AquaticSuppliers.com     Golden State Discus

Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst ... 234
Results 46 to 56 of 56

Thread: Back in the Game!

  1. #46
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Hey everyone,

    Well, I can't believe it's been about ten months since I've updated here, but it's time. I admit I go through phases with my hobbies and there are times it's on the back burner and other times I get re-energized and feel like sharing. [Edit: well, technically, I ended my part of the 2018 Grow Out Challenge with a shot of this group in their new tank with two holdovers from the contest back in late December (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...=1#post1313322), so maybe it's nine months, but you get the point.]

    Things went normally from what I remember for the first part of last year, and then we had a big challenge: plans to be away from home for about 7 solid weeks over the summer! I really wasn't sure what I was going to do, and didn't want to get too attached to my fish, as plan A was to get the LFS to help me re-home them. (I ended up taking a bunch of other fish and shrimp over there to keep my other tanks minimally stocked, but I didn't get word from them of anyone ready for these guys and naturally I didn't want them to end up in bad living conditions somewhere, so... plan B: they rode it out!)

    I posted (another) vacation-oriented thread seeking advice on this, and in the end I hired a college student who had done some babysitting for us to come over once a week to do a feeding and a water change. I typed up step-by-step instructions and walked her through it as she did the process once, and decided that was as good as we could do for them. So, fasting most of the time, lights out most of the time, a little sustenance and one big WC per week was the plan. Most of the fish were a year old or so, and I didn't see other good options I liked. Complicating matters was that one of my original group had been thinning for a while and if I had been home I probably would have medicated him.

    Long story short, these guys as a group were really resilient! We got pretty much zero communication from our housesitter, and were 24+ hours away by car anyway even if things went awry, so I didn't know what I'd find upon return. Well, the fish were all alive, except one of the two small runts from the contest had vanished. Don't know if he jumped or if he passed somehow and she removed him--we never did hear from her again after about week one(!)--but everyone else was hanging in. Thing was, the power strip with the canisters and the heater was off (!), so the only thing running in the tank were the airstones! Yikes. Had no idea how long that had been the case--might have been from a WC that day, might have been off for weeks! Only option was to break down the canisters, do a big WC, get the heater going again and hope for the best.

    Unfortunately, the one weak fish I mentioned above didn't make it more than another couple of days after these big interventions; he hadn't been well-conditioned beforehand and didn't have the stamina. But everybody else bounced back really well. Slowly got them eating again and took a couple of tank shots and some video with my phone a couple of days ago, now a little more than a month and a half after we got back. Here they are:

    2019-09-15 13.01.22.jpg
    2019-09-15 13.01.32.jpg


    Started to see some new dynamics emerging a bit with the group, and given it's down to six total I thought it might be time to bring in some new adult fish, do a long QT, and enlarge the group. So that's happening this week. Will update on those soon... should be unboxing on Friday!

  2. #47
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    But wait, there's more!

    The "dynamics" mentioned above are in reality a love triangle going on with my two most dominant males and the feistiest female... I'm curious what wisdom I'll get about allowing or curtailing the process (with two males both wanting to try to make runs over eggs), but given all this was happening through dinner tonight, I decided to a) see if I could give a more "traditional" couple a chance to have a go on the cone by dividing the tank, and b) take some pics and video, of course! (Bad quality as usual, unfortunately.)

    So, some more images and a look at the two I've kept together. For a reminder, these are F1 Alenquer fish and these two look a bit like royal blues to me, while the other dominant male is darker and has more pronounced blue and a halo (almost a turq), while another fish (female) has spotting and shades green, and another is closer to solid red. Anyway, having fun with them and happy the journey and the learning continues.

    2019-09-18 19.13.00.jpg
    2019-09-18 19.14.04.jpg
    2019-09-18 19.14.11.jpg
    2019-09-18 19.13.34.jpg
    2019-09-18 19.13.12.jpg


    (Looks like the female may have enjoyed having the attention of more than one male... well, I guess I've made it to the adolescent stage, anyway!)

    P.S. The male is breathing heavily, at least in part (!), because I had just chased him down on the other side of the mesh and caught him bare-handed (need a big net!) to get him back with his partner!
    Last edited by Tshethar; 09-19-2019 at 12:06 AM.

  3. #48
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quick update: Found my new "couple" on the other side of the mesh this morning and the eggs gone. I was wondering whether Dad had started eating them even in the video footage, or whether he was still cleaning... anyway, I'm glad they're practicing, I guess I'm glad they still like being with everyone else, and so long as there isn't dramatic aggression going on all's well. I removed the mesh and we'll see what they do from here. Maybe I'll get some video of the three of them if the trio try again.

    In a month or so I'll be able to free up some tank space by moving the fish that are coming in out of QT, and at that point I might see what happens if I put two of them in a 40B with a cone...

  4. #49
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,830

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Bill thanks for the update here.Im glad to see you are back into again and that your fish made it through your away time.

    first let me say the fish sitter must have done well...second I think your fish are trying to tell you they need space and you should go on trips more often j/k lol.

    Im hoping you set up a pair in a dedicated tank and give breeding a try.

    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
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  5. #50
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    Bill thanks for the update here.Im glad to see you are back into again and that your fish made it through your away time.

    first let me say the fish sitter must have done well...second I think your fish are trying to tell you they need space and you should go on trips more often j/k lol.

    Im hoping you set up a pair in a dedicated tank and give breeding a try.

    al
    Thanks, Al! Nice to chime in again after a pretty long break, and appreciate the sentiments and encouragement. I know it would be fun to try to breed some fish--even though space for grow out might be a little hard--and I'm looking forward to some experimenting.

    My dream scenario in the next couple of years involves my wife landing a "big job" in the northeast as a result of which we get to move to a house with a basement. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing for income in this scenario, but the vision involves plenty of time playing with multiple tanks downstairs... (A guy can dream, right?)

  6. #51
    Registered Member Pudmuppy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    72
    Real Name
    Ally

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Hello Tshethar,

    I did PM you but your inbox is full Your fish are gorgeous! I love how varied they are in patterning - I was just wondering who/where you got them from?

    Thank you so much!

  7. #52
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Hi Ally,

    Thanks for noticing my thread and for the heads up on my inbox! My membership expired recently and that affects how many stored messages one can have on here. So, you have prompted me to re-up for another year! Glad to do it, as I've just gotten some new discus in and am having fun with the hobby at the moment, and the forum has been a wealth of info for me since I started working with these flat fish.

    Anyway, I'll write you back via PM to avoid writing a vendor review here. (Overall I'm satisfied.) And I commend you for the due diligence on setting up your tank. I was reading a thread of yours earlier today and almost chimed in as you get ready for fish! (And I may yet. )

    Meanwhile, folks can stay tuned for some images of the new guys in QT. I've had them about five days and they've settled in and are eating and doing their thing!

  8. #53
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    An update: intended new tankmates are doing well 2 weeks into QT. I haven't really gotten much by way of pics of them, but I think I have one from a week or so ago that will give anyone interested an idea. Right now the market doesn't have too much by way of wild-type fish around (no more F1 Alenquers, for example), so I ordered some blue turqs and a couple of fish listed as "green discus." These don't look much like red-spotted greens--if I had to guess now I'm thinking they may end up looking like green-faced red covers or the like--but they still have good shape and I'm happy to have them, put them in the mix, and see how they turn out.

    Here's a look at the snapshots I quickly took last week...

    2019-09-26 17.20.05.jpg
    2019-09-26 17.18.59.jpg

    Now that I've gotten these guys, at least in part to diffuse any aggression that might appear, I find myself hoping that my plans will preserve rather than upset the dynamics of the main tank. Why? Well, the pairing activity is continuing. The alpha female this time has decided to swap partners, and to try out the other side of the tank! I noticed the eggs a couple of days ago, and this morning I found this:



    I had done a partial water change yesterday and cleaned the intake sponges, and this morning found that the eggs had hatched and the fish had moved some wrigglers from the cone to the sponge. I imagine they're getting some nice oxygenated water flow! I do wonder, however, whether this will prevent them from finding and attaching to the parents, assuming there's a chance for raising them in the main tank. (Right now I have no tank space for pulling out a pair--maybe after QT is over.) If the parents move them back to the cone at some point I may try covering the sponge with a white media bag I think I have, or maybe some filter floss...

    As always, advice and suggestions, along with comments, welcome...

  9. #54
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    New milestone with these guys... really hoping I'll have some more space for experimenting in the future.

    I did a partial water change last night and was able to leave the sponge near the cone while replacing it with a white one I had laying around on the intake. I was hoping the parents might relocate the wrigglers so I could pull it this morning, but instead, the wrigglers went free swimming.

    My first time seeing this and I enjoyed watching them trying to attach. The black sponge didn't seem to be confusing them too much, though it's hard for me to tell. However, some have wandered the tank some and they haven't consistently stayed with the parents once they've found them. I'm not expecting to get much going here, and I'm not sure any will be left when I get home later, but I was happy to see the parents showing real interest in them. I really wish I had saved some more tank space in my house! I might be able to spare a 40B for a breeding tank once QT is over, but grow out is another story... We'll see.

    2019-10-07 08.04.39.jpg

  10. #55
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    98

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    that's awesome.

    I'm at the same stage as you are with your pair. Trying to get the parents to raise the babies.

    Good luck!

  11. #56
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central Arkansas
    Posts
    598
    Real Name
    Bill

    Default Re: Back in the Game!

    Quote Originally Posted by Maddie View Post
    that's awesome.

    I'm at the same stage as you are with your pair. Trying to get the parents to raise the babies.

    Good luck!
    Thanks, Maddie! Fingers crossed for you, too. I was happy to see this, and it's hard to imagine not trying to see if they can do it.

Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst ... 234

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Cafepress