Although the fish commands a high price, many people have sought its presence because of its beautiful patterns and color, and they are virtually easy to keep. If you have always wanted a discus fish but is afraid that you might just waste them, then here are a couple of discus fish secrets which will allow you to not only keep them healthy, but also keep them happy inside your fresh water aquarium. Normally this would be at around 26 to 31 degrees Celsius. The water should also be acidic and soft. Maintain a pH level of about 5.5 to 6.5. Captive fish or store bought discus fish can survive in harder water and acidic levels that can reach 6.8. They are already used to this. But for breeding purposes, stick to the natural levels that discus fish are used to. Also, be warned that over handling the fish may result to its death. So you need to have a very keen observation so that you will be able to truly determine the sex. You will need to be very patient and to follow the fish well, for those who do not know the differences between the male and the female, it would be very hard to discover its gender. A symptom of discus fish having internal parasites is that they may produce white feces. Emaciation can also occur and is also considered as a common symptom of internal parasite. A dose of Metronidazole usually clears the problem. You can get this ingested by your discus fish by medicating the food they eat. Of course, like with other pets, you want your Discus Fish to be healthy and free from disease. So, here are some simple tips that will help you keep your Discus Fish alive and healthy for a very long time. For starters, you have to make sure that you keep at least six Discus Fish together. You have to remember that Discus Fish are shoaling fish, which means that you have to put them in groups. They are very colorful and they can also be the center attraction of your aquarium. If you did your research about Discus Fish, then you know how expensive they can be. If you are planning to buy a Discus Fish as an additional fish in to your aquarium, here are some tips that you need to remember before you actually buy one.