Discus fish comes from soft acidic waters of the amazon river basin. As with many other south American Cichlids, discus fish loves acidic water with lower pH. The optimal pH level for discus fish is 6.5 – 6.8, however, discus fish can tolerate higher levels with no problem and the stability is way more important. We here at Discus Co. keep our Discus for Sale in tap water with pH of 7. 0
pH Shock
The pH scale (of the water in your aquarium tank) is logarithmic which means each whole pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value. For example, pH 4 is ten times more acidic than 5 and 100 times more acidic than 6. Such a shock may kill any fish including discus. Even if the shock itself does not kill the discus, it may cause diseases such as Columnaris, ICK, etc. through weakening the Immune system.
Optimal pH level for Breeding Discus
Discus eggs hatch in soft and acidic water, which means the pH level has to be under 7.0. Best pH range for breeding discus fish is between 6.5 – 6.8. Any lower than 6.0 is unnecessary, hard to keep stable, and hence dangerous.
How to Lower it!
As mentioned above, pH shock is a very real and lethal condition and should be avoided. Bare in mind that the stability is the key! If pH of the water in your discus tank is 6.5-7.8, it is not recommended to change it at all as discus fish can live in that range with no problem. However, if you wanna breed your discus, a proper range is a must. Best way to get the water acidic without stressing fish, is to use RO water + peat moss. Never add acid, including Phosphoric acid and Humic acid, directly into the tank!
Seachem Discus Buffer
Seachem Discus Buffer is one of the safest products to get the discus tank water acidic, and also keep it lowered. Discus Buffer also softens water by precipitating calcium and magnesium or General Hardness which makes it a great product discus fish breeders.