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Thread: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

  1. #16
    Registered Member strawberryblonde's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Hi guys,

    First up, thank you Al, and the admins on these forums, for considering me for the spotlight of the month. Once I got over the shock (and outright fear) I was humbled and honored to be chosen. You guys have given me the tools to raise awesome discus and I'll be forever grateful for the patience, advice and time spent encouraging me to just jump in and give it a try. The knowledge on this website is tremendous and I'm always learning new things in my daily reads on here.

    And thank you to all of you who took the time to read my rambling responses to the questions! There's just one sentence missing from the article - it was the last thing I wrote so I'll add it here... ready? (Uh huh, it's boring and not a proper ending to an article, but what the heck, I'm unconventional that way)

    I have yet to find the ever elusive Rubies that hide in the mountains of southwestern Idaho, so that's my goal for next year, and the year after and the one after that. I can't quit till I bring one home with me!
    That sentence pretty much sums up how I navigate through life - one obsession after another and I don't quit till I've explored, learned, experienced all that a hobby has to offer. Discus is a never ending hobby for me, because there's always something new to learn, a new discovery in my tanks and someone new to talk to about the trials and triumphs in raising discus.

    For those who stated that they feel I'm a mentor and give good advice - THANK YOU! That means so much to me. I always want to give back when I can and where I feel like I can be of help. I'm just never sure that what I say is actually...ummmm... helpful. LOL

    Pat, you've been a good friend during the hard times and rejoiced with me during the good times - and that's just plain awesome! Next time we talk, remind me to tell you about my RC - she just recovered from a 2 week near death experience that had me sitting on pins and needles the whole time. (It was nearly as tragic as the guy who jumped onto the filter during my water change and died before I found him)

    And I guess that brings me to my final tidbit about the joys and pains of keeping discus: You can't possibly anticipate every odd ball thing that will happen in your tanks, so don't beat yourself up when something tragic happens and you lose one. Just enjoy the heck out of the ones who choose to "play by the rules, remain in the tank, not impale themselves on a filter during a water change and who provide you with lots of friendly entertainment as they rush to the front of the tank to grab food from your fingers". They are awesome fish, even when they do weird stuff!
    Toni

    120g - 10
    discus, 4 cory's, 50+ Cardinals for now... give it a month and it'll change!

  2. #17
    Registered Member Debow's Avatar
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    Devon Cropley

    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Congratulations Toni !!! You deserve it! And as always thanks for everything.

  3. #18
    Registered Member Akili's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Congratulations, excellent read and always enjoy your posts/threads.
    Quote from Colin Powell
    "There are no secrets to success; don’t waste time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work, and persistence. You must be ready for opportunity when it comes"



  4. #19
    Registered Member Larry Bugg's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Great choice for a Spotlight!!

    Did I miss it? Don't think I saw anywhere in there that you have served a couple of terms as VP of NADA. Your work with NADA has been VERY appreciated and on a personal note your help and encouragement was VERY appreciated by me.
    Larry Bugg

    NADA - Vice President
    Atlanta Area Aquarium Association

  5. #20
    Registered Member nc0gnet0's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Bugg View Post
    Great choice for a Spotlight!!

    Did I miss it? Don't think I saw anywhere in there that you have served a couple of terms as VP of NADA. Your work with NADA has been VERY appreciated and on a personal note your help and encouragement was VERY appreciated by me.
    x100
    Ex-President-North American Discus Association-NADA
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  6. #21
    Registered Member strawberryblonde's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Awwwww guys, now I'm blushing. Thank you for your kind words AND a big thank you for your help, support and laughs in the last few years. =)
    Toni

    120g - 10
    discus, 4 cory's, 50+ Cardinals for now... give it a month and it'll change!

  7. #22
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Congrats Toni...Great read....what a life! A patient husband, gem stones and discus! You are truley blessed

  8. #23
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Very nice!

    So, your Discus grow/grew that large on those assorted flakes and blackworms?

  9. #24
    Registered Member Len's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Great read Toni. I especially liked the picture of your dog in the field
    Last edited by Second Hand Pat; 01-20-2016 at 12:55 AM.


    Len

  10. #25
    Registered Member strawberryblonde's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Quote Originally Posted by Rapture View Post
    Very nice!

    So, your Discus grow/grew that large on those assorted flakes and blackworms?
    Hi Rapture,

    For my first two batches of jumbo discus I fed them beefheart twice a day in addition to the flakes. Then I discovered Al's FDBW's and started feeding those once the discus were larger than 6" and no longer needed the beefheart. They loved the worms so much that I decided to try raising a batch of juvies on just flakes and worms to see if they'd also grow into jumbo's and they did with no problems.

    After that, I decided not to use anymore beefheart, it's just too messy and my discus didn't seem to need it. Those are just my discus though, I have no idea if the same holds true for other people. I think growth depends on water quality and food quality plus adequate amounts of those foods. And for me, my water quality is excellent right out of the tap (don't let the high pH fool ya, it's extremely soft water very low TDS)

    Hope that helps! =)
    Toni

    120g - 10
    discus, 4 cory's, 50+ Cardinals for now... give it a month and it'll change!

  11. #26
    Registered Member rickztahone's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Quote Originally Posted by strawberryblonde View Post
    Hi Rapture,

    For my first two batches of jumbo discus I fed them beefheart twice a day in addition to the flakes. Then I discovered Al's FDBW's and started feeding those once the discus were larger than 6" and no longer needed the beefheart. They loved the worms so much that I decided to try raising a batch of juvies on just flakes and worms to see if they'd also grow into jumbo's and they did with no problems.

    After that, I decided not to use anymore beefheart, it's just too messy and my discus didn't seem to need it. Those are just my discus though, I have no idea if the same holds true for other people. I think growth depends on water quality and food quality plus adequate amounts of those foods. And for me, my water quality is excellent right out of the tap (don't let the high pH fool ya, it's extremely soft water very low TDS)

    Hope that helps! =)
    Keep in mind, Toni feeds a lot of FDBW. Most members are not willing to feed their discus this much FDBW because of the expense. Toni has some phenomenal looking discus, but it wasn't cheap to get them that way. I am sure Toni would agree?

    Click here to view my 75g Acrylic Tank w/ Bean Animal Overflow with 40g Sump Thread

    Also, click here for my 25 group of discus grow out thread


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  12. #27
    Gold Member tonytheboss1's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Fantastic story & pics "T"!!
    125g Tenecor - Cardinal, Serpae, Bloodfin, Redeye, Phantom & Pristella Tetra - Ghost Shrimp - Raphael Cats - Stendker Discus
    Rena XP4, Eheim 2075, 2 A/C500, 2(250w) Ebo-Jagers / Jehmco Controller, 29g AGA-sick
    "Knowledge Gained & Not Shared Is Knowledge Lost"

  13. #28
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Quote Originally Posted by strawberryblonde View Post
    Hi Rapture,

    For my first two batches of jumbo discus I fed them beefheart twice a day in addition to the flakes. Then I discovered Al's FDBW's and started feeding those once the discus were larger than 6" and no longer needed the beefheart. They loved the worms so much that I decided to try raising a batch of juvies on just flakes and worms to see if they'd also grow into jumbo's and they did with no problems.

    After that, I decided not to use anymore beefheart, it's just too messy and my discus didn't seem to need it. Those are just my discus though, I have no idea if the same holds true for other people. I think growth depends on water quality and food quality plus adequate amounts of those foods. And for me, my water quality is excellent right out of the tap (don't let the high pH fool ya, it's extremely soft water very low TDS)

    Hope that helps! =)
    Helps a lot, thank you!

  14. #29
    Registered Member Pardal's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    Congratulations Toni, well deserved nice read.
    Julian

  15. #30
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: January 2016 Member Spotlight - Strawberry Blonde - TONI

    I really do enjoy reading these spotlights and getting a chance to see a bigger image of people that we see in this online community at Simply. Toni, thanks for sharing, I'll have to put my Rock Hound son in touch with you at some point. He has a can of red garnets collected out here in CT and a bunch of Herkimer diamonds we dug up on one of our outings

    Paul, nice job my friend..Thanks@!
    al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
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    Aquaticsuppliers.com


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