Which strain to begin with?

[skanky]

Noob question here folks but I am going to get some discus soon my first discus ever and I was wondering if there is any advice youall can offer on the best/hardiest/easiest strain to keep and which strains I should stay away from as a newbie until later on.

I have a 55 gallon and I was thinking of getting 8-10 juvies(2-3in) of the same variety and growing them up in this and then when they mature try some breeding etc.Any advice is welcomed.

[Tropical Haven]

The way that I look at it is if you keep up with frequent water changes and keep your Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates at zero then you won't have any problems keeping what ever strain that you want.

[dandestroy]

I've heard that pigeon blood strain are a little more resistant to disease and less susceptible to bad water.

but don't take my word for it, just reporting what I came across. Other more experience people can probably confirm or infirm this.

[fishmama]

I would stick with domestically bred/raised and a reputable breeder. Check out our sponsor section here. Other than that, any strain can be sickly from a poor source/environment. And likewise, any strain from an excellent source can be healthy and robust given the proper care and conditions on your end. I would also not mix discus and fish from various sources without a really good QT process.

hth
Lisa

[pcsb23]

First bit of advice is buy from a reputable source, one of the sponsors on here would be a real good start, you will most lile;y end up with better quality fish and it will save you hassle in the future.

As for which strain, well pigeon bloods are resilient ime, as are the old old favourites like turqs, these would be a good start. However if the source has some wilds in that have been acclimated then these will be a good choice too as they are extremely robust and good feeders once acclimated. The key phrase though is "once acclimated" prior to that they can be real PITA.

Provide the source is reputable though, almost any strain will be fine.