Green Tefe biotope: coming soon

[Reesj]

I guess it all depends on the type of discus you have. Mine started munching on cardinals and neons when they were about 3 inches. I recently added about 10 junbos near 1.5 inches and one of the 1st to go were the largest one. My discus are still not even fully grown largest around 4.5 inches. They never fit in discus mouth but peching at them might seems to do the trick . funny enough I have one small ram that it wider and not as long but discus never bothered it!

[jmf3460]

UPDATE FROM THIS MORNING: I ended up getting a full refund from John for the cardinals. They are just not what I ordered and he agreed to refund in full for the fish and shipping. Now that they are in the qt tank, I can really see that they are not of high quality either, many have sunken bellies and some are bent behind the gills, most all are covered in white dots and/or a cloudy cottonlike fungus. Many have no coloring yet that is how young they are. But they are doing very well surprisingly. I have only lost 2 so far in shipping. Everyone went into qt tank and immediately started swimming and schooling around looking for food. Last night they got a water change, and this morning they ate a generous helping of earthworm flakes then began picking at the pieces on the bottom. Here is a couple pics of them in their qt tank. The white dots on the wood are dang nerite eggs and the big chunks on the bottom are pieces of ceramic from other tanks for my bb. I have no medicinal plan yet just lots of fresh, clean water and rooibos tannins. Will do a round of anti fungal treatment if the cottonlike stuff and dots continue, any suggestions?
cardinals2.jpgcardinals3.jpg

and here is another video from a bloodworm feeding this morning in the main tank. I need more sand up front I know, its the flow I have to constantly push it from the back to the front.
http://vid1312.photobucket.com/album...pskqkphro0.mp4

[jmf3460]

Update of cardinals I have in QT: The cardinals continue to improve in their qt tank. I have started no medication yet, just lots of wc and food. They love earthworm flake, and almost anything I give them but their little mouths are still to small for FDBW. I continue to lose one a day, but the ones that are dying off are the deformed ones, so I am not too disappointed in that. the white fungus looking coating on their bodies is gone and I see no more with white spots. tank is at 81.5 degrees and I am continuing to use tannins.
cardinals4.jpgcardinals5.jpg

[jmf3460]

Brief Update: Cardinals are still in quarantine, well at this point I am calling it a grow out tank as I am not medicating just waiting on them to reach a size where im comfortable they wont all be a discus snack as soon as I add them to the tank. Discus are doing well. I see some mild spawning behavior from time to time, amongst the discus and laetacara but no eggs as of yet. I am considering starting a live blackworm colony, any advice?

wilds75.jpg

and a video

http://vid1312.photobucket.com/album...pszqw08dii.mp4

[DiscusBR]

Hi Jacklyn,

Your setup and greens look fabulous, great job. Good luck with getting some pairs. I have no experience with live black worms, but I have been reading that white worms colonies are much easier to set up and maintain. I might try them at some point. Besides, freeze dried black worms will give the fish the same nutrition without the danger of introducing disease in your tank.

[jmf3460]

thanks Mauro for the comments on my tank. I always enjoy hearing that my set up is beautiful because sometimes I'm insecure that everything in this this tank (besides the wood) is used and may look grungy. White worms you say? Are these an aquatic worm? What is the genus species?

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Jacklyn, Mauro is referring to white worms which look like this (second item down) http://www.angelsplus.com/FoodLiveCultures.htm. I would suggest them over live blackworms. White worms do need to be maintained at about 60 degrees. I use a small bar frig to keep mine in.

Very cool on the spawning behaviors.
Pat

[jmf3460]

weekly update on this tank. Fish are doing well. After 6 months the wilds are just now starting to pick at sinking pellets. Not while they are sinking, but I see them later picking them off he bottom. Maybe they are waiting for them to soften up? Out of the 6, I have two "pairs" not pairs as in have seen eggs nor proven, just pairs as in two friendships that always hang out together. Usually the two couples hang out in opposite ends of the wood and the extra two just swim all around apathetically. Currently I have my plentiful garden giving me tons of pleco food, their favorite this summer seems to be yellow squash. I still have the cardinals in qt waiting to go in this tank. They are growing pretty well and looking healthy. HEre are some updated pictures, early in the morning's sunrise so lighting is dim.
the whole gang
wilds83.jpgwilds84.jpg

the two "couples"
wilds85.jpgwilds86.jpg

tank shot without and with flash
wilds88.jpgwilds87.jpg