First Discus after not keeping them for over 10 years.

So here is my story. I was pretty heavy into the hobby, went to ACA conventions and even ended up being a founding board member of NADA. I quit keeping discus and fish in general for around 15 years. This was by far the longest break from the hobby since I started keeping fish back in the 70's. While I always intended to get back into the hobby, it just never seemed like the right time. About 3 years ago I started up a community 75 gallon tank, tetras, a few angles, ect..... a few weeks later, another tank....and then another, you all know how that goes. Pretty soon I have 10 tanks the fish were doing great! Looking for something a little harder, I tried out planted tanks. Soon I started breeding fish, at first it was some simple tetras then Plecos a few cichlids before long I was out of tanks again. But, something was missing.

I found my self visiting my old forums.....well "forum" SimplyDiscus. I looked around for a while, then occasionally came back. Last month, I finally decided that all the plants, plecos, tetras and miscellaneous cichlids just weren't "hard mode" enough. I decided that I wanted to get back into discus. Finding a listing on Aquabid for discus that interested me, I decided that I would check out the seller. So for all thing Discus, I came back "home" to see if anyone knew about the seller. when I logged in again I noticed I had a notification, it was from Al who had noticed me login in back in September.

Default No Way!!
Its been a very long Time Rick! Great seeing online ! How are you!

Al

I was pretty happy, after more than a decade away I was remembered! So I told Al I was getting back into discus keeping and was looking for some discus. He told me about the grow out contest that had started about a month before and offered to send me some fish at the same size from a later batch.

Wow I though, this is amazing! An offer for fish from someone that I had admired for all that he had done for discus keepers. "I can do this".....I thought, "look at all the success I've had since I restarted". What a great guy!

"hell ya, Al. I'll take-em" I wrote thinking, "I'll show these contest guys how we grew them 'old-school'", I thought.

well... Crow is best served cold. After the first week, I was thinking of changing my name to "Jon Snow" because it appears I 'know nothing' . You guys that did the grow out.... well, my hat is off. What a great job you all are doing. For me, this has been VERY difficult. I must have forgotten everything I had ever known about keeping baby discus.

Anyway, 11/6/18 my fish arrive , they are looking great, for the first few days.. Then my ignorance or arrogance, or stupidly begins to show. I got the fish on Tuesday, on Wednesday, Thursday looking great! Friday evening, the seem to be hiding, Saturday...."something seems not right" Saturday "something is Definitely wrong". The whole time I'm thinking "change water, change water" and I was... about 50% twice a a day or more. still things were heading 'south'...quickly. Saturday morning. I find a dead fish...at this point I do 100% water change, add salt 1 Tbs/ 10 gallon and within thirty minutes 4 more die. Dang! (or another term from my time in the navy comes to mind...in fact, is was not 'dang'). To me it looked like a ammonia or nitrate spike all the symptoms were there but I was doing water changes.... Confused I'm thinking, maybe bacteria? Having bred discus in the days-of-yore (AKA the 90's) I've seen how fast little ones can die from bacteria. So even tho it didn't look like bacteria, I treat the tank. More had died at this point, I was down to 7 fish and at the sped they were dropping I though... "what the hell" let's see if I can save some. I lost one more then (glory be) it stopped.

Here they are almost three weeks after the catastrophic weekend of week one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9KR...ature=youtu.be

I think they are looking pretty good. they are now about the size .50 cent size. Eating like pigs.

post mortem: This is what I think happened. #1. I don't think the filter was up to speed. This sponge filter was kept in my sump to keep active (or so I thought) but what I think happened was that the filter had pretty much starved to death because it was behind the main filter sponges and the tanks the sump filtered were are light load tanks. I just think the filter wasn't up to the job of taking care of so many fish . #2. I wasn't changing enough water......ya, same old story. <Rule #1> change water...<Rule #2> Change more water <Rule #3> Start with Rule #1... So, 50% two or three times a day is REALLY only changing about 75% of the water per day. Just wasn't enough for a tank with a non-working filter. #3. I think it was the shock of doing 100% water change on stressed fish that killed most of them. I would have been better off doing repeated smaller water changed 5 or 6 times for a day or two then step it up to 100% water changes.

What I am now doing: 6AM.... wake up, get a cup of coffee. head to the fish room, turn on the lights for the discus. check email, wait for the discus to wake up... 6:15am, First 100% water change, refill, First feeding. 12PM, Lunch, another 100% water change, refill, second feeding... go back to work. 6PM get home, dinner, third Feeding. 8PM, another 100% water change, forth (light) feeding. 11PM Lights out.

That’s a class story,

I really enjoyed reading and look forward to more posts on the thread.

I’m just starting out so all this learning from you and the other grow out posts are amazing.

Mick

Welcome back and don't beat yourself up for the bump in the road, the unforseen is always lurking ready to pounce. Keep sharing and if necessary ask Al and the othercontestants for advice.

Hi Rick, sometimes it's hard climbing back in the saddle and glad your batch is doing well now. I know I am learning a lot from the growout contest. :)
Pat

Enjoyed the narrative. Welcome back!

Very cool that you were a founding member of NADA and back after 15 years! It’d be interesting to hear how the hobby has changed.

Here they are, one month from the day I got them. Growing like weeds, around a silver dollar size (for those who have seen a silver dollar).
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtgjYK3a8Ic

doing a great job mate...nice recovery!! fish are looking sweet, nice shape developing :)

They look nice and perky, well done so far - keep us up to speed

Another week, another update. Fish doing great, still doing twice a day 95% water changes. My plan is to move them into a larger tank, either a 20 or one of the sides of my split 75G. I'm leaning towards the split 75 as it is already empty of fish but the 20 would require moving some fish around. Plus the bio load on the 75 is very low, only a dozen guppies that are keeping the bio filter alive.

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That's a nice size! and he seems to be the smaller of the bunch.

Looking great! I just found your thread for the first time and yeah, I had a tough time with my discus fry as well. I admire the work you're putting in! Results are showing. (Thinks to himself, "I need to change more water.") :) Hope you're having fun now that you're back in the deep end!

Another weekly update. Will be moving these guys into a larger tank this week. It's amazing how fast they are growing even with being out of town so no food for two days.

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They look great Rick, what size are they now?
Pat

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Originally Posted by Second Hand Pat

They look great Rick, what size are they now?
Pat

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just guessing... 2.5" to 3"

Another update video. I've had these fish since November 4th.

https://youtu.be/RtVbbpgJ458

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Very nice Rick ! I somehow missed this post. Great updates and good to see you back in the hobby. Good luck with the grow outs!

One day I hope to see your fishroom. Utah needs a Discus community soon :)

Happy New years everyone!

Here's my new year update on the discus I got from Al on November 2. Growing like crazy and doing great! In fact other than a day and a half where I lost a ton....(sad face) I have had zero issues with these guys.

They are housed in a split 75G plumbed to a 20G sump running nothing but sponge(around 9 inches). Water is returned at around 150GPH. Temps kept around 84F They do share the water with a ton of Apisto fry and some guppies and bristlenose plecos....

https://youtu.be/f8DOHyLvBow

Nice ! They look class !!

Another update! Think this would be around the week 11..maybe 12.
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Awesome job Rick :)
Great shapes on them and look very healthy.

Just goes to show you my multi-tasking skills are fading... I can't believe that I missed this thread! :(:(:( In my defense the last two months are a huge blur!

Rick thanks for that first post! I was really happy to see you returning to the hobby after so long! You have done great with this batch, They look like awesome! I'm looking forward to them breeding one day for you!
al

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Originally Posted by brewmaster15

Just goes to show you my multi-tasking skills are fading... I can't believe that I missed this thread! :(:(:( In my defense the last two months are a huge blur!

Rick thanks for that first post! I was really happy to see you returning to the hobby after so long! You have done great with this batch, They look like awesome! I'm looking forward to them breeding one day for you!
al

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Thanks Al,
I'm still not sure what caused the initial die-off of half the group because other than one really bad 24 hr period these fish have been great... (knock wood).

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Originally Posted by RickMay1

Last month, I finally decided that all the plants, plecos, tetras and miscellaneous cichlids just weren't "hard mode" enough.

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Definitely not the weirdest, but let's say it's still an unusual way to find yourself out being a masochist ;)

Welcome back to the flat fish world!

Four-month update! Looking good. Still zero problems...(knock on wood)
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Nice work Rick, they look very well cared for mate :thumbsup:

Time flies! 4 months already! fish look great Rick!
Al

Great thread Rick. I don’t know why I’m just seeing it now, but glad I found it and glad you found your way back to simply discus. You certainly haven’t lost your touch-very nice grow out!
Patty

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They look great Rick! You just may catch up with the challengers from more than a month earlier!!!

lookin awesome Rick! So the 2 strains from Al's fine line SS pair are SS & Turk's...do you know what type of Turk's?

Here's an update on the fish I got from Al that are from the same pair as the grow out contest. These are from a batch or two later.

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This is the one that I think is the best of the group

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Rick thanks for the update. They are coming along great. I have a tank or two myself of them that I am really enjoying growing out. So how do you like being back into discus? :)
al

Good work Rick. Your growout look awesome mate. You have some nice variety in your juvie group as well. Well done sir! :D

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Originally Posted by brewmaster15

Rick thanks for the update. They are coming along great. I have a tank or two myself of them that I am really enjoying growing out. So how do you like being back into discus? :)
al

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I'm enjoying being back. As we roll into summer tho, I can see where I need to sure to keep up my fish keeping. So many distractions with garden, lawn, camping, ATV's and generally enjoying the outdoors. Being in a rural area of Utah, that's pretty much all we have. 6 months of winter hell and 6 months of fun...

I hear you Rick.Summers here are my outdoor times to. Camping and fish keeping definitely do not compliment each other!
Al