Choosing Discus Tank Mates
Good Discus tank mates share the same temperature and pH window, will not be eaten by (or eat) the Discus, and do not compete for the same swimming zone or feeding time. Each pair guide below scores those factors from 0 to 100 and gives the minimum tank size for keeping both species together.
Start with the highest-scoring pairs; anything under 45 is listed so you know what to avoid, not as a recommendation.
Care baseline
The 'king of the aquarium' — beautiful but demanding. Requires very warm, soft, acidic water that excludes most community fish.
| Temperature | 82–88°F |
| pH | 5.0–7.0 |
| Adult size | 8 in |
| Minimum group | 5 |