Differences between red marlborough and fire red

[csarkar001]

can someone describe the differences between these two strains. is it mainly a color difference? i am still a beginner with discus and wondering if one of these strains is easier to keep than the other.

[KDodds]

Can't answer on "easier to keep" from experience, but I've a feeling they're equal. The fire reds I have seen do not have the eventual blue that marlboros get, nor have a seen any white faced fire reds. This is the one reason we're looking for them, they're pretty much solid red. Marlboros can vary depending on source, some have more or less blue, more or less peppering, etc. I have to ask again in Hans' forum, but I've an open thread there. I don't see LFSs carrying Stendker's getting in smaller fire reds, just marlboros and I was curious if there's variability in fire reds and if my LFSs are just ordering larger, higher quality adults or if they can all be expected to look like the ones I'm seeing. IOW, is it a more or less fixed strain, or is there high variability as with some other discus strains (including marlboros). I don't know the answers, sorry.

[dpt8]

Check in with Hans... He'll fill you in.. KDodds.. How far away are you from Hans ?? I would buy older fire reds or several small ones if you want really clean ones..They tend to pepper up.. That's why I buy gold mellons or for that matter so many young adults of the variety I want.. Because by then, what you see is what you get.. Looks SO beautiful to have a matching set of 6 or 7 of the same variety in each tank.. :9)

[csarkar001]

ok, i will go to the master ....

[KDodds]

Not far, but not close enough to make it a day trip. We really don't want older fish, a large part of our enjoyment comes from getting our fish small and watching them grow. And we don't want to go with mutiple smaller ones primarily because we have one tank for them to go in and do not want to set up a second tank to grow out a dozen of a single strain, 11 of which we won't be keeping. We've already 1,000 gallons, give or take, and don't need yet another 100 or so. ;) I'm not set on a completely clean fish, but mostly clean would be nice. :) I can't seem to get an answer one way or the other on fire reds being a more or less fixed strain or not, though, that's the problem. If our chances of getting a fish that looks like a marlboro are good, IOW, we'll just go ahead and get a 2-3" marlboro before we'll purchase a 4-5" fire red. But, if 2-3" fire reds are available, that would be our preference.

[csarkar001]

hans says the two strains are equal in difficulty. i see by the comments on this thread why the fire reds are more expensive.

--chandan

[KDodds]

Yep, in order to provide the best customer satisfaction (a good thing in a variable strain), Hans is only getting 4" fire reds but will, because of demand only and not by his own personal preference (correct me if I've misinterpreted), pick out the most promising 3" fire reds for sale.