''Symphysodon discus'', the red discus or Heckel discus, is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
cichlid
Cichlids ()
are a large, diverse, and widespread family of percomorph fish in the family Cichlidae, order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been scientifically described, making it one of the largest vertebrate families, with on ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to the
Amazon Basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributary, tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries ...
of
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, where found in the lower
Rio Negro, upper
Uatumã,
Nhamundá,
Trombetas and
Abacaxis.
This species is essentially restricted to
blackwater habitats with a high temperature of and low
pH of 4.2–5.2.
This species grows to a length of
SL.
This species can also be found in the
aquarium
An aquarium (: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. fishkeeping, Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquati ...
trade.
[
]
Parental care
Small fry of this fish feed on the mucus secreted by their parents.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
discus
Fish of the Amazon basin
Cichlid fish of Brazil
Endemic fish of Brazil
Fish described in 1840
Mucous feeding fish