet
- Plant matter and detritus as well as worms and small crustaceans.
- Native range
- Central and eastern Amazon basin below the Purus Arch.
Aquarium care
- Minimum tank
- 284 L
- Temperature
- 27.8–30°C
- pH
- 6–7
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Group size
- 6+
Sources
Last reviewed 26 October 2026