{"product_id":"lm-discus","title":"Lightly Medicated | Assorted Discus (Symphysodon sp.)","description":"\u003ch3\u003eWhat “Lightly Medicated” means\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is the same animal as our non-quarantined listing, held briefly in our systems and given one short prophylactic course — a light treatment for ich and for internal and external worms — then observed eating in front of us before it goes home.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA light course knocks the parasite load down. It does not guarantee full removal, and we will not pretend otherwise.\u003c\/strong\u003e Ich is only killed in its free-swimming stage, and a short treatment window can miss cysts entirely; worm burdens can survive a single dose. Clearing an animal takes the full quarantine window — 40 to 90 days depending on the species — which is exactly what the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/quarantine-program\"\u003eQuarantined listing\u003c\/a\u003e is for. This tier buys you a lower parasite load and a fish we have watched eat, not a cleared animal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe condition the fish on our end.\u003c\/strong\u003e Every animal we medicate is brought back onto prepared food on our own systems and is eating before it leaves — in practice it is rare for a lightly medicated fish to ship out and arrive sick. Do the same at your end: get it eating in your aquarium before you count it settled.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhen it ships\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlan on \u003cstrong\u003e3–5 days\u003c\/strong\u003e on our systems for the treatment course, and it does not leave until it is eating. \u003cstrong\u003eIf the animal is not already in our systems we source it first — allow up to two weeks for it to reach us before that clock starts.\u003c\/strong\u003e From the day you order, plan on roughly two and a half weeks in total.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe guarantees\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShipped orders:\u003c\/strong\u003e 24-hour live guarantee from confirmed delivery.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIn-store pickup:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7-day live guarantee — bring a water sample from your aquarium so we can test it before your livestock goes home with you.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWant the full program — treated, observed, confirmed eating, and covered for 28 days on pickup? That is the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/quarantine-program\"\u003eQuarantined listing\u003c\/a\u003e. Run your own quarantine and just want the fish this week? The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/non-quarantined-livestock\"\u003enon-quarantined listing\u003c\/a\u003e is cheaper still. The whole ladder is explained in \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/quarantined-vs-non-quarantined\"\u003eQuarantined vs Non-Quarantined\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiscus have a reputation as the most demanding centerpiece fish in the freshwater hobby, and it’s mostly earned — \u003cem\u003eSymphysodon sp.\u003c\/em\u003e evolved in the warm, soft, extremely clean water of the Amazon floodplain, and they haven’t forgotten it. They want water consistently warm (82–88°F is the actual target, not the 76°F a typical community tank runs at), soft to moderately soft, and impeccably clean. Nitrate above 20 ppm is stressful; above 40 ppm is damaging. Daily or every-other-day water changes aren’t overcautious for a dedicated discus tank — they’re standard practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat makes them genuinely remarkable, and worth the effort, is how they raise their young: both parents secrete a nutrient-rich mucus from their skin that newly hatched fry feed on directly, grazing off the parents’ sides for the first week or two of life. It’s one of the only examples of this kind of parental nutrition among fish, and watching it happen in person is one of the more affecting things freshwater keeping has to offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir round, laterally compressed shape and calm, deliberate movement have made them a benchmark species for decades — the fish serious keepers work up to rather than start with. This listing is assorted morphs, meaning you’ll receive a mix of color strains from the same source.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Symphysodon sp. (assorted color morphs)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Amazon River basin, South America — slow floodplain lakes and river margins with warm, soft, tannin-stained water\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater parameters:\u003c\/strong\u003e Temp 82–88°F (non-negotiable) · pH 5.5–7.0 · GH 1–8 (soft water essential) · Nitrate ideally below 20 ppm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTank requirements:\u003c\/strong\u003e 55 gal minimum for a group of 4–6; tall tank preferred; dark substrate and subdued lighting reduce stress\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiet:\u003c\/strong\u003e Carnivore — high-protein discus beef heart mix or premium pellets; supplement with frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompatibility:\u003c\/strong\u003e Peaceful; best in a species-only or calm large-fish community; avoid active or nippy tankmates\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHusbandry note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Discus kept in water that’s too cool or too hard will eat poorly, show clamped fins, and slowly decline. Before buying discus, verify your water change water is preheated and soft — cold water changes, even brief ones, will trigger disease outbreaks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"YoCamron's Aquatics","offers":[{"title":"Wild-Caught","offer_id":50609170972909,"sku":"FWFSH-DISCUS","price":103.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/1032\/8813\/files\/1920px-2023-08-20.__D0_90_D0_BD_D0_B0_D0_BF_D0_B0_DSC_5565.jpg?v=1787398678","url":"https:\/\/www.yocamronsaquatics.com\/products\/lm-discus","provider":"YoCamron’s Aquatics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}