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View Full Version : Discus and water changes - I travel a lot



Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 11:09 AM
Hi guys, first post here... great forum, very informative!

I'm from Brazil and, after several years away from the aquarium hobby, I'm crazy to return. I want to build an Amazon blackwater biotope,

- 60 gallons
- No plants, only driftwood, dried branches, dried leaves and a thin substrate of sand, all collected in pristine rainforest.
- Low light, to create a dark, "pass through canopy" effect.
- Plan on 5 adult "wild-looking" domestic discus bred at a great local farm, some Corydoras, a couple plecos and a small school of cardinal tetras.
- Large HOB filter with peat, mechanical filtration and bio substrate. I may keep a separate small HOB filter as well to cycle the bio filter and be ready for the quarantine tank when needed.
- I want a dark stained water for realism, driftwood and leaves should help here.

My main problem, and doubt, is that as a wildlife photographer I travel quite a lot, a couple times a year spending almost 20 days out, but usually much less, like 5 days. These longer trips worry me, as there will be no one to do the water changes. What are my best options here? Do a large water change before I travel? Should I consider a more robust filtration system (which one)? Or should I simply forget about discus (please no :-) ) ?

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 11:25 AM
Hi Octavio,

Nice to see another compatriot in the forum :) Your plan looks great. However, you should definetely look for a more robust filtration system. I suggest a canister filter (Eheim 2217 would be an excellent choice) instead of a large HOB. Driftwood and leaves might stain the water dark in the beginning, but the effect will go away with time and with the frequent water changes. I would not worry about it. Be sure to clean and sanitize all branches and sand. You can boil the wood and treat the sand with bleach (água sanitária) to make sure you kill all the nasties.

As far as long trips are concerned, you will be perfectly fine if you have adult discus. I also travel a lot (in fact, I am leaving tomorrow for a two-week trip). You have just to stop feeding the day before you leave and do a large water change just before leaving. Once I travelled for 16 days and a pair of my wild Cuipeaus took the opportunity to breed. I never had a problem with my trips.

Finally, instead of wild-looking domestics, why don´t you get wilds? I can give you some hints where to get high quality wilds in Brazil. Just send me a PM.

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your project.

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 12:40 PM
Mauro, thanks a lot for the reply! Yes I definetly want some contacts for good quality wilds! I found some exporters, but they don't seem interested in selling just a few fish.

As for the travelling... you said you stop feeding a day before, but someone feed the fish for you while you are off (or a machine)?

Abraço

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 01:03 PM
Mauro, thanks a lot for the reply!

Welcome :)


Yes I definetly want some contacts for good quality wilds! I found some exporters, but they don't seem interested in selling just a few fish.

I will send you a PM.


As for the travelling... you said you stop feeding a day before, but someone feed the fish for you while you are off (or a machine)?

Yes, you can use a autofeeder. The problem is that with no WC water quality will deteriorate (amonia will accumulate) and the fish will get sick or die. It is better to have hungry discus that sick of dead discus.

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:07 PM
Ok great...

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 01:08 PM
It seems you need a minimum number of posts before someone can sand you a privage message. You just need 10 or so posts before I can send you PM. When you do that, than just send me a PM.

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:12 PM
Oh... I see... then here's one more lol

Second Hand Pat
04-02-2013, 01:13 PM
Hi Octavio, just post in this thread until you get your 10 posts and welcome to SD :)
Pat

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:17 PM
That's great, thanks!

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:18 PM
That's a gorgeous discus in your avatar btw

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:19 PM
Are Heckels harder to keep than other wilds?

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:20 PM
If possible I would like to simulate the Rio Negro or Uatumã, both rivers I have lots of personal experience

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:21 PM
9

Second Hand Pat
04-02-2013, 01:22 PM
Are Heckels harder to keep than other wilds?

Not according to other wilds keepers. I just got my first heckels.

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:22 PM
10

Second Hand Pat
04-02-2013, 01:23 PM
If possible I would like to simulate the Rio Negro or Uatumã, both rivers I have lots of personal experience

Perhaps you can give us ideas on simulating true bio-topes.

Trevor W
04-02-2013, 01:28 PM
^+1
Any personal insight or photos would be very interesting!
Welcome to Simply

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:28 PM
Well... from my experience there (I worked in the sport fishing industry there for 10 years), the habitat of discus and most other aquarium fish from the region is stagnant or semi stagnant water, fine sand bottom covered with fallen leaves, NO water plants of any kind. The only green plants you see in their habitat is during the wet season, when the forest around gets flooded. And there are absolutely no rocks either.

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 01:45 PM
That's a gorgeous discus in your avatar btw

Those are green Tefe wild discus from Pat, the "Queen of Wilds" here in the forum :) She was able to breed those beauties. You can see her threads in the homestead section, like this one:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?96756-Wild-Tefe-F1-Juvies-quot-Batch-A-quot


Are Heckels harder to keep than other wilds?

Pat is right, a lot of people keep them. But they usually require more acid water. Have you measured the PH of your tap water?


Well... from my experience there (I worked in the sport fishing industry there for 10 years), the habitat of discus and most other aquarium fish from the region is stagnant or semi stagnant water, fine sand bottom covered with fallen leaves, NO water plants of any kind. The only green plants you see in their habitat is during the wet season, when the forest around gets flooded. And there are absolutely no rocks either.

That sounds like a very good description of the biotope. Good luck with your project.

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 01:50 PM
Pat is right, a lot of people keep them. But they usually require more acid water. Have you measured the PH of your tap water?

Yes I imagined that, the water from those rivers, like the Unini, is very acid and almost "sterile" compared to the fertile muddy water rivers like the Amazon itself.

No I have not measured the PH, will buy a test and that today. I think that will be of great inffluence of what fish to choose.

Did you get my PM?

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 02:09 PM
No I have not measured the PH, will buy a test and that today. I think that will be of great inffluence of what fish to choose.?

PH is not that important unless you are interested in breeding.


Did you get my PM?

No, my inbox was full. But I just sent you one.

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 02:24 PM
Those are green Tefe wild discus from Pat, the "Queen of Wilds" here in the forum :) She was able to breed those beauties. You can see her threads in the homestead section, like this one:

Well, I just realized that the fish in Pat´s Avatar is a Cuipeua. The fish in her signature is a green Tefe. As one would expect, she was also able to breed the Cuipeuas:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?104474-Wild-Cuipeua-Spawn-3-19-2013

Second Hand Pat
04-02-2013, 02:37 PM
Thanks Mauro, if you wish to see some Tefe pictures, check out this photo album.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/album.php?albumid=601

Octavio, are you familar with the Rio Demini?

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 02:49 PM
Both of you have some fantastic wild discus... wow

Pat, yes I do. Actually I have more experience in the neighbour Aracá River, which has a different type of water. The Demini is an exception is the region for having muddier water. Its water is not very black as most other rivers in the region. During the dry season its waters get greenish. I suspect they are not as acid. Why, is there discus coming from it?

Edit: The lagoons and oxbow lakes around the Demini have black water though.

Second Hand Pat
04-02-2013, 02:52 PM
Octavio, the heckels I have are from the Demini.

CrazyAngels
04-02-2013, 02:56 PM
Welcome to the forum. I took a look through your website and can only say WOW!!!! that is some awesome photography, congrats..

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 03:05 PM
Thank you Jorge!

Pat, the Demini is so different from the other rivers that where it joins with the black waters of the Araca you can clearly see for several kilometers downriver a difference in water color and vegetation. On the Araca side you have a stunted, not very varied white sand forest while on the Demini side you have this classic tall, varied forest over clay soil. I'm sure the differences underwater are huge too.

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 03:09 PM
Welcome to the forum. I took a look through your website and can only say WOW!!!! that is some awesome photography, congrats..


Holy crap!! Awsome pictures. The pictures of the jaguars are something.

Octavio should get an underwater camera and leave immediately for the discus rivers of the Amazon...

Octavio Salles
04-02-2013, 06:59 PM
Thanks Mauro!

I just measured my tap water: PH 7; GH 3 or less.

Now I'm going to let some water rest for 24 hrs or so and test again... but it seems my tap water is decent for discus, am I wrong?

DiscusBR
04-02-2013, 07:40 PM
Thanks Mauro!

I just measured my tap water: PH 7; GH 3 or less.

Now I'm going to let some water rest for 24 hrs or so and test again... but it seems my tap water is decent for discus, am I wrong?

Neutral and soft water: excellent for discus. It would be great if you could add an air pump to agitate the water while it is resting for 24hs.