Discus tank mates
Symphysodon aequifasciatus
Discus gets along with 6 species, needs care with 150, and should avoid 32.
Fish8" adultPeaceful55+ gallons82–88°FpH 5.5–7
6Compatible
150With care
32Avoid
Best tank mates (hand-picked)
The most reliable companions for Discus — peaceful, and matched on water temperature and pH.
Gold Kuhli LoachPeaceful fish, shares 82–86°F & pH 5.5–7Kuhli LoachPeaceful fish, shares 82–86°F & pH 5.5–7Altum AngelfishPeaceful fish, shares 82–88°F & pH 5.5–6.5Zebra PlecoPeaceful fish, shares 82–86°F & pH 6–7AngelfishPeaceful fish, shares 82–84°F & pH 6–7Koi AngelfishPeaceful fish, shares 82–84°F & pH 6–7
Stocking more than one fish?
Don’t check pairs one at a time. Add Discus and every other fish you’re considering to the compatibility checker, and see how the whole community gets along at once — with tank-size and water-parameter conflicts flagged automatically.
Check my whole list →Best avoided (32 total)
A few to steer clear of — and exactly why:
OscarOscar is aggressive and will attack the peaceful Discus.Black Rose ShrimpDiscus is 5.3× the length of Black Rose Shrimp — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.Mischling / Taiwan BeeDiscus is 8.0× the length of Mischling / Taiwan Bee — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.Carbon Rili ShrimpDiscus is 5.3× the length of Carbon Rili Shrimp — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.Ghost ShrimpDiscus is 5.3× the length of Ghost Shrimp — easily mouth-sized, and anything that fits in the mouth is a predator.
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
Skapelab plans a complete, buildable planted aquarium around your fish — a hand-illustrated layout, the exact plants and hardscape, a placement map, and a full equipment and shopping list. Free.
Design a tank with Discus →The full compatibility list
Every species we checked against Discus — tap to expand.
Compatible (6)
Keep only with care (150)
Black Kuhli LoachFish · 3"Chocolate GouramiFish · 2"German Blue RamFish · 2.5"King Tiger PlecoFish · 6"Leopard Frog PlecoFish · 4.5"Moonlight GouramiFish · 6"Rummynose TetraFish · 2"Typhoon PlecoFish · 12"Vampire ShrimpShrimp · 6"Adolfo's CoryFish · 2.25"Albino CoryFish · 2.5"Amano ShrimpShrimp · 2"Assassin SnailSnail · 1"Axelrod's RasboraFish · 0.6"Bamboo / Wood ShrimpShrimp · 3.5"Bandit CoryFish · 2"Batik Nerite SnailSnail · 0.6"Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Fish · 2.5"Black MollyFish · 4"Black Neon TetraFish · 1.5"Black Sail CoryFish · 2"Black Skirt TetraFish · 2.5"Blackstripe CoryFish · 2.2"Bladder SnailSnail · 0.5"Blue GouramiFish · 5"Blue Lobster CrayfishCrayfish · 5"Blue Mystery SnailSnail · 1.8"Blue Phantom PlecoFish · 7"Bolivian RamFish · 3.5"Brazos Dwarf CrayfishCrayfish · 1.5"Brilliant RasboraFish · 4"Bristlenose PlecoFish · 5"Bronze CoryFish · 2.75"Cajun Dwarf CrayfishCrayfish · 1.5"Candy Striped PlecoFish · 4"Cardinal TetraFish · 2"Carnival / Polka Dot Freshwater CrabCrab · 1.5"Cherry BarbFish · 2"Chili RasboraFish · 0.7"Clown PlecoFish · 3.5"Clown RasboraFish · 4"Colombian RamshornSnail · 2"Colombian Zebra PlecoFish · 3.5"Common PlecoFish · 24"Croaking GouramiFish · 3"Dwarf Cory (Habrosus)Fish · 1"Dwarf Crayfish (CPO)Crayfish · 1.75"Dwarf Emerald RasboraFish · 1"Dwarf Emerald Rasbora (nanus)Fish · 0.7"Dwarf GouramiFish · 3.5"Electric Blue CrayfishCrayfish · 5"Elegant CoryFish · 2"Ember TetraFish · 0.8"Emerald Cory (Brochis)Fish · 3"Emerald Dwarf RasboraFish · 0.9"Emerald Eye RasboraFish · 1.4"Endler's LivebearerFish · 1.2"False Julii CoryFish · 2"False Rummy Nose TetraFish · 2"Fancy Guppy (Female trio)Fish · 2.4"Fiddler CrabCrab · 2"Fire RasboraFish · 1.6"Flash Pleco (L204)Fish · 20"Flower ShrimpShrimp · 2.5"Giant GouramiFish · 24"Giant Sulawesi SnailSnail · 3"Gold GouramiFish · 6"Gold Mystery SnailSnail · 1.8"Green Neon TetraFish · 1"Green Tiger BarbFish · 2.75"GuppyFish · 2"Harlequin RasboraFish · 1.75"Hengel's RasboraFish · 1.2"Honey GouramiFish · 2"Horned Nerite SnailSnail · 0.5"Ivory Mystery SnailSnail · 1.8"Japanese Trapdoor SnailSnail · 2"Julii CoryFish · 2"Kissing GouramiFish · 12"KribensisFish · 3.5"Lambchop RasboraFish · 1.25"Least RasboraFish · 0.8"Licorice GouramiFish · 1.4"Longfin Bristlenose PlecoFish · 5"Malaysian Trumpet SnailSnail · 1"Marbled CrayfishCrayfish · 5"MollyFish · 4"Mystery SnailSnail · 2"Neon Blue RasboraFish · 0.8"Neon Green RasboraFish · 0.8"Neon TetraFish · 1.5"Nerite SnailSnail · 1"Noble GouramiFish · 3"Olive Nerite SnailSnail · 0.75"Opaline GouramiFish · 6"Otocinclus CatfishFish · 1.5"Pagoda / Spiky SnailSnail · 1.5"Panda CoryFish · 2"Panther CrabCrab · 3"Pearl GouramiFish · 4.5"Phoenix RasboraFish · 0.8"Pitbull PlecoFish · 2.5"PlatyFish · 2.5"Pom Pom CrabCrab · 1"Pond SnailSnail · 2"Purple Vampire CrabCrab · 1.5"Pygmy CoryFish · 1"Pygmy RasboraFish · 0.8"Rabbit SnailSnail · 3"Ramshorn SnailSnail · 1"Red Claw CrabCrab · 2.5"Red Devil Vampire CrabCrab · 1.5"Red Racer Nerite SnailSnail · 0.75"Red-Line RasboraFish · 1.75"Royal PlecoFish · 17"Rubber Pleco (Rubbernose)Fish · 4.5"Saddled CoryFish · 1.8"Sailfin MollyFish · 5"Schwartz's CoryFish · 2.5"Scissortail RasboraFish · 3.5"Siamese Algae EaterFish · 6"Siamese Algae EaterFish · 6"Skunk CoryFish · 2"Slender RasboraFish · 1.5"Smudge Spot CoryFish · 2.25"Sparkling GouramiFish · 1.5"Spike-Topped Apple SnailSnail · 1.5"Spiky NeriteSnail · 0.7"Spotted Tail CoryFish · 2.2"Sterbai CoryFish · 2.6"Strawberry RasboraFish · 0.7"Sulawesi SnailSnail · 2"SwordtailFish · 5.5"Tail Spot Pygmy CoryFish · 1"Thai Devil CrabCrab · 2"Thai Freshwater CrabCrab · 2.5"Thai Micro CrabCrab · 0.4"Thai Micro Pom Pom CrabCrab · 0.8"Thick-lipped GouramiFish · 3.5"Threestripe CoryFish · 2.2"Tiger BarbFish · 2.75"Tracked Nerite SnailSnail · 0.8"Two-Saddled CoryFish · 2.5"Variatus PlatyFish · 2.75"Venezuelan CoryFish · 2.5"Wild-Type BettaFish · 2.5"Yucatan MollyFish · 6"Zebra DanioFish · 2"Zebra Nerite SnailSnail · 1"Zebra OtocinclusFish · 1.5"
Avoid (32)
Black King Kong ShrimpShrimp · 1"Black Rose ShrimpShrimp · 1.5"Blue Bolt ShrimpShrimp · 1"Blue Dream ShrimpShrimp · 1"Blue Tiger ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Blue Velvet ShrimpShrimp · 1"Carbon Rili ShrimpShrimp · 1.5"Cardinal ShrimpShrimp · 0.8"Cherry ShrimpShrimp · 1"Chocolate ShrimpShrimp · 1"Crystal Red ShrimpShrimp · 1"Ghost ShrimpShrimp · 1.5"Green Jade ShrimpShrimp · 1"Mischling / Taiwan BeeShrimp · 1"Oolong ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Orange Eye Blue Tiger ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Orange Rili ShrimpShrimp · 1"OscarFish · 16"Painted Fire Red ShrimpShrimp · 1.5"Pinto ShrimpShrimp · 1"Red Nose ShrimpShrimp · 1.5"Red Rili ShrimpShrimp · 1"Red Shadow Panda ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Shadow Panda ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Snowball ShrimpShrimp · 1"Super Crystal Red ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Tangerine Tiger ShrimpShrimp · 1"Tiger ShrimpShrimp · 1"White Glove ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Wine Red ShrimpShrimp · 1.2"Yellow King Kong ShrimpShrimp · 1"Yellow Neocaridina ShrimpShrimp · 1"