{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{Speciesbox | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author=Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) |author-link=Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation |year= 2022 |title=''Symphysodon discus'' |article-number= e.T141105901A141105905 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T141105901A141105905.pt|access-date=5 July 2024 |lang=pt}}</ref> | image = Discus heckel.jpg | image_caption = | taxon = Symphysodon discus | authority = Heckel, 1840 | synonyms = * ''Symphysodon discus willischwartzi'' <small>W. E. Burgess, 1981</small> }}
'''''Symphysodon discus''''', the '''red discus''' or '''Heckel discus''', is a species of cichlid endemic to the Amazon Basin of Brazil, where found in the lower Rio Negro, upper Uatumã, Nhamundá, Trombetas and Abacaxis.<ref name=Amado2011>{{cite journal|last1=Amado|first1=M.V.|last2=Farias|first2=I.P.|last3=Hrbek|first3=T.|title=A Molecular Perspective on Systematics, Taxonomy and Classification Amazonian Discus Fishes of the Genus Symphysodon|journal=International Journal of Evolutionary Biology|date=2011|volume=2011 |article-number=360654 |doi=10.4061/2011/360654|pmid=21811676|pmc=3147135 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
This species is essentially restricted to blackwater habitats with a high temperature of {{convert|26|-|32|C|F|abbr=on}} and low pH of 4.2–5.2.<ref name=Bleher2007>{{cite journal|last1=Bleher|first1=H.|last2=Stölting|first2=K.N.|last3=Salzburger|first3=W.|last4=Meyer|first4=A.|title=Revision of the genus ''Symphysodon'' Heckel, 1840 (Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae) based on molecular and morphological characters|year=2007|journal=Aqua|volume=12|pages=133–174}}</ref>
This species grows to a length of {{convert|20|cm|in}} SL.<ref name=fishbase>{{FishBase |genus= Symphysodon|species= discus| month = April | year = 2013}}</ref>
This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.<ref name=fishbase/>
==Parental care== Small fry of this fish feed on the mucus secreted by their parents.<ref name=Hildemann1959>{{cite journal|last1=Hildemann|first1=W. H.|title=A cichlid fish ''Symphysodon discus'', with unique nurture habits.|journal=Am. Zool.|date=1959|volume=93|issue=868 |pages=27–34 |doi=10.1086/282054 |bibcode=1959ANat...93...27H }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q920640}} {{Authority control}} discus Category:Fish of the Amazon basin Category:Cichlid fish of Brazil Category:Endemic fish of Brazil Category:Fish described in 1840 Category:Mucous feeding fish