Wild Discus and quarantining and sterilizing

[rwong2k]

Here's my thoughts and question,

I was discussing discus with someone and the topic of sterilzing males came along,

Some breeders sterilize their males so they can't reproduce eg. copy the strains, not too sure how true that is,

but here's my real concern/situation

It's wild discus season and two of my local favourite wild discus shops/sources are going to get some wild discus in (or so i hope)

one of the stores qt's their discus with a bunch of medications before releasing them for sale, I'm unsure of what types of medicines he uses (which I'll find out shortly)

here's my real question
I want to get some wild discus a nice group of 8 ~ 10 but of course I'd love it if they paired off and breed, but what type of medications would affect male discus and cause them to be sterilized?

thanks!

Raymond

[Eddie]

I think a better question would be, what is it exactly are you going to be treating and with what? I'm pretty sure most fish antibiotics will not make your fish sterile but if you have a specific one you want to use, mention it and you'll get some good answers.

Eddie

[NanDiscus]

Raymond,

I don't know who you are getting the fish from, but in Europe most of the fish importers treat their fish before and/or after shipping them from Brazil. I bought my group of 7 Xingús from a German guy and I haven't given them any sort of medications what so ever. I would leave them alone unless it looks like it is absolutely necessary to treat them (severe gill issues/slimy feces). You may want to deworm them once they show obvious signs of pairing off, but that would be it. With good food and good water not much can go wrong.

My 2c.

Nandi

[mmorris]

1) Some breeders sterilize their males so they can't reproduce eg. copy the strains, not too sure how true that is,

2) but what type of medications would affect male discus and cause them to be sterilized?



1) Did someone who is really in a position to know tell you this? If so, I'd like to know. It's been rumoured...
2) I don't think we really know the answer to that.

[rwong2k]

I've just read all the responses and approach, and I agree, randomly treating the discus isn't the best possible solution,

Nandi's correct, and I like that approach looking at the discus to treat only when there are signs of problems.

Nandi: have your group of wild discus bred for you or paired off?

mmorris: 1) no it was just a general chat between a few breeders and what they 'suspect' so there's no hard evidence, but it could be just they had 'weak' males, so that's what i'm asking the experts on this board to see if it's just a myth/rumour or if it's acutally true, but I do notice for some fish eg. apistos shipped from asia that they only send out males

thanks
Raymond

[NanDiscus]

Hi Raymond,

My fish are just beginning to show the signs of sexual behaviour, mostly in the form of serious showing-off and chasing around. I have just ordered a tank, that's almost exactly twice the size of the present one (2'8" x 2'10" x 2' high) for surface area and I'm planning to add another big, branchy piece of bogwood for them to have more space and privacy, if they need it.
I can also tell by the way they eat, that something has changed. They don't go after their own guts and hoover all the food up in no time at all, as they used to. After the first bits of food hit the tank, the agression elevates. There are no severe beatings or fish hitting the sides of the tank, but those stress bars could definately tell some tales.
I am almost certain, that my fish are two years old, so it is about time for them to 'perform'.
I think, I have three males and one dominant female. The other three fish currently marked as 'other'. :)
They are right beside me as I am typing this, with the remains of frozen Artemia still floating around in the water, and get collected by the 3-4 most dominant fish. The current in the tank is not too strong, but it has enough force to carry bits of artemia to the corners of the tank at mid-water, so the oppressed ones get something to nibble on as well. The most dominant fish is showing genuine Golden Xingú colours at their best, while Nobby's stress bars are pitch black with razor-sharp contrasts.

They are brilliant! (I mean, Golden.)

N./

[rwong2k]

Hi Nandi!
Great news on your part, glad to hear your discus are doing well and showing spawning signs,

my first group of wild brown discus are around 2 yrs old (just a guess) but I'm going to start to change their diet shortly, adding some white worms to their diet, hopefully that might get them in the mood.

Do you have a link to some photos of your discus?
Keep us up to date when you get them to spawn!

thanks

Raymond


Hi Raymond,

My fish are just beginning to show the signs of sexual behaviour, mostly in the form of serious showing-off and chasing around. I have just ordered a tank, that's almost exactly twice the size of the present one (2'8" x 2'10" x 2' high) for surface area and I'm planning to add another big, branchy piece of bogwood for them to have more space and privacy, if they need it.
I can also tell by the way they eat, that something has changed. They don't go after their own guts and hoover all the food up in no time at all, as they used to. After the first bits of food hit the tank, the agression elevates. There are no severe beatings or fish hitting the sides of the tank, but those stress bars could definately tell some tales.
I am almost certain, that my fish are two years old, so it is about time for them to 'perform'.
I think, I have three males and one dominant female. The other three fish currently marked as 'other'. :)
They are right beside me as I am typing this, with the remains of frozen Artemia still floating around in the water, and get collected by the 3-4 most dominant fish. The current in the tank is not too strong, but it has enough force to carry bits of artemia to the corners of the tank at mid-water, so the oppressed ones get something to nibble on as well. The most dominant fish is showing genuine Golden Xingú colours at their best, while Nobby's stress bars are pitch black with razor-sharp contrasts.

They are brilliant! (I mean, Golden.)

N./

[NanDiscus]

Hello Raymond,

I don't think I have posted pics of my Xingús on Simply, but this will be the time then to do that. I don't want to -off- your topic, so I'll just post them in the appropriate topic.
Gimme' 15 mins!

Nandi

[Discus-Hans]

1) Did someone who is really in a position to know tell you this? If so, I'd like to know. It's been rumoured...
2) I don't think we really know the answer to that.

1) Yes, I know it's so

2) I know the answer and they do it Quinine C20H24N2O2





Gimme' 15 mins!
Nandi

Glad I didn't hold my breath lol lol

[rwong2k]

thanks for the reply Hans,
pretty interesting information!


1) Yes, I know it's so

2) I know the answer and they do it Quinine C20H24N2O2







Glad I didn't hold my breath lol lol

[mmorris]

1) Yes, I know it's so

2) I know the answer and they do it Quinine C20H24N2O2


Thanks for that, Hans. Can you tell us more about it?

[Discus-Hans]

Thanks for that, Hans. Can you tell us more about it?

I could but I won't, last time I opened a can of worms to many people started crying, screaming, deleted their sponsorship from Simly, etc. etc.

It's not my problem, so I won't go into it,

Hans

[rwong2k]

I could but I won't, last time I opened a can of worms to many people started crying, screaming, deleted their sponsorship from Simly, etc. etc.

It's not my problem, so I won't go into it,

Hans

ah makes sense but thanks for the comments, just something to consider in the back of my mind =)

lots to learn about discus breeding but thanks!

Raymond

[luckyfind]

Hi Raymond,
Who in Van is bringing in wilds and when?
Laurence

[rwong2k]

island pets unlimited (formely big al's) has some wild blues at their richmond store already

james from rainforest pets will have some at the end of this month

April ? said she might? you can pm her on here =)

hth
raymond