Freshwater Fish
Assorted Discus.
The 'king of the aquarium' in a mix of strains — large, disc-shaped fish with painterly color. Peaceful but demanding: discus want warm, pristine water, frequent changes, and a calm 75-gallon-plus tank. A project for the experienced keeper, and a showpiece when kept right.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Advanced
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Community
- Semi community
- Adult size
- 8"
- Min tank size
- 75 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Symphysodon spp.
Good tank mates
Discus are peaceful but particular, and they do best in a calm tank with quiet, warm-water companions that won't outcompete them at feeding time. Good categories: other discus (a group of five or six), small peaceful tetras that like warm water (cardinal and rummynose tetras), and corydoras catfish for the bottom. Avoid fin-nippers like tiger barbs, fast or pushy fish that race to the food, and anything aggressive or much larger. They also want it warmer than most community fish, so pick tankmates that tolerate high temperatures.
Good to know
Discus are native to the slow-moving, warm tributaries of the Amazon River basin in South America.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Assortment
What you might find in the tank.
This is a rotating assortment — the exact species in the tank vary by shipment. The list below is what we usually carry; call (814) 456-9445 to confirm what's in today.
We're still cataloging the species list for this assortment. Call (814) 456-9445 to ask what's in the tank today.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Cardinal Tetra
The cardinal tetra is the textbook discus companion — their wild ranges overlap in the Amazon basin and they tolerate 82–84°F with no ill effect. A school of cardinals acts as a dither fish, drawing shy discus out into open water. Adults reach 1.5 in and are ignored by even large discus.
Rummy-Nose Tetra
Rummy nose tetras can tolerate the low-to-mid 80s°F and are a well-established discus companion in the hobby. Their tight, synchronized schooling is visually complementary and provides the same dither-fish benefit as cardinals. Fully peaceful; poses zero predation or fin-nipping risk.
- S
Sterbai Corydoras
Sterbai corydoras is the gold-standard bottom dweller for discus tanks — virtually alone among corydoras species in thriving at 82–86°F. It occupies the substrate level discus ignore, scavenges fallen food without competing for mid-water feedings, and has no record of harassing discus.
- G
German Blue Ram
German blue rams share the discus's need for warm (78–86°F), soft, slightly acidic water, making them genuinely compatible rather than a compromise. They are peaceful outside of conspecific spawning disputes, forage at a different level than discus, and are too small to threaten or be threatened by adult discus.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.