Stendker vs Asian which is best for a first time discus keeper?

[AquaAlex]

So far I'm leaning towards stendker discus because Discus Hans and Stendker say that their discus can live and breed in tap water. And that sounds interesting. Plus I can get a whole group of 8-12 4'' for about 800-100 depending on the strain.
However, I've been doing my research and I noticed the asian have nice colors. But how are they? Do they need different water than stendker?
Could 1 keep both? I'm not going to but am just curious.
What is your opinion?
BTW, I will have my first discus tank set up in August. I'm getting 1 tefe green discus, 1 alenquer discus, 2 santarem discus, 1 blue pigeon, 1 blue diamond,1 brilliant turquoise, and 1 fire red. Plus, 1 final order which will be 2-3 maybe 4 more. What are your thoughts on this species and would it be possible to see pictures of any of yours who have these species? I'm getting all the discus from Discus Hans.
I'd love to hear your o2.
Thanks.

[Ryan]

It sounds like you already have your mind made up to go with Hans.

I've had Stendkers (not directly from Hans but from a store he supplied) and I've had Asian fish from two separate importers (Kenny and Mike Beals). Tank-bred discus are tank-bred discus. They're all fine in most tap water as long as you don't have really weird parameters like high nitrates or something. Care is the same for any discus you get, regardless of its origin. The real difference comes down to what you want in a discus. European bred discus tend to come in more traditional strains and are usually large-growing, while Asian fish tend to come in more trendy colors and don't always grow as large (though this is just speaking in general terms; I've definitely seen giant Asian discus).

I would recommend sticking with one supplier for your first purchase. It's best to buy all your new discus at once. If you go with Hans, order everything from Hans.

You can mix Asian and German discus but not without following strict quarantine procedures. Always quarantine everything. It doesn't matter where it comes from. If you already have a tank full of Asian discus and you buy more Asian discus, the new ones should still be quarantined. Same for German fish. Same for wild fish. Any fish can be a carrier for any disease at any time. Your new fish could pass on things to your existing stock, or your existing stock could infect new fish with something they have.

Read these threads:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?113584-Success-stories-Mixing-Asian-and-Stendker-Discus

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?119657-Mixing-Hans-and-Kenny-s-Discus

[ESXiGuy]

It's one thing to say that Stendker Discus can live and breed in tap water - but it's another to say that "Asian" Discus can't? This is not the case correct? You can get some of Kenny's Discus guaranteed at 4" for $48 which adds up to $576. Chicago Discus has 4" for $60 (again, it depends on the strain) which puts a dozen at 720. 800-1000 is not a "plus" if we were strictly talking prices.

I would love to own some Stendkers at some as well because variety if the spice of life. However, I think you already unfairly ruled out other forum sponsors who sell "Asian" Discus.

Ryan is 100% spot on for QT advice.

[AquaAlex]

It sounds like you already have your mind made up to go with Hans.

I've had Stendkers (not directly from Hans but from a store he supplied) and I've had Asian fish from two separate importers (Kenny and Mike Beals). Tank-bred discus are tank-bred discus. They're all fine in most tap water as long as you don't have really weird parameters like high nitrates or something. Care is the same for any discus you get, regardless of its origin. The real difference comes down to what you want in a discus. European bred discus tend to come in more traditional strains and are usually large-growing, while Asian fish tend to come in more trendy colors and don't always grow as large (though this is just speaking in general terms; I've definitely seen giant Asian discus).

I would recommend sticking with one supplier for your first purchase. It's best to buy all your new discus at once. If you go with Hans, order everything from Hans.

You can mix Asian and German discus but not without following strict quarantine procedures. Always quarantine everything. It doesn't matter where it comes from. If you already have a tank full of Asian discus and you buy more Asian discus, the new ones should still be quarantined. Same for German fish. Same for wild fish. Any fish can be a carrier for any disease at any time. Your new fish could pass on things to your existing stock, or your existing stock could infect new fish with something they have.

Read these threads:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?113584-Success-stories-Mixing-Asian-and-Stendker-Discus

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?119657-Mixing-Hans-and-Kenny-s-Discus
Thank you Ryan for the wonderful information.
I am going to go with stendker for now and if I can dig out a 75 I'll do asian too in a different tank.

[AquaAlex]

It's one thing to say that Stendker Discus can live and breed in tap water - but it's another to say that "Asian" Discus can't? This is not the case correct? You can get some of Kenny's Discus guaranteed at 4" for $48 which adds up to $576. Chicago Discus has 4" for $60 (again, it depends on the strain) which puts a dozen at 720. 800-1000 is not a "plus" if we were strictly talking prices.

I would love to own some Stendkers at some as well because variety if the spice of life. However, I think you already unfairly ruled out other forum sponsors who sell "Asian" Discus.

Ryan is 100% spot on for QT advice.
No you got me wrong. I'm not putting the asian discus down. I think the asians are beautiful Kenny's discus will be my asian go to when I set up a 2nd discus tank. I plan on having a 120 stendker discus and a 75 asian discus. But I was just curious as to that rumor because I was on a fish forum today and I read that stendker are better and more hardier, but now I know that's total ********.

[warblad79]

Sorry to say but you're not getting a straight answer on this one. But for me i'll go with Asian because they more variety of strain versus German discus.

[Ryan]

I know people spawning Asian discus in their tap water with no issues. Everyone has different tap water. It really boils down to your parameters. I've watched Kenny fish and Ricky Lim fish spawn in moderately hard water with a pH in the mid to high 7s and still hatch fry. Having said that, all discus will probably have better hatch rates in softer water, and all discus will probably be less successful as the hardness climbs.

[ESXiGuy]

It's really your money and decisions at the end of the day.

I personally don't see a reason to maintain two tanks of Discus when you can combine resources to take care of all of them in one aquarium.

I'm sure Stendkers are nice fish and I could be wrong on this point but I don't believe there is a significant delta on hardiness for one vs the other. What is good for a Stendker Discus is identically good for a Kenny Discus.

[MGKelly]

I've had Stendkers and fish from Kenny, both are awesome and love my cruddy new jersey water.

[nc0gnet0]

Coke or Pepsi?

[Mrs. J]

We researched the sponsors on this forum and those on the net and after looking at our water parameters, ph generally over7.2 from tap we decided to go with the Stendkers. we have had them for about 8 months and they have been very healthy and hardy. If you look on the photography section you will see a picture of our pigeon blood and blue diamonds. Like you I would like some additional fish and will eventually go with another of the sponsors on the forum. It really comes down to choice of colors patterns etc. Hans is very helpful. Just pay strict attention to water changes and all other help from the great mentors on the forum and you should be fine. Good luck and enjoy.....Mrs. Julia

[ESXiGuy]

Coke or Pepsi?

I'm a coke person myself. ;)

No skin in the game as far as Kenny or Hans or Coke and Pepsi. Just if someone said something like I heard Pepsi will make you half as obese as Coke, I would have to thoroughly investigate that claim and not take Pepsi's word for it.

[LGelb]

Not sure where in mass you are located, but I am on well water in mass and am keep ing and breeding discus from both Hans and Kenny. I only use RO to get a better hatch rate.

[alcastro]

Do the Japaneese breed discus, I would think they would be nice a reliable lol.

[AquaAlex]

Coke or Pepsi?

I'm a coke man!!!

[AquaAlex]

Not sure where in mass you are located, but I am on well water in mass and am keep ing and breeding discus from both Hans and Kenny. I only use RO to get a better hatch rate.
I'm in Springfield MA.None of the fish stores up ever have discus and when they do they are more expensive than Hans or Kennys.

[monching]

Coke or Pepsi?

scotch whiskey all the way :)

[stalefish83]

scotch whiskey all the way :)

When I feel like a splash of something in my bourbon, it's gonna be coke.

[DISCUS USA]

TEAM ASiA ALL DAY 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[brewmaster15]

TEAM ASiA ALL DAY ������������������������
Wow! HECTOR? Long time! How are you? I thought you were done with discus? Are you keeping Discus again?

Al

[For100]

I have always kept Asia discus, except when I started in the 90’s. I purchased a dozen blue diamonds from Jack Wattley in Miami.

Lately, I have come across some videos of German and Switzerland discus breeders that are making want to schedule a biz trip to Europe to check them out.

[Willie]

So far I'm leaning towards stendker discus because Discus Hans and Stendker say that their discus can live and breed in tap water....

It's a moot point because Discus Hans is not longer reping Stendker discus. In fact, I understand Stendker has shut their doors.

The last FB post I saw from Hans shows what appears to be Asian discus to my eyes. Frankly, they're better quality then what he was carrying before. Stendkers have dropped significantly in quality in the past five years. I used to be a Stendker fan, but have only one Stendker left in my show tank. For the record, all my discus live and breed in tap water.