Re: Desire change in the hobby?
I had the same feeling like yours before when I just had a discus tank only. I got bored of that, so I just sold some discus that I didn't like anymore and bought new ones. Setting up more tanks such as planted crystal cherry shrimp tank, saltwater tank (lol), and now raising discus frys....to me personally, discus is not boring. We just need to spice things up sometime. When I'm bored with discus, I spend more time with shrimp tank or saltwater tank, but at the end I still come back with discus...
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
By the way, here is what Matt posted in that thread:
"They are unique. Why would I want to keep another large SA or CA cichlid that just resembles a Tilapia? So they might move some sand around and fight a bit more but the discus just feel like gems in the tank. Their body shape is really attractive to me, they are like nothing else. Their breeding habits are very unique as well, I mean they carry their own fry. Add in the bright colors, wild OR domestic and you just have a great fish."
Having some change of thoughts, uh? lol. That is just normal.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
We all have these moments.....my middle daughter was in from college and we went to visit some friends that own a LFS. They had seom really nice swordtails and my daughter has always had a soft spot for them so we ended up with a male and 2 females. One of the females was heavy bred so I found an old net breed cage and put her in it. The next day about 20 or so babies. When I get home I don't check the discus pair with fry, I don't check the discus pair with wigglers, and I don't check the discus pair with eggs.....I check on my baby swordtails.......LOL. Wholesale they are probably worth 10 cents each but I am having a ball with them and that is priceless.
-john
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Quote:
but I am having a ball with them and that is priceless.
yes it is.:)
Matt,
Have you played with Rams at all? They take up little space, are fun to breed and animate as all heck...They would be a good add on to the tank.... The German Blues are nice, but I really had a blast breeding and raising the Bolivian Rams. Port cichlids are also fun....
-al
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Hey Matt,
Maybe you do need a change.... maybe try this...
http://www.ehow.com/how_8136027_keep...kens-home.html
:evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin: :evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin:
who'd have thought it!
-al
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
I don't know why these people are trying to talk you out of making a change. I say go for it. Get rid of those old boring wilds and try something new and exciting. To show you how much I am behind you on this I will be happy to work out something to take those three off your hands so you can quickly make the change. You are only about a 4 hour drive from me and I would be happy to make that drive to help you out.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
They are unique Mauro, they just don't do to much lol. I still like them I'm just questioning whether something else would provide a more enjoyable experience.
Al, I had rams years ago and surprisingly I couldn't keep them alive to save my life. Not sure why. Perhaps thats the direction I should be looking in though, something to keep WITH the discus that aren't discus. Dwarfs for the bottom of the tank or something. Something I can have with my discus and breed on the side. I will have to explore this further. And no chickens in the house LOL jeez what a mess that would be. I fear with chickens in the house they will become fried out of frustration faster than they can lay eggs.
Larry I'd probably get a speeding ticket as soon as I enter GA, LOL. I will keep them for now and explore this option of some other fish for the discus tank. But know that if I do end up parting ways with them, that you top my list to take them.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Larry Bugg
I don't know why these people are trying to talk you out of making a change. I say go for it. Get rid of those old boring wilds and try something new and exciting. To show you how much I am behind you on this I will be happy to work out something to take those three off your hands so you can quickly make the change. You are only about a 4 hour drive from me and I would be happy to make that drive to help you out.
Gee Larry, You are one swell Guy! :o
-al
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
You should seriously try keeping a large colony of wild caught Tropheus in your 100G. You will love them. Tropheus mouth breed and the fry can live within the colony. There is a leader in every colony and lots of action overall. I made the switch from discus to Tropheus and I am hooked. You won't find Tropheus boring or too easy. Keeping Tropheus free from stress and bloat is a real challenge, but can be very rewarding. A healthy group of Tropheus is a sight to see. The toughest part for me was not too overfeed the Tropheus after coming from discus. You can easily overfeed them and that leads to bloat. If wild caught is too expensive, find someone local selling F1's and grow them out.
I also recently jumped back into keeping Altum Angelfish. I bought 20 from John this week and so far, so good. I have these housed a 135G six footer with a dozen Geo Redhead Tapojos. I look forward to growing out the Altums in large, beautiful angels. My dream would be to get a breeding pair to form, but that is unlikely from what I understand. This could be an option for you as well as John has them priced competitively.
Having said all of that, I still miss discus, but I don't miss all the water changes. That is what turns me off the most with discus and there is simply no way around that.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
I breed a lot of rams and I will tell you the secret. Don't buy them from a LFS. That's it. Get your stock from a local breeder. I'm a true believer that most rams from lfs's are weak and die very easily. That comes from experience an watching a lot of others suffer the same experience. I'm out of juvies right now but when my pairs spawn again I would be happy to send you some. My favorite source for my stock is Oddballfish.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Hi Matt, my two cents:
I find that a crowded discus tank, with lots of sword plants in pots, shallow layer of sand on the bottom of tank has constant activity and is never boring. My 125 gal. tank has 14 adult discus, many sword plants in pots with a few pieces of wood here and there, never a dull moment. You just need more discus! And some plants and wood. I do two 75% wc's a week and have lots of filtration. Let us know what you decide to do.
I have had several African cichlid tanks, they are interesting for sure, but I couldn't deal with their fighting for territories, females, etc. I don't like the look of beaten up fish. Another good fish, very beautiful and hardy and constantly active and breeding, and peaceful are the Australian Rainbowfish. I would love a tank of the again. And they live a long time. Colors are gorgeous too.
Barb
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Larry Bugg
I breed a lot of rams and I will tell you the secret. Don't buy them from a LFS. That's it. Get your stock from a local breeder. I'm a true believer that most rams from lfs's are weak and die very easily. That comes from experience an watching a lot of others suffer the same experience. I'm out of juvies right now but when my pairs spawn again I would be happy to send you some. My favorite source for my stock is Oddballfish.
Very true Larry, all of my stock came from the LFS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ExReefer
You should seriously try keeping a large colony of wild caught Tropheus in your 100G. You will love them. Tropheus mouth breed and the fry can live within the colony. There is a leader in every colony and lots of action overall. I made the switch from discus to Tropheus and I am hooked. You won't find Tropheus boring or too easy. Keeping Tropheus free from stress and bloat is a real challenge, but can be very rewarding. A healthy group of Tropheus is a sight to see. The toughest part for me was not too overfeed the Tropheus after coming from discus. You can easily overfeed them and that leads to bloat. If wild caught is too expensive, find someone local selling F1's and grow them out.
I also recently jumped back into keeping Altum Angelfish. I bought 20 from John this week and so far, so good. I have these housed a 135G six footer with a dozen Geo Redhead Tapojos. I look forward to growing out the Altums in large, beautiful angels. My dream would be to get a breeding pair to form, but that is unlikely from what I understand. This could be an option for you as well as John has them priced competitively.
Having said all of that, I still miss discus, but I don't miss all the water changes. That is what turns me off the most with discus and there is simply no way around that.
Tropheus have really peaked my interest, enough for me to go investigate more anyway. Good suggestion! Really captured by some Moori Lufubu i've seen. Are you keeping Tropheus currently?
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Going through a similar phase myself.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Discus-n00b
Tropheus have really peaked my interest, enough for me to go investigate more anyway. Good suggestion! Really captured by some Moori Lufubu i've seen. Are you keeping Tropheus currently?
I do. I keep a colony of Tropheus Bemba and a colony of Tropheus Red Moliro. I also keep a 40G breeder of shell dwellers and some other Tang. Lake cichlids. Never a dull moment in that tank.
Check out Tropheus Red Rainbow and Tropheus Ikola. Tropheus may not be round like a discus, but their colors can be just as intense.
One other fish I tried after discus was a colony of wild caught Frontosa (technically call Gibberosa Kapampa). Beautiful fish, but I found they boring and sold them.
Feel free to contact me via PM if want to talk live.
Re: Desire change in the hobby?
Matt,
Are there any native fish near you that would be good to try and keep? I've had several species of natives here in the tanks and they are really interesting to keep....
How about some Darters? or pigmy sunfish? Those are 2 I would really enjoy keeping.
https://www.google.com/search?q=pygm...bih=1075&dpr=1
-al