THIS is how you keep Discus happy,healthy, and for years.

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I don't like the look of Discus regardless, but even if I did... what's the point in keeping just a bare empty tank like that? People love to rag on hybrids and GMO fish like fancy goldfish, but then weak fish like Discus, Arowana, and Electric Blue Jack Dempsey that die at the drop of a hat and can't even deal with normal tank pathogens are never included as problematic.

If provided with the environment that they come from, Discus are perfectly fine. Some Discus are ever born and raised in hard water (which I would not recommend). They have been inbred for coloration which does make them weaker-- which is exceptionally true of the EBJD --> they are a very weak fish genetically. Arowanas, again, provided with the habitat they need to thrive do just fine. They don't keel over at a moments notice. These fish, of course, can deal with normal pathogens. How do you expect that they survive in the wild?

The pushback on GMO and Hybrids is not specifically related to their poor genetics making them sickly (which can be true), but is mostly centered on thee basis that a breeder is mixing two species together -- which may result in fish that look similar to the original but have distinctly different genetics. If then sold as the fish it resembles, it's diluting the blood line of the actual fish it's masquerading as.

Not attempting to bash hybrids (we have a section of the forum dedicated to them), but poor genetics +potential to negatively infect pure lines are some of the biggest complaints.

RE Discus: I have seen many keepers successfully keep Discus in planted tanks (not talking about a youtube money shot like you mentioned) and that don't do daily water changes (the horror!). It's my personal opinion (which seems to be substantiated by those that I know of including @itiwhetu that while discus are certainly sensitive, fear of losing their fish has lead many keepers to go to inordinate lengths to protect them and thereby not seeing that their fish can live healthy, long lives with a little bit less intervention.
 

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