Red Turquoise Discus

The red turquoise discus, sometimes called the tiger turquoise discus, was the first color-bred variation of the wild discus, developed by Schmidt-Focke of Germany. This color discus tends to be hardier and easier to replicate than the other color variations available to the aquarium trade. Red turquoise are primarily red with some blue and with black vertical stripes on the body. Our red turquoise discus are bred in Singapore to tolerate a wide pH range and feed on frozen, flake, and pellet foods.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Give them a reliable heater, gentle but strong filtration, and a bare bottom or fine sand for easy cleaning. Keep the tank in a quiet spot. Discus need very clean water.

Feeding: Feed small meals of quality discus pellets or granules a few times a day, and remove uneaten food within a few minutes, since leftovers quickly foul the water. They also enjoy frozen foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp. New arrivals may need frozen food for a while before they accept pellets.

Tankmates: Discus are calm and shy, so choose gentle tankmates that enjoy the same warm water: cardinal and rummynose tetras, sterbai corydoras and small plecos are popular choices. Avoid fast, boisterous or fin-nipping fish, and anything that competes hard for food. Many keepers avoid angelfish, which can bully discus and share diseases.

Living in groups: Discus are social and feel safest in a group. A single discus, or just two, tends to be stressed. When a pair forms to breed, they may claim part of the tank, so a group spreads out the attention.

Good to know: Red discus keep their brightest color with clean water, a varied diet and a color-enhancing discus food.