just starting out....

[theNew_guy]

Hey Everyone, Happy New Year!

First off i have to thank Carol Roberts, Ryan Smith, and Ronny for helpin me out. You guys are Great!.

I plan to follow the setup Carol uses, but space is an issue. With that said I will be using a 29gallon tank instead. As of now I dont really intend on breeding, but times can change.

Carols setup consisted of a 55g tank, which would be great but I really only want an adult pair. So the 55g wouldn't really be all that economical in my situation. All of the other guidelines Carol has given will be followed.

But i have a couple questions...
1) How many juvies should I purchase in order to insure a pairing?

2) Will they pair off before they get to big and overstock my tank?

3) Is the AC 500 going to cause to much current in the tank?

As always any advice is greatly appreciated, Thanks

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi D and welcome to SimplyDiscus :wave:

In answer to your questions . . . .
1) How many juvies should I purchase in order to insure a pairing? 6

2) Will they pair off before they get to big and overstock my tank? No you won't be able to grow out 6 in a 29 - why not just buy an adult pair?I bet you could find a paiar of pigeons or turks for close to the same price as 6 babies - especially if you add in the cost of feeding them for a year.

3) Is the AC 500 going to cause to much current in the tank? Yes, you want an Aqua clear 200 and an air driven sponge filter for a breeding tank of 29 gallons

ps. a 55 gallon is only 18 inches longer than a 29 gallon ;)

[April]

welcome to simply :wave:
do you have a space in mind where only a 29 will fit?
if you can...a 55 or a 48 is a great size tank. and i have a feeling you will use it or need it later on.
either way...let us know how it goes.
growing out a group is rewarding.

[theNew_guy]

Thanks Carol your the Greatest,

And yes the 55 gallon is very tempting but, I'm gonna use the space for another 29 gallon. Just simply building a stand to stack the tanks. This way i can minimize space and provide a close QT tank ( which i could use for breeding if the growout goes well ).

Another question...
Just about every BB Discus tank i've seen has baby blue coloring to the back and sides.. Does the color choice of the back and sides have an affect on the Discus ?

anyhow, ta ta for now

[April]

blue is the best colour for pigeon bloods especially. if a dark colour you will get peppering showing on them.
doesnt have to be blue. it could be a light green or a beige or what have you. but id say lighter colours are better.
i use wrapping paper even just for the back. or you can buy the backgrounds. really just waht you like.
but if you do get pigeon based discus id stay with light colour.

[Abercrombie6202]

Welcome to Simply :)

With what Carol said, would you be able to purchase a pair? because that is much better off, than having 6 babies (which does not give you a 100% guarantee) and having to upgrade and buy more as you go on. Do you have a plan what to do when your 6 babies are too big for your 29 gallon?

Have you also looked at tanks like the 65 gallon? 55 gallon tall? Tanks come in a variety of sizes and shapes, it might be easier to purchase these tanks because they are more condense than teh 55 gallon long (48 X12)

You also stated earlier that you didn't inteand on breeding, but you are referencing most of your questions to breeding and breeding pairs and offspring. Are you sure you aren't planning to breed?

Good Luck and take a look at the larger (55 + 65 +40 gallon) tanks, they will help in the long run. It'll be easier starting off with a bigger tank, than having a smaller tanka dn having to buy more tanks or upgrading!

[theNew_guy]

Hi April and Thanks,

I will be moving to an apartment soon, so a group of large tanks wont work out to well for me. As I see it i'll need at least 3 tanks if I try my hand at breeding. So i think stacking a couple 29's will be best for me.

But if space isnt an issue, i'll be at the LHS layin down the cash...lol

Well im off, gonna read a couple posts and watch the Bowl games. Thanks again

[theNew_guy]

I honestly don't have a clue on the cost of a breeding pair. But cost isn't that big a deal, i've learned you get exactly what you pay for.

I noticed my plan seemed more setup for breeding, but thats not quite the whole reason. A 55 gallon means i'd need more area for water storage and space is the problem. I quess I should ask if 2 females Or 2 males can be kept together peacefully. Because that just might be my ticket.

[mattrox]

Just to stick my nose in,

The probability of a pair from 5 fish is ~94% and if you don't get a pair of fish from 6 randomly chosen, then it is likely that the selection was not random a (97% chance to get a pair). With 7 fish it is ~99% chance to get a pair.

The probablility of NOT getting a pair from 6 fish is low. There are 64 possible male - female combinations with 6 fish (26). There are only 2 combinations where there are no pairs, all male or all female. That works out to roughly a 3% chance of not having at least one pair.

Getting a pair that has a good breeding life is not something to waste money on IMO. If you get a proven pair, is it an old pair that someone is getting rid of? I would really want to be sure it was a young pair. A quality young pair would command a very high price I would assume. Plus there is the satisfaction of knowing the entire history of the pair as you see it form. If you get one pair that out like out of the 6 then the other 4 (Now larger) could be sold. It could help fund additional purchases. I would hunt hard for a very good pair before outlaying any money if you need to go that way because of space.

They are just a few thoughts. Hope it helps.

[daninthesand]

Mattrox. You are correct in the numbers. Getting a male/female pairing is not all that is important. When you buy juvies, you can't be sure what they will grow out to be. Even if they are from great parents and a trusted breeder(s). So even though you might get a pair, they might not be ideal fish once they grow to adult.

So it might be reasonalbe to consider purchasing a breeding pair so at least you know what the parents look like from the get go. But then again a good looking pair might still produce crappy babies!

However, theNew_guy, you will gain expereince in raising the juveniles, which will be invaluable to you later on. Once you get a handle on this hobby and can feel confident of your skills, then go ahead and risk investing a bit more money on a breeding pair if you want..

Always rememeber... ENJOYMENT of the fish for what they are is important too. Don't worry too much about breeding...that will come eventually. (So they tell me! LOL)

Daniel

[mattrox]

I agree that from the six a none may be 100% suitlable for breeding. If there is not a quality pair from the 6 grown up, they can always be used to trade for a proven pair if desired.

I always think raising from young is a good experience. There are no sure-things when breeding is involved and I am sure that at least a few pairs will have to be tried to ensure good results in the babies. This is why I think that a good (high quality) breeding pair would be quite hard to find.

[theNew_guy]

Hey Guys,

I don't intend on breeding them... I'd prefer if they were sterile. I asked about keeping 2 males or 2 females...so they Wouldnt breed. ( unless there asexual )..lol I only want Discus for the look. Not to reproduce. But as i stated in my original post, I don't intend on breeding.

Anyone know where to find sterile adults?

thanks for the help