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Thread: Back in the Game!

  1. #1
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Back in the Game!

    It's been 2 years since I first tried heroically and failed spectacularly to keep discus.

    In fact, I just went back and started reading some of my old journal and ER threads and am reminded that (1) man was it an all-in but relentlessly rough ride and (2) a whole lot of forum vets really paid attention and tried their best to help me out when I was having problems.

    So, while it has been my preference to lurk from time to time on and off and that's my general m.o. for social media, I decided it wouldn't be entirely fair now that I have some good news for those who were routing for me back in the day. Despite the fact that I came close to vowing not to try discus again until I retired in 15 years... they're here!!!

    2018-08-17 16.01.30.jpg

    Yup, I have kept doing other things in the aquarium hobby but I couldn't resist giving these great fish another go.

    Hope this time I can do more sharing and mutual admiration, and less problem solving! So far (3 days in) things are looking good!

    Stay tuned...

  2. #2
    Registered Member Swedgin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Hi Bill,

    welcome back

    Once you're hooked, you're hooked. Just like you I've had breaks in between and have been disheartened at times, but in the end you can't fight it.

    Glad you decided to jump back on the wagon.

    It would be great if you could tell us about your new fish, setup and plans, always interesting to see what fellow enthusiasts are up to.

    Love the fact you went with the classic strains.

    Tobi
    Regards,
    Tobi

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    Wild Blues/Browns/Reds
    Wild Heckels
    Wild Greens

  3. #3
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Thanks, Tobi--glad to be back!

    I'm afraid I really did get hooked, even though things went badly for me. When the fish were doing well last time, they really were fun. Very few fish I've come across in the hobby have the intelligence and personality of discus--even the little I got to see of it--and I felt like I learned enough to be successful. But there were some variables I couldn't be sure about (regarding my water supply, and/or the presence of some kind of pathogen), and both emotionally and financially it wouldn't have been right to have immediately tried again with a different group.

    That said, people on here encouraged me, and I never really gave up wanting to keep discus. I've also been especially fond of the wild and wild-inspired tanks I've seen on here--yours being among the most impressive endeavors I've come across--so I've decided to go in a similar direction with this group.

    So, I'm starting with seven 4" fish (as opposed to twelve 2.5" fish last time), and decided to go single strain, though I can already see some nice variations among them. They are Malaysian-bred fish sold as F1 Alenquer, and I was able to get them at a very reasonable price from a site sponsor. I'm planning to QT and finish growing them out in a 40 breeder, and then move them to a larger setup I originally intended for discus.

    For fun I may show more on what's going on in that larger tank now... in short, I'm going to have some re-homing (and sterilizing) to do in the not-too-distant future in order to manage my, uh, hobby (read: addiction).

    Stay tuned and thanks for the welcome.

  4. #4
    Registered Member Pices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Welcome back Bill! The new bunch is looking good. You’ve got this! Can’t wait to see more.
    Patty
    If the discus are happy, I’m happy

  5. #5
    Homesteader Paul Sabucchi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Wishing you all the best on this second attempt, very curious about what is going on the big tank. Looking forward to following the progress of your new discus

  6. #6
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Welcome back Bill and what a great looking bunch. These should good spectacular as adults. Do you feel like you have a good handle on your water? Sometimes it is nice to know what your TDS, ph, KH and GH are moving forward. Also if you have pH swings while aging water.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  7. #7
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Sabucchi View Post
    Wishing you all the best on this second attempt, very curious about what is going on the big tank. Looking forward to following the progress of your new discus
    It turns out the big tank has become more fun in the last month. Here's what it looks like, and where the discus will eventually go:

    2018-06-28 19.30.48.jpg

    After struggling to figure out what I could do after my discus experiment, I decided to go back to African cichlids, but to try something I hadn't done before. (Some of my earliest fish 30 years ago were mbuna, and then I kept various Tanganyikans in more recent years.) I decided to try to find some larger "deep water" Malawi fish that would have a relatively peaceful disposition. Truth is, their personalities don't compare to discus in my opinion... they've remained on the skittish side, and there's more conspecific aggression than I would like.

    However, I have a soft spot for just about any fish, and about a month ago I caught them doing this:

    https://youtu.be/syDOpTcLRKg

    Came back from vacation last week and saw the female had taken some damage... put up a tank divider, did a water change, and saw she spit some of these:

    https://youtu.be/lhTJNONO3jU

    Admittedly, this complicates my fishkeeping life just a bit, as my family and I might enjoy seeing if a grow-out is possible. (Good practice for discus?) Latest idea may be to rehome the adults (1m/3f) and raise a batch of juvies...

  8. #8
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quote Originally Posted by Second Hand Pat View Post
    Welcome back Bill and what a great looking bunch. These should good spectacular as adults. Do you feel like you have a good handle on your water? Sometimes it is nice to know what your TDS, ph, KH and GH are moving forward. Also if you have pH swings while aging water.
    Pat
    Hi Pat... nice to "see" you again. Very much appreciated all your help last time. Congrats on your new wilds! Happy you have a chance to dust off your big tank(s)...

    Honestly I haven't measured my water recently--I just change it! Last time I remember the TDS was in the 70s and the pH just a shade below neutral, with no swing. Hardness was relatively low as I recall but never been so low that I saw pH crashes. I may take a look just because, but presently I'm just going ahead and aging my water anyway, mostly as insurance and to get my systems streamlined as I know I will have microbubbles in the winter, and I want to temperature match. Currently changing 50% daily, experimenting with different foods just prior and saving the favorites for later.

  9. #9
    Registered Member Pices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quote Originally Posted by Tshethar View Post
    It turns out the big tank has become more fun in the last month. Here's what it looks like, and where the discus will eventually go:

    2018-06-28 19.30.48.jpg

    After struggling to figure out what I could do after my discus experiment, I decided to go back to African cichlids, but to try something I hadn't done before. (Some of my earliest fish 30 years ago were mbuna, and then I kept various Tanganyikans in more recent years.) I decided to try to find some larger "deep water" Malawi fish that would have a relatively peaceful disposition. Truth is, their personalities don't compare to discus in my opinion... they've remained on the skittish side, and there's more conspecific aggression than I would like.

    However, I have a soft spot for just about any fish, and about a month ago I caught them doing this:

    https://youtu.be/syDOpTcLRKg

    Came back from vacation last week and saw the female had taken some damage... put up a tank divider, did a water change, and saw she spit some of these:

    https://youtu.be/lhTJNONO3jU

    Admittedly, this complicates my fishkeeping life just a bit, as my family and I might enjoy seeing if a grow-out is possible. (Good practice for discus?) Latest idea may be to rehome the adults (1m/3f) and raise a batch of juvies...
    What sized tank is that? It’s gorgeous! Also enjoyed the spawning video. Isn’t it funny that as soon as we have our plans our fish let us know who has the real last word. Tough decision. I’d say, get another tank except I work too and know how unrealistic that option is. Don’t worry though, as soon as you decide what you want to do, they will throw another wrench into your plans. Ha ha Seriously though, I love the way you’ve done that big tank. Very nicely done!
    Patty
    If the discus are happy, I’m happy

  10. #10
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Thanks, Patty! I should tell you that I really enjoy your discus tank as well. (Also, I've spent a lot of time in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, where my parents lived for years. I really began the saltwater hobby in earnest when visiting them in my early 20s and going to Ft. Myers. Those Florida houses seem like they're made for fish!)

    Well, the good news is that I just persuaded the family to join me for a lunch out and a visit to the one real hobbyist LFS in the area, where the folks there appreciate the ins and outs of the hobby. Not only did I get store credit for some red cherry shrimp, but I have a feeling they can help me re-home my adult
    cichlids when it's time, as well as any young I might manage to raise in the meantime. Not sure if I have the space to manage that, but it might work.

    The tank itself is an odd-dimension Craigslist special I've had for several years. It's 6' long and I drove a ways to get it thinking it was a 125. Turns out it is only 16" wide (instead of 18") and 18" tall (instead of 23", if memory serves). This makes it about 90 gallons. In reality it is a little scratched and I have wanted to put a 125 in its place (desire is endless), but it actually fits the spot we have in the dining room better than something bigger. My wife will only let me get rid of it if and when we can afford something seriously stylish, and that isn't in the budget. But when I see it through others' eyes, I can be glad for what I have!

    Meanwhile, the discus are doing great. Not only are they eating--something two of my last group never did from day one--but as of today they have even gone for two types of flake food I've had lying around for a little too long as well as an experimental homemade seafood mix. Doesn't seem as though getting their digestive systems going will be an issue, which is awesome. Their pecking order stuff is pretty funny, as you all can imagine. Good times!

  11. #11
    Registered Member Pices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    That’s pretty neat that you’ve spent time in my neck of the woods. We moved here after vacationing several times to visit my father in law in Ft Myers, and my mom was a snow bird in Port Charlotte.
    I’ve been to Little Rock, Arkansas and Batesville and Conway as I have people there. My dad was born in Arkansas and those hills are beautiful. I felt like I was on a roller coaster driving around.
    I think your custom tank looks great. I love the java fern. I just added some to my 75 gal and hope it does as well as yours.
    Your discus are gorgeous and have great appetites if they are eating flake! I have 2 new ones coming Wed, so i went the extra mile cleaning the 125 gal. Since I’ve cut my cigarettes down to 3 per day, my tanks have never looked better! Ha ha
    I look forward to watching your fishies grow up here.
    Patty
    If the discus are happy, I’m happy

  12. #12
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Wow, glad I said something about your geography--we're in Conway and moved out here for my work 12 years ago! My parents were originally snowbirds from New England who settled year round in SW Florida almost 30 years ago. Lots of visits to them help me appreciate why folks would choose to settle there. (I was the last one out of the nest and when I was staying with them and figuring out what to do at age 21-22 I used to tell people I had retired from college.) :-) Sort of wish it could have stayed that way sometimes...

    On the java fern, I've actually started throwing it out I have so much of it in all my tanks! I love it in my shrimp tanks as they can really hang out in the roots and feed on infusoria or the like, and I like that it doesn't need pots, soaks up some nitrogen, and adds a bit of green in low light. For the discus tank, though, I'm not sure if I'm going to keep any of it in there or not, as the roots really do end up trapping a ton of detritus if you let them go. (One reason I just cleared out a ton of it.) I suppose if one glues the stems to driftwood and keeps trimming the roots, they probably can stay under control and work well. No fish I've had has bothered them, and they don't seem to decompose quickly.

    Still trying different foods to see what they'll do. Water is super cloudy after dumping some Omega cichlid pellets this morning in the hopes they would take them at their hungriest. They weren't too impressed but have been picking so we'll see if they might come around. Trying to find a good balance between expanding their culinary horizons and keeping their water clean as they and the bio-filter settle in.

    Good luck on cutting down/quitting. Not easy--watched my wife do it--but if you have the discipline to keep discus, there's no doubt you can succeed!

  13. #13
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Hey Bill,
    Very cool seeing you back again! Only thing I like better than welcoming new members is welcoming back old members!

    Very glad to see you giving them another go.

    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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    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  14. #14
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    Hey Bill,
    Very cool seeing you back again! Only thing I like better than welcoming new members is welcoming back old members!

    Very glad to see you giving them another go.

    Al
    Thanks a lot, Al. Really glad the forum is here as a resource, and as a place to share the hobby. Been invaluable as a source of knowledge and for having a sense of shared appreciation, and it's really fun to undertake the process this time with the experience gained both first-hand and from watching and listening to others. Fish are doing well!

  15. #15
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    As of tomorrow I'll be a week into my time with the new batch. So far the fish are doing great. I'm watching them carefully for changing dynamics, which are really interesting, and for health/food/water change reactions/preferences, etc. The social part has been the most fun, as the pecking order seems established but yesterday we noticed "the boss" was not scrapping so much with others (or the #2 in particular) and may have ceded space (was he knocked off his perch?), though perhaps because of potentially amorous feelings... I can appreciate the soap opera-like dynamics that I recall others talking about, as it seems as though things can change quickly! This time, I'm relieved that the story isn't about sickness and health but rather who's vying with who and for what. Oh, the intrigue! What will tomorrow bring?


    Meanwhile, there was quite a bit of bacterial bloom going on today as the filter establishes, so I avoided my messy seafood mix and went with some cleaner foods as I get a handle on how much they like getting new water, which I'm aging and temp matching. I saw one fish rub on the heater after my WC, and they took a little while to go back to normal after about a 60% change, so I'm watching that. (Last time I started with huge 90% changes and realized that wasn't always appreciated.) So far 50% has seemed good. Been considering using a two-stage whole house-type water filter (sediment + carbon block) in between my tap and my aging barrel, but not sure it's needed. (I had mysterious possible "water issues" a couple of years ago, and am inclined to err on the side of caution...)

    For now, though, all the fish are getting plenty of food, and they have come around to eating everything I've thrown at them. Hopeful I can put some more size on them before any of them take their social dramas to another level!

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