Discus fish come in a wide variety of breeds, which can be categorized into several series based on their color, patterns, and bloodlines. Here are the common classifications and representative breeds:
I. Basic Starter Breeds (Suitable for Beginners)
Pigeon Blood Discus: Features a white base with red patterns and red eyes; tends to develop black specks easily.
Red Cover / Red Princess Discus: Boasts a bright red color covering 80% of its body, giving a festive look but also prone to black specks.
Alenquer Discus: Has a brown base color with blue-green patterns on its fins and a gentle temperament.
Caishen (God of Wealth) Discus: Comes in a round body with yellow or red color and does not develop black specks.
Emperor Blue Discus: Shows a pure blue color without patterns and red eyes; has a delicate digestive system, so water quality needs careful attention.
II. Turquoise Series (Classic Improved Breeds)
German Turquoise Discus: Has a round body shape with neat patterns and milk rings, known as the flagship version of red turquoise discus.
Galaxy Turquoise Discus: Features patterns resembling the Milky Way and a thick body shape.
Giant Turquoise Discus: Possesses tall fins and a large, round body.
Tiger Stripe Turquoise Discus: Divided into blue and red tiger stripe varieties, with patterns similar to a tiger's stripes.
III. Unique Breeds
Blue Turquoise / Blue Giant Discus: Has a blue base with red patterns and is among the first artificially improved .
Red Checkerboard Discus: A descendant of wild brown discus, with silver patterns on its head; there is a color difference between males and females.
Snake Pigeon / Devil Discus: Has unique patterns and is rare in the market.
Albino Series: Such as Albino Golden Discus and Albino Pigeon Discus, which lack melanin.
IV. Other Popular Breeds
Tiger Dog Discus: An improved variety of blue turquoise discus with red eye rings.
Spotted Discus / Explosive Spot Discus: Has spots on its body, divided into types like 9-bar, 14-bar, and 18-bar.
Red-eyed Golden Discus: Has a yellow body and red pupils, being an albino variant.