Discus vs Wels Catfish

Symphysodon discus comparado com Silurus glanis

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Discus	Wels Catfish
Nome Científico	Symphysodon discus	Silurus glanis
Ordem	Cichliformes	Siluriformes
Família	Cichlidae	Ictaluridae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Discus	Wels Catfish
Comprimento Máximo	20,0 cm	500,0 cm
Peso Máximo	0,25 kg	300,0 kg
Cor	Deep-bodied disc shape with vibrant turquoise-blue wavy horizontal lines over a reddish-brown to orange-brown base; fins edged in vivid blue with red striping; wild forms show 9 dark vertical bars.	Dark olive-green to slate-gray back with irregular mottled marbling of darker blotches; flanks grade to olive-yellow; scaleless smooth skin; belly pale cream to yellowish-white; head broad and flat.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Discus	Wels Catfish
Tipo de Água	Freshwater	Brackish
Faixa de Profundidade	—	0-30m
Distribuição Geográfica	Restricted to the central Amazon River basin in Brazil, particularly around the confluence of the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões. Prefers warm, soft, highly acidic …	Native to large river systems and lakes of central and eastern Europe from the Rhine basin east to the Caspian and Aral sea drainages. Introduced …
Habitat	Warm, blackwater rivers of the Amazon basin, particularly the Rio Negro and tributaries. Prefers soft, acidic water (pH 4.5-6.5, 26-31°C) with driftwood and minimal current. …	Large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Europe and Asia (Volga, Danube, Rhine, Ob). Inhabits deep, slow-moving freshwater with soft substrates. Tolerates turbid water (15-25°C). Highly …

Aquarium Suitability

Atributo	Discus	Wels Catfish
Tamanho Mínimo do Aquário	250 L	—
Temperatura	26-30	—
Faixa de pH	5.0-7.0	—
Nível de Cuidado	Difficult	—
Temperamento	Peaceful	—

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Discus	Wels Catfish
Peixe Esportivo	Não	Sim
Classificação de Resistência	—	9/10
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Discus

Not consumed — a prized ornamental aquarium fish known as the 'king of the aquarium' for its disc-shaped body and brilliant colors.

Wels Catfish

Fatty, soft flesh with a mild, slightly sweet flavor; quality improves from cold, clean water fish. Popular in Central European cuisines — commonly smoked, fried, or braised with vegetables.

Species Overview

Discus

The discus is often called the 'King of the Aquarium' for its disc-shaped body and stunning color patterns. Native to the Amazon floodplains, it requires warm, soft, acidic water and feeds its fry with a mucus secretion from its skin.

Wels Catfish

The wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Europe, capable of exceeding 5 meters. Found in large rivers and lakes across the continent, it has been documented beaching itself to catch pigeons. It can live over 80 years.