Week 39

[wgtaylor]

All the contest albino discus have been doing very well. I keep making water changes at exactly the same temp as the tank
to try to prevent any spawning activity. I suppose as soon as I do a couple cold water changes it would get things going but will
wait another month. Gotta admit I'm a little anxious to see them spawn. :)
My water out of our tap is 65 microseimens, 30 parts per million, ph 6.5 with a gh and kh <1 so forces me to do daily water changes to
keep the ph from dropping but they really enjoy their water changes. The nitrites and ammonia stay at zero and nitrates <5.
All sides, bottom of tank, air lines and any surfaces in the tank are wiped down every other day.
I am still feeding beefheart/shrimp mix twice per day and flake one to two times with pellets once at midday during their water change.
I only use beefheart and shrimp in my mix at a ratio of 50% shrimp 50% beefheart.
I add no additional supplements to the food or water. Anyway, on with some pictures.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll50/wgtaylor/Contest%20Second%20Half/week39-1.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll50/wgtaylor/Contest%20Second%20Half/week39-2.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll50/wgtaylor/Contest%20Second%20Half/week39-3.jpg

and......Whitey
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll50/wgtaylor/Contest%20Second%20Half/week39-4.jpg

The more these albino's grow the more beautiful they are in their tank but my I also have a love for wild discus. :)
Here is an update on my wild caught royal blues from week17 post.
Hoping they would have colored up more by now but just shows how much patience is required raising wild discus.
They have grown two inches, never been wormed or treated for flukes and remain very healthy.
They have been raised exactly like the contest discus except only doing water changes every other day with these.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/wg-taylor/WCRoyalBlue.jpg


Second pic one of the heckels joined in. The heckels also have grown a little over two inches and have remained healthy.
Been giving them the simplest of care and they are all thriving. I never witnessed any of the myths about how hard wild discus are to care for.
I treat them like any other discus, medicate only if needed, give them good food and plenty of water changes while they are growing.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/wg-taylor/WCRBandHeckel.jpg


This is how I'm hoping their color will intensify, a deep mahogany color along with the royals full striations and black halo ring.
I will probably use these to cross with the wild royal blues above.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/wg-taylor/wc-blues.jpg

Will try to have at least one more update on these wilds by the end of the competition. Hope you enjoy. :)
Bill

[Chad Hughes]

They are gorgeous Bill! Your updates are always so informative. Well done my friend!

Best wishes!

[wgtaylor]

Ya Chad, I repeat some info for new viewers that are reading for the first time, then try to add whatever I can. Have to add a little interest to promote wild discus too, all part of the hobby.
Guess I get a little carried away.
Thanks Chad :)

[Eddie]

Gorgeous collection Bill, the Albinos and Wilds. Man, wish I could swing by your place and check out your tanks, I'd never leave! :D

Great work my friend and take care!

Eddie

[Jason K.]

awsome fish, this may be a newbe question, but why only every other day w.c. with the wilds?

[wgtaylor]

awsome fish, this may be a newbe question, but why only every other day w.c. with the wilds?
I'm not pushing the wilds for maximum growth like the contest discus so not feeding as heavy. Their tanks stay cleaner but wilds could handle daily water changes.


Gorgeous collection Bill, the Albinos and Wilds. Man, wish I could swing by your place and check out your tanks, I'd never leave! :D

Great work my friend and take care!

Eddie
You are welcome anytime Eddie.:)
Thanks

[rickztahone]

awesome update

[Scribbles]

Incredible collection!

Chris

[wgtaylor]

Incredible collection!

Chris
Thanks Chris
When I got some of those dark red wilds it was at the end of the season and they didn't look great, nobody wanted them.
It took almost a year before they turned into real beauties. Wanted to show even muttly looking wild discus can become winners. :)



awesome update
Thanks Ricardo
I really like the contest albino discus but enjoy putting in a plug for the wilds too. I enjoy them all. :)

[ockyra215]

Bill,
Just caught up on all 39 weeks sitting here,Great looking discus!Hows the fish room coming or is it still on the back burner for now.
:o

[William Palumbo]

LOVE those wilds Bill!...Scrolling down thru the pics of the contest fish, then BAM! right in my face with those sweet wilds. I did not expect that. It was like night and day compared to the Albinos! Great fish...Bill

[wgtaylor]

LOVE those wilds Bill!...Scrolling down thru the pics of the contest fish, then BAM! right in my face with those sweet wilds. I did not expect that. It was like night and day compared to the Albinos! Great fish...Bill
Hey thanks Bill. :) Those albino's are really growing on me, I'm liking them more all the time. Thinking of crossing them with rose reds to get intermediates than back to albino's. I've used the rose reds as teasers to get the wild blues spawning. Got the royal blues and heckels from snookn21 when they were pretty small. They are an eye catcher for someone who likes wilds but have a ways to go yet. You know how that is. :)



Bill,
Just caught up on all 39 weeks sitting here,Great looking discus!Hows the fish room coming or is it still on the back burner for now.
:o
Thank you very much. :)
Once I got the handicap rails installed on the stairwells and the inspector out of my hair it started the rainy season. We get almost 100 inches of rain here during the winter so will have to wait a while to trench in the water and power for the fish room. I have most of the tanks, blower and most of the rest of equipment. It's high up on the to-do list, hoping by Aug.-Sept.

[Apistomaster]

All your wild Discus are nice but I especially like your royal Blues. Your other blues resemble my Alenquers.
I only change about 2/3 the water every 3rd to 4th day with my wild Discus and that seems enough. I don't crowd wild Discus. I allow about 15 gallons per adult fish. If they show signs of eminent spawning would I bother to begin using more RO water. I know wild S. haraldi breed fine in water with a pH at almost at 7.0 and water softness of 400 ppm, but I would begin to lower it 60 ppm. I have successfully bred wild S haraldi in much harder water and a pH as high as 7,6. The TSDs was over 850 ppm. Proof enough to me to believe they are very adaptable. I raised 147 fry to salable size from that one hard water spawn. What more could one ask? A pH close to 7.0 is fine most of the time. Wild S. haraldi are easier to keep than most inexperienced people imagine.
If you use a mix of RO water with some tap water it is unlikely that the pH would go below 6.0 using no chemical acid buffers. I have a dozen 1 Royal blues coming in at any time.
They will be interesting to see how they turn out given the high quality of their parents.

I would use much softer and more acidic water if I were trying to breed wild Green Discus.
I would keep and try to breed wild Greens in water with about 40 ppm TDS and a pH between 5.o and 6.0. As long as my plecos sell well this yer i plan to buy 8 or 10 wild Red Spotted Greens.

[calihawker]

Great update Bill. Pics are awesome. All you fish look so happy and healthy. Great job my friend!