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Red Turquoise — discus turquoise-blue Symphysodon aequifasciatus | encyclopaedia discus.ro
Turquoise / Blue

Red Turquoise

Symphysodon aequifasciatus

Medium

Description

The Red Turquoise is one of the first and most iconic hybrid discus varieties. It represents the starting point for most modern strains featuring turquoise stripes.

🌍 Origin & History

One of the oldest and most historic hybrid discus varieties. The first Red Turquoise strain was created by Jack Wattley in the USA (1969), by crossing wild specimens collected from the Rio Juruá with green discus from Tefé. Subsequently, Dr. Schmidt-Focke from Germany perfected his own version (1970) by crossing a wild 'Blue Discus' with a solid red discus, creating the European Red Turquoise line that dominated the industry.

Appearance

Disc-shaped body, laterally compressed. The body color ranges from bright red-orange to brownish-red. On this base, bright turquoise-blue wavy horizontal stripes overlay, covering between 60-100% of the body surface. The eyes are vivid red. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins feature filamentous extensions and turquoise stripes. The stripes are thick ('thick line') and evenly distributed.

🧬 Genetic background

At the base: wild Royal Blue discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus haraldi) × Tefé green discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus aequifasciatus). The turquoise stripes derive from the horizontal stripping gene of the Wild Blue/Royal Blue, while the red-brown base comes from intensive selection of carotenoid pigments. The genotype is dominant over strains without stripes.

Recommended water parameters

pH
6–7
TDS
100–250 ppm
Temperature
28–30°C
GH
2–8 °dGH
⚠ Don't chase the exact water values — stability is what matters most. Discus from European farms are already used to harder water with a higher pH.
15–20 cm
Size
10–15 ani
Lifespan
200L
Min. tank

Care

Regular water changes of 25–30%, 2–3 times a week. Sensitive to sudden changes in parameters.

Breeding

Relatively easy to breed. Pairs deposit eggs on vertical surfaces. The fry feed on parental mucus.

💡 Practical tips

  • →A dark aquarium background enhances the turquoise stripes
  • →Temperatures below 27°C can lead to Hexamita
  • →Groups of at least 6 specimens reduce stress

Products for this variety

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