Discus Aquarium Lighting and Heating
When setting up your discus fish aquarium, light and heat are two very important factors in the success of your aquarium tank. The proper amount of light and heat will keep your fish and plants healthy and allow you to enjoy the beautiful display you have created.
Lighting
Discus fish are used to dark, murky water. In the wild, they are found in water that usually contains tannins, which reduce sunlight. Their natural habitat is also in water that is usually shared by overhanging tree branches, so there is not a lot of natural sunlight in their environment. Because of this, you want to keep your lighting somewhat subdued. If you have a planted aquarium, a full spectrum light bulb should be sufficient.
Florescent lighting - They are cheaper and consume less power than other types of lighting. They also put off very little heat. If you use this type of lighting, you will want to make sure you choose a twin-bulb aquarium hood and light.
Compact florescent lighting – This lighting is becoming more popular. It is smaller than regular florescent lights and puts off more power. The lights work exceptionally well for small aquariums and will even work well for larger tanks if you want to add a little light without a huge increase in power costs.
Metal Halide lighting – This type of lighting is better suited for very large or deep aquariums. These lights produce the most light, but they are also the most expensive to buy and operate. They also have a high heat output, so they should only be used in open-top aquariums.
Heating
Discus fish are a warm water tropical fish and they must have the right water temperature to thrive. The ideal temperature for your fish is 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a good idea to use two smaller heaters as opposed to one large one. This way, if one heater fails, you won't have as big a disaster as you would if you only had one heater.
When choosing a heater you want one that is completely submersible. An external temperature control is also convenient because it helps you to monitor the device to make sure it is working properly. The control will eventually fail, so if you check the control regularly to make sure it is not hot (the control should never be hot), you will have a better chance of catching a problem early on. If the control is hot, replace the device immediately.
When you place your heater in your tank, you want to consider a couple of things. First, you want to place it horizontally along the back wall and near the bottom. It should NEVER be in a vertical up and down direction. Second, you want to make sure the female discus does not think the heater is a suitable site for spawning. If her ovipositor tube (egg spot) gets burned, scar tissue could form and prevent the fish from laying eggs, a condition known as “egg bound”. If the eggs cannot be laid, they will remain in the fish. Although they can be reabsorbed back into the fish's body, it is more likely that they will decay and lead to a fatal infection in your fish.
Types of heaters available include:
- Hang-On Aquarium Heater – This type of heater is the cheapest and most popular. They stick out on the back of the tank, so if an aesthetic look is important to you, this might not be the best option for you.
- Submersible Aquarium Heater – This type of heater is a good balance between the cheapest model and more expensive heaters. They go inside your tank so they won't be hanging off the edge of your tank.
- Substrate Aquarium Heater – This type of heater can be a great way to heat an aquarium evenly. The heater cables are laid under your gravel and substrate, so they are almost invisible in your tank. They provide great heat for plants. The biggest problem with this type of heater, though, is that if it fails, you have to take your whole tank apart to replace the cable.
- Filter Aquarium Heater – Although these are some of the most expensive heaters on the market, they are beneficial because they heat water as it passes through your filter. You don't even know there is a heater in your tank.
