Unknown Variety

Unknown variety is a practical label for a discus whose color strain or line has not been confidently identified. Domestic discus are selectively bred forms of Symphysodon, descended from Amazon basin cichlids and now kept in many aquarium colors such as pigeon blood, blue diamond, red melon, turquoise, leopard, spotted, golden, and albino. A fish may end up under this label when it is a mixed-strain juvenile, a rescue with no breeder history, or a specimen whose adult pattern has not yet settled.

Care is the same as for other discus rather than a separate variety program. They need very clean, warm water, stable chemistry, calm tankmates, and a high-quality diet sized for a laterally compressed cichlid. Breeders trying to identify or refine a line usually photograph development, note parent fish, and avoid selling uncertain offspring as named strains. Buyers should judge body shape, behavior, health, and acclimation history before relying on a color name.

Colors: Albino, Blue Diamond, Blue Spotted, Blue Turquoise, Checkerboard, Golden, Leopard, Pigeon Blood, Red Cover, Red Melon, Red Spotted, Red Turquoise, Royal Blue, Snake Skin, Snow White, Solid Blue, Solid Red