Correct Me If I'm Wrong……?

[DiscusFreak123]

Ok Hi Everybody,
I just wanted to ask and talk about a few more discus things.
Since I've bought my new tank, I've been running around to all my LFSes(yes it is plural) to get supplies that the other didn't have. So I go in and blah blah blah, and then I go to look at the discus that they have. The first LFS, which is in my town, had three smallish discus tanks. The top one had some discus about 3 in, which looked healthy. The bottom tank had a REALLY ugly discus, not like bad eye, but like it had the black stuff(peppering I think?) all over it and just had colors like everywhere on it. Now the final tank had a discus that was about 5.5 in. It was almost black! And it had little white things on it. So, the discus there were pretty bad. Also I think that they may get their discus from those people that like add hormones to them, because the smaller fish had FULL coloring. Now the second LFS (Reef Encounter) had REALLY, REALLY BAD discus. They were like football shaped and in a dirty tank. Some of them were really dark and finally, one of them had like a tumor thing on its mouth.

So, yeah, as you can see, I don't have good local discus (although I'm buying from either place). I was just wondering if I got everything right, like the color thing and the darkness...... So, how'd I do?

[Eddie]

I guess to make it so much easier, skip the whole evaluation process of LFS discus and go through a sponsor...there isn't a LFS on the planet with better discus. ;)

[nc0gnet0]

Every once in a blue moon you will find an LFS that actually buys Discus from our sponsors, so there are exceptions............

[ExReefer]

I was in a hurry and settled for LFS discus. Bad move. I since purchased discus from some of our sponsors and sold the LFS discus. The quality from our sponsors is so much better.

Keep looking on craigslist and within local fish clubs. I recently found a guy near me selling of his entire adult stock. I came home with two high quality, large discus for a bargin. He had at least six others that I would have purchased if I had the room.

[Jhhnn]

Just say No to LFS discus, in general. There are rare exceptions, but you'd need to be lucky to have such a shop near you, very lucky. Few long established shops even carry discus, because they tend to kill 'em off faster than they can sell 'em.

Discard whatever notions you may have about buying locally, and do yourself a big favor- buy from one of our sponsors. It really is the smart move. There's no substitute for healthy stock.

Just my opinion, put in the plainest terms I can muster. I was fortunate enough to find this forum, and even more fortunate to have an open mind, to pay attention and to learn from the most experienced and successful keepers who contribute to it. Following that advice, I bought fish from Kenny Cheung, and have never regretted it- can't say enough nice things about him or his supplier, Forrest. Honest people offering a superior product. Similar sentiments can easily be found wrt our other sponsors, as well.

It takes more than that to be successful, including good fortune, but you definitely can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear...

[mmorris]

I was just wondering if I got everything right, like the color thing and the darkness...... So, how'd I do?
My impression is that you are testing your knowledge at these lfs, rather than actually thinking abut buying discus from them. Is that correct? If so, you did great! Good eye! The small fish with full coloring may not have been hormoned, though; they may be stunted. How big were the eyes in comparison with the juvies posted by some of the sponsors?

[nc0gnet0]

Don't some of our sponsors actually have brick and mortar stores as well and if you lived nearby wouldn't they be considered a LFS?

[birdog]

LOL, good point.:D

[DiscusFreak123]

My impression is that you are testing your knowledge at these lfs, rather than actually thinking abut buying discus from them. Is that correct? If so, you did great! Good eye! The small fish with full coloring may not have been hormoned, though; they may be stunted. How big were the eyes in comparison with the juvies posted by some of the sponsors?

Yeah mmoris, I was not buying from an LFS, I was warned of bad discus, and you guys were completely right. They stink! :vomit:
I'm going to buy from Hans. Also, the LFS discus were like $45-50 each! Anyway, the fish seemed to have good eyes, but idk. I might be going back there, if I do, I'll take pics.

[Eddie]

Every once in a blue moon you will find an LFS that actually buys Discus from our sponsors, so there are exceptions............


This is true, but once they enter the LFS system, you get to bring home all crap bugs from the LFS. Its not just the fish themselves, its how they are kept prior to the sale. ;)

[Jhhnn]

This is true, but once they enter the LFS system, you get to bring home all crap bugs from the LFS. Its not just the fish themselves, its how they are kept prior to the sale. ;)

Yep. Part of the reason people think discus are hard to keep is that what they buy at the LFS are often just dead fish swimming...

[darkknight87]

One of my somewhat local lfs stores carries Stendkers from Hans. And Ive actually bought a couple from other LFS that were actually pretty decent fish . My blue Diamond has excellent eyes, color and shape IMO and he came from a LFS.

[calihawker]

Great choice discusfreak! You can't go wrong buying from hans!

[DiscusOnly]

Almost ALL lfs are not equiped to maintain quality discus in their stores. They could get good quality discus from their suppliers or local breeders. The problem is that a lot of them don't have a separate systems and maintainence routine to keep the discus in top shape.

We all know that discus requires more work than other fish (even when we keep it simple such as bb tank and good filters). LFS just don't have the staff or time to spend all their time on discus.

[mmorris]

It isn't economically sensible for an lfs to buy quality discus. I think it's fair to say most people shopping for discus at an lfs have not developed an eye for them. Why would the lfs owner pay more for better quality? Many lfs discus are heavily peppered, beaky, football - shaped and stunted. And that's coming TO the store. With rare exceptions, it's downhill from there on in.