Pigeon Checkerboard Discus (Symphysodon sp.)

Pigeon Checkerboard Discus at a glance

Pigeon Checkerboard Discus is a domestic colour strain of discus, the disc-shaped South American cichlids of the genus Symphysodon. The name describes its patterning: in the photographs on this page a fine orange-red lattice runs over a pale body, so each flank looks like a checkerboard or net, finished with an orange face and a blue tail. You buy one live fish of the size you choose, and the key condition comes before you order: discus are social fish that belong in a group of at least five, in a large, mature aquarium with clean, warm, soft water.

Few aquarium fish have a following like this one. Wikipedia’s discus article puts their popularity down to their distinctive shape, calm behaviour, bright colours and patterns and dedicated parenting, adds that they are sometimes called pompadour fish, and notes that farming them for the aquarium trade is a major industry in several Asian countries. The UK’s Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) says discus are held in the highest regard among fishkeepers, and are seen by some as the ultimate freshwater tropical species, while being equally clear that they have specialised care requirements.

That is the fair picture of this fish: a centrepiece that repays a well-planned aquarium and a steady weekly routine, rather than a fish to add on impulse to a mixed community. The table sums up what to plan for, and the care, compatibility and FAQ tabs explain each point.

What you receive and how to choose a size

Each purchase supplies one Pigeon Checkerboard Discus of the size you select. Sizes step up 1 cm at a time from 5 cm to 12 cm, and above them sits a larger XL selection HQ grade. Not every size is in stock at every moment, so the size menu on this page shows which fish can be ordered. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size.

OATA notes that adult discus can reach up to 20 cm across, although they are slow growers. Even a 12 cm fish therefore has growing still to do, and the aquarium should be planned for adult fish from the start rather than for the size that arrives. Discus can also live for many years in a well-matured setup with good water quality, so this is a long-term commitment.

Picking sizes for a group

Because discus should be kept in groups, most buyers choose several fish together. OATA links the stress and bullying seen in small groups to larger or more dominant fish, so choosing sizes that sit close together gives a new group a more even start than pairing the smallest grade with the largest.

Discus are hard to sex by eye: OATA explains that it is difficult unless they are in breeding condition, when the female’s ovipositor can be seen. Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Pigeon Checkerboard Discus listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

Name, genus and photographs

Pigeon Checkerboard is a trade name for a colour strain rather than the name of a scientific species. The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) lists Symphysodon as an accepted genus in the cichlid family, Cichlidae, and we label this fish Symphysodon sp., the usual way to name a fish identified to genus but not to species. The exact species has not been identified, so the care advice here follows the genus Symphysodon and its care group. OATA writes its discus guidance for the genus as a whole and notes that many different colour variations have been selectively bred.

The photographs show the look the strain is named for: an orange-red lattice over a pale body, an orange face with a red eye, dark-edged fins and a blue tail. Gallery images have been digitally enhanced to improve image quality. Natural colour, pattern, size and maturity can vary between live animals.

Before you buy: a planning checklist

Discus reward preparation. Working through this list before ordering means the aquarium is ready for the group, rather than the group waiting for the aquarium.

• Volume for the whole group: 50 litres of water per adult discus, so 250 litres for the minimum group of five.
• A matured filter: fully established before the fish arrive, with ammonia and nitrite reading zero.
• Heating you can trust: a heater and thermometer able to hold 26–30°C.
• Test kits: pH, GH and KH, plus ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
• Water-change kit: a siphon, tap water conditioner and an easy way to replace half the water every week.
• Food: a specialised discus granule or pellet, plus a frozen food such as bloodworm or a discus mix.
• A companion plan: chosen from the short list of kinds that suit a discus aquarium, or none at all.
• Someone at home: to receive the parcel on the confirmed Thursday or Friday.

Planning the aquarium

Start with volume. OATA’s discus care sheet advises buying an aquarium as large as is reasonably possible and recommends 50 litres of water volume for each adult discus, with plenty of floor space. By its own example, an aquarium of approximately 300 litres will house a shoal of six adults. The larger the aquarium, the more stable temperature and water quality will be, and stable conditions underpin everything else in this guide.

These are water volumes for the discus alone. Substrate, wood and equipment take up space, and any companion fish add to the waste the filter has to process, so choose the larger aquarium when you are deciding between two tank sizes.

Floor space and open water

Given their size and shape, OATA says discus also need some open space in which to swim as a group when they explore the aquarium. Floor space matters as much as the headline litres, so favour a footprint that leaves room for planted cover along the sides and back as well as a clear swimming area in the middle. A group moving together through open water is one of the real pleasures of keeping discus, and a cramped layout takes that away.

Furnishings that help a shy fish settle

• Substrate: fine gravel or sand, so discus can feed naturally by “blowing” at the substrate.
• Live plants: planted cover gives discus somewhere to hide, which matters because they can be shy.
• Wood and branches: branches, wood and other ornaments add further cover around the edges of the swimming space.
• Lighting: OATA recommends overhead aquarium lighting.
• Filtration: whatever the size of the aquarium, a filter is always essential.

Because the aquarium runs at 26–30°C, choose plants that are comfortable in warm water, and place them along the sides and back where they give cover without crowding the open swimming space in front.

Why the filter must be mature

The filter does more than keep water clear. As the RSPCA’s aquarium welfare guidance explains, fish release ammonia, which is toxic. A working biological filter allows beneficial bacteria to grow, and those bacteria convert ammonia into nitrite, which is also toxic, and then into nitrate, which is safer. The bacteria take time to establish, which is why a discus aquarium should be fully matured before the fish arrive rather than set up the week they are ordered.

If you are building the aquarium from scratch, our step-by-step guide to setting up and maturing a tropical aquarium covers equipment, filling, heating and the maturing stage in order, so the tank is ready and tested by the time you choose your discus.

Water chemistry and stability

Discus require more specific water parameters than many other fish. The figures below come from OATA’s discus care sheet. They are written for discus in general rather than for one colour strain, and they are the values to plan around for a Pigeon Checkerboard Discus.

Soft, warm and clean

OATA draws a useful distinction here. Tank-bred discus can tolerate harder water than their wild counterparts, but clean, warm, soft, slightly acidic water is optimum for all discus, and the best way to achieve it is through regular partial water changes. A domestic strain gives you a little more margin on hardness; it does not change the conditions in which discus do best.

OATA also advises always asking what conditions discus are being kept in and then attempting to replicate them in your aquarium. Before you order, it is worth asking us how our discus are kept, so you can compare that with your own water and plan any adjustment in advance rather than after the fish have arrived.

Testing before you commit

Test both your tap water and your aquarium for pH, GH and KH as well as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate before you buy. If those terms are unfamiliar, our guide to aquarium water parameters explains what each test measures and why it matters. You can then enter your results into the water parameter matcher to compare your measurements with guidance such as the table above.

How pH, KH and water changes interact

Carbonate hardness (KH) is the water’s buffer: it resists changes in pH. Soft water with a low KH, the kind discus prefer, has less of that buffer, so pH can move more readily between water changes. That is one more reason the weekly change matters, and a reason to test pH and KH together rather than pH alone. If your tap water is much harder than the discus range, decide how you will soften it before the fish arrive rather than adjusting it with the discus already in the aquarium.

Keeping conditions steady

• Temperature: the heater needs to hold the aquarium within 26–30°C through a UK winter, and a thermometer you glance at every day shows a problem early.
• Replacement water: large water changes are gentlest when the new water has been treated with conditioner and brought close to the aquarium’s temperature first.
• Stocking: every extra fish adds waste, so the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are the quickest way to see whether the aquarium is coping with its population.
• Nitrate: regular large changes are what keep nitrate at or below OATA’s 20 mg per litre ceiling between tests.

The weekly maintenance routine

Most of discus keeping is a routine done well and done every week. OATA strongly recommends a partial water change of 50% at least once every week, which makes the water change the centre of the whole routine. Setting the aquarium up so that draining and refilling half its volume is quick and tidy pays off every single week.

Step by step

1. Test the water. Check at least once a week that ammonia and nitrite are at zero and that nitrate is no higher than 20 mg per litre.
2. Siphon while you drain. A siphon device removes solid waste from the gravel as the old water comes out. On sand, stir the open areas regularly so waste cannot build up in dead spots.
3. Treat the new water. Add tap water conditioner to remove any harmful chlorine or chloramine before the replacement water goes into the aquarium.
4. Look at the filter. Check it for blockages. If it needs cleaning, rinse the media lightly in the aquarium water you have just removed and do not run it under the tap, because any chlorine or chloramine present may kill the beneficial bacteria living in it.
5. Look over the fish. Take a moment after each water change to check every discus against the health signs listed further down this tab.

A worked example

In OATA’s example aquarium of about 300 litres for six adult discus, a 50% change means removing and replacing roughly 150 litres every week. That is a lot of water to carry in buckets, so decide in advance how you will drain it, where the replacement water will be treated and warmed, and how long the job will take. A routine that fits comfortably into your week is one you will keep up.

A simple weekly planner

The routine also explains why discus keepers talk so much about water. Large, regular changes are how OATA suggests keeping discus water clean, warm, soft and slightly acidic, and they dilute the nitrate that builds up between changes. Skipped weeks add up, so treat the weekly change as fixed rather than optional.

Feeding routine

Discus are generally carnivores and eat aquatic invertebrates in the wild, so their aquarium diet should lean on meaty foods. OATA’s feeding advice for discus comes down to four parts.

• A specialised discus food every day. Dried discus foods in granules or pellets should be used at least once a day to make sure the fish receive adequate vitamins.
• Frozen or live extras. Discus appreciate frozen or live foods, in particular beef heart, bloodworm and special discus mixes.
• Small, frequent meals. Discus have a relatively small stomach and will appreciate 2–3 smaller feeds spread through the day.
• Short feeding windows. Give only what the fish can eat within a few minutes.

An example day

That pattern follows OATA’s outline: a dried discus food at least once a day, frozen or live foods alongside it, and 2–3 smaller feeds rather than one large one. Each portion should still be gone within a few minutes.

Avoiding overfeeding

Overfeeding is the easiest way to undo a good maintenance routine. Uneaten food breaks down and releases toxic waste into the water, which is exactly what the weekly water change is working to remove. Watch each feed and siphon out anything left on the substrate. If you are unsure how much to offer, start with a small portion and increase it only while the whole amount disappears within the feeding window.

Appetite as a health signal

How a group feeds tells you a great deal. OATA lists reduced intake or lack of interest in food among the changes worth watching for, so a discus that hangs back at feeding time or stops eating deserves a closer look and a water test the same day. Feeding small meals several times a day also gives you several chances to see every fish.

Delivery, arrival and settling in

Every order is hand-packed by our team. The fish are bagged in pure oxygen and packed in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it. We email you the tracking number and your confirmed Thursday or Friday delivery date, and a licensed live-animal courier carries the parcel on a tracked service. Our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page sets out the full terms.

Before the parcel arrives

Have the aquarium fully matured, heated and tested before you order. OATA’s checklist is simple: make sure the aquarium is an appropriate size for the number of discus you want to keep, and that ammonia and nitrite read zero. It also advises increasing the number of fish only slowly, because the filter’s beneficial bacteria need to grow each time more fish are added and feeding increases. Overstocking or stocking too quickly can result in ‘new tank syndrome’, when there are not enough nitrifying bacteria to cope with the extra waste and ammonia and nitrite rise to levels that may cause fish to become ill or die.

On delivery day

1. Be at the delivery address to receive the parcel. Live fish cannot be left unattended, and the guarantee requires someone to be there.
2. Film every parcel in one continuous take, starting with the sealed parcel and outer box in view, through opening it, to the fish still inside the sealed bag.
3. Open and inspect the parcel on the same day it arrives.
4. Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 20–30 minutes to acclimatise the fish slowly, then release them.
5. Never pour the bag water into your tank.

If anything has gone wrong, contact us the same day your fish arrive with your order number and the unboxing video; WhatsApp is the fastest way to reach us, and we will arrange a replacement or refund.

The first weeks

Give new discus time and quiet observation. Check them each day against the healthy-fish description below, test the water more often than usual while the filter adjusts to the extra waste, and keep feeds small until every fish is eating readily. Resist the urge to rearrange the aquarium or add more fish during this period; a settled routine is what lets a new group find its feet.

Health checks and warning signs

OATA describes a healthy fish as having clear bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales, no ulcerations or bumps and appropriate swimming behaviour. That is the checklist to use on arrival day and as a daily habit afterwards.

All fish show slight variations in behaviour and appearance, but OATA lists the changes that help you identify a potential problem before it becomes a real health issue:

• Swimming behaviour: hanging at the surface, sitting on the bottom or erratic swimming.
• Colour: turning a darker or paler colour than normal.
• Temperament: changes in aggression, or hiding more than normal.
• Breathing: gill covers moving at a slower or faster rate than normal.
• Appearance: white spots or fluffy growths, or loss of fins or scales.
• Condition: an increase or decrease in body weight.
• Feeding: reduced intake or lack of interest in food.

What to do if something looks wrong

If you are concerned about any of your fish, OATA’s advice is to test your water quality first and then contact your retailer for further guidance. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings show quickly whether the routine needs attention, and they are the first thing we will want to know about if you contact us.

Because colour is part of the checklist, it helps to know your fish. Take a clear photograph of the group once they have settled, so that later you can judge whether a fish really has turned darker or paler than normal rather than relying on memory.

Group life and suitable companions

Discus are shoaling fish, and OATA’s advice is to keep them in groups of at least five in the home aquarium, although more is better. They are social fish, and those kept singly or in too small groups will often become stressed or bullied by larger or more dominant fish. OATA notes one exception: two discus can sometimes share a setup when they are an already established breeding pair.

For most buyers that makes a Pigeon Checkerboard Discus part of a group purchase. If you would like to compare other colour strains before settling on the group, our discus collection gathers the discus we offer in one place.

Companions that suit a discus aquarium

Because the aquarium has to be set up around the discus and their needs, OATA says only a handful of other species will be suitable tank mates. The kinds it names are:

• medium-sized tetras
• Corydoras
• plecos
• dwarf cichlids

Smaller companions like these can act as “dither” fish. OATA explains that discus use them to check that no predators are near, so incorporating them into a discus tank may help the discus feel more confident.

Checking a companion before you add it

Fish to leave out

Leave out any fish that needs cooler, harder or otherwise different water from the discus range, and any fish large or pushy enough to dominate discus at feeding time or in the open water. Given how few species suit a discus aquarium, the safest approach is to start from OATA’s short list and check each candidate’s own care needs against the questions above before buying.

Behaviour you can expect

Discus are calm fish, as Wikipedia notes, and OATA describes them as not as aggressive as some of their close relatives. They can also be shy, which is why OATA recommends live plant cover and wood to hide among, balanced by open water where the group can swim together as it explores.

At feeding time you may see discus “blowing” at the substrate, the natural feeding behaviour that makes fine gravel or sand the right choice. Watch the balance of the group as well as individual fish: hiding more than normal and changes in aggression are both on OATA’s list of warning signs, and both are another reason to keep a group of five or more.

Pairs and parenting

Dedicated parenting is one of the traits Wikipedia lists among the reasons discus are so widely kept. Pairing cannot be arranged at the point of sale, because discus are difficult to sex unless they are in breeding condition, so the fish on this page are chosen by size alone.

Questions about Pigeon Checkerboard Discus

How big do Pigeon Checkerboard Discus grow?

It is a discus colour strain, and OATA’s discus care sheet says adult discus can reach up to 20 cm across, although they are slow growers. The fish you receive is the size you chose, so plan the aquarium for full-grown fish from the start.

What size aquarium does a group of discus need?

OATA recommends 50 litres of water volume for each adult discus, with plenty of floor space, and says an aquarium of approximately 300 litres will house a shoal of six adults. For the minimum group of five that works out at 250 litres, and a larger aquarium is easier to keep stable.

How many Pigeon Checkerboard Discus should I keep together?

Keep at least five, and more is better. Discus are social, shoaling fish, and OATA warns that those kept singly or in too small groups will often become stressed or bullied by larger or more dominant fish. Two can sometimes share an aquarium only when they are an already established breeding pair.

Is Pigeon Checkerboard Discus a good fish for beginners?

It suits a keeper who already runs a stable, mature aquarium better than someone setting up a first tank. OATA describes discus as having specialised care requirements and more specific water needs than many other fish, including a 50% partial water change at least once every week.

What do discus eat?

Discus are generally carnivores. OATA recommends a specialised dried discus food in granules or pellets at least once a day, plus frozen or live foods such as beef heart, bloodworm and discus mixes. Offer 2–3 smaller feeds through the day and give only what the fish eat within a few minutes.

What temperature and pH does Pigeon Checkerboard Discus need?

OATA’s discus care sheet gives 26–30°C and pH 6.0–7.5, with general hardness of 4–12°dH and carbonate hardness of 3–10°dKH. Tank-bred discus can tolerate harder water than their wild counterparts, but clean, warm, soft, slightly acidic water is optimum.

Are discus aggressive?

Discus are calm fish and, in OATA’s words, not as aggressive as some of their close relatives. The bullying OATA does warn about comes from larger or more dominant fish when discus are kept singly or in too small groups, so a group of at least five is the best protection.

Which fish can live with Pigeon Checkerboard Discus?

Only a handful of kinds suit a discus aquarium. OATA names medium-sized tetras, Corydoras, plecos and dwarf cichlids, and notes that these smaller dither fish may help discus feel more confident. Check that any companion also does well in warm, soft, slightly acidic water.

How does Pigeon Checkerboard Discus arrive alive in the UK?

We hand-pack each order in pure oxygen inside an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, and a licensed live-animal courier delivers on your confirmed Thursday or Friday. Someone must be in to receive the parcel. Film the sealed parcel being opened in one continuous take, then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish. That video is needed for any Live Arrival Guarantee claim.

References and further reading

• World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS): Symphysodon, the accepted genus record and its place in the family Cichlidae.
• Wikipedia: Discus (fish), a genus overview covering natural range, behaviour, colour and aquaculture.
• Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association: How to look after discus, the UK trade care sheet behind the water, aquarium, feeding, maintenance, health and compatibility guidance on this page.
• RSPCA: fish environment and aquarium filters, welfare guidance on filtration and the nitrogen cycle.
• Tropical Fish Co: Delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee, covering packing, courier, delivery days, acclimatisation and claims.