But if you ask many long time discus fish owners, they will tell you that these problems will be only in the beginning, and all your efforts will be rewarded with a beautiful and mesmerizing fish. A freshwater fish, the discus comes in different vibrant colors and arrays of patterns. That s why many fresh water aquariums today have the discus fish. Also, be on the lookout for parasites hanging from the fish. You should also stay away from tanks that have a DNS label on them. DNS means do not sell and the fish here are most likely to have a disease. You should also test the alertness and responsiveness of the fish. To do this, have the breeder or the keeper feed the fish. But, you shouldn t let this fact intimidate you and scare you from owning this kind of fish. With the right knowledge, you will be able to maintain this beautiful fish for many years to come. The first thing that you need to remember about Discus Fish is that they love to swim. They need to have some space to roam around in the aquarium. The best thing about this option is that at this age, the discus fish doesn t command a high price yet. It will take some time though before you will be able to discover if you have hit the jackpot. Your next option, and the most expensive one is going to an importer and getting an adult pair already, at this stage they may already be about 6 inches long. You need to be able to mimic the waters of the Amazon River in order for you to properly care for your discus fish. This means that the water should have an acidity level of pH 6 and it should also be soft water. These are the things that you need to remember when you are planning to keep discus fish as pets. Imagine, what would life be if we don t have air to breathe? Water is air to the discus fish. If your breathing in thick smog all the time then it s a certainty that you would get sick, maybe develop cancer, or even choke to death in an instant. So, in maintaining the water of your tank, you not only need to keep it clean, you also have to get the right pH levels and the proper temperature which will simulate the waters where the discus fish came from, which is the Amazon river.