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[seanyuki]

Nice looking group of Flachens and growing nicely.

[matt parsons]

Great looking fish Willie. Very nice shapes and they are getting nice and thick.
I also love how the fish are getting more solid in color every video.
The blue cobalts were my very first discus over 25 years ago. They are still my favorite strain of barred discus.
Gotta love the classic strains.
Thanks for sharing your methods with us.
Respectfully, Matt

[LizStreithorst]

I never thought that I would catch my breath while watching a video of Flackens. Show's what I know. Willie, the zebra plecos in those caves will provide a wonderful treat for the Flackens. My Discus may ignore neocardia but plecos are hunted down and devoured as soon as their daddy releases them from the cave.

[Willie]

...the zebra plecos in those caves will provide a wonderful treat for the Flackens...

Those are L134 Peckoltia compta, Liz. About half the price of zebras, and pretty hard to spawn. I'm growing them up and will definitely move them out at breeding age, but I doubt any pleco will spawn with 100% daily water changes.

[LizStreithorst]

Are they as secretive as Zebras. I fell in love with Zebras but got off them because everybody says that they never see them. I wasn't about to spend a lot of money on a fish that constantly hiding?

[danotaylor]

Willie what came of the one you separated out for a time? Any recurrence of the whirling symptom?

[Willie]

Willie what came of the one you separated out for a time? Any recurrence of the whirling symptom?

Hi Dan;

I put that Flachen into quarantine for two weeks and it occasionally did the whirling thing. The fish whirls around slowly, at a 45 degree angle, but it doesn't dash around the tank. The finnage darkens from the stress and it's over in 60 seconds. I can't put it back with the other discus in case it's infectious. At this point, it's in a tank with my angelfish - which never exhibit such disease. Not sure what to do about this fish, which is big and chubby like the others.

Willie

[Willie]

Are they as secretive as Zebras. I fell in love with Zebras but got off them because everybody says that they never see them. I wasn't about to spend a lot of money on a fish that constantly hiding?

I also have zebras that I never see. But mine are only 1" and people say that they'll come out as they get bigger. I've seen some Youtube videos where adult zebras will come out, so they're not nocturnal fish. The L134's are much bigger fish (4" as adults) and are not shy. I got these from Freshwater Exotics in Milwaukee. They had hundred's in their holding tank sitting out in the open.

Willie

[Shan_Evolved]

Wow they've grown!!!! Amazing as always sir william

[RossM]

You lucky person you!! Bloody beauty's those discus are. Congratz! Enjoy!

[Willie]

I'm a little late with the video. These guys arrived in my fishroom on February 23, but I took a long weekend off to attend ACA in St. Louis. So the big babies only got 151 water changes in 154 days. Here, they're ignoring the VibraBites in case I drop in some beef heart!

[LizStreithorst]

They are beauties, as you know Willie. I love a single strain tank. Of course if they were mine I'd introduce a SS with a strong blue base to cross them to and mess up your single strain tank. It's just me. I'm all about good blue SS...

How was ACA. I haven't been to one in years. Do they still look down on Discus enthusiasts like they have in the past?

[Willie]

...How was ACA. I haven't been to one in years. Do they still look down on Discus enthusiasts like they have in the past?

Last year's ACA was cancelled so they had to put one on this year even though it was a touch-and-go affair. There was no show, so just talks, a vendor room, silent auctions, the B.I.T.C.H.E.S. and an auction. I left before the auction, but heard that there was only ~100 bags. Attendance was down, but that meant you got to meet a lot more people. That part is always nice, except that everyone is old (my age). ACA needs to figure out how to attract younger folks. Of course, these were the hard core among the hard core. As far as I can tell, I was the only guy there that kept discus.

I was looking for vendors to come to MN events, scored some long fin albino corys and sold a ton of LF blue eye lemon BN's. (Could have sold double if I had spent just another 10 minutes trying to net more.) Too bad there was no show. As it was driving distance, I would have entered some discus. It's been two years since I went to a fish event so I'm happy!

[SidJones]

Great job. They look great!

[brewmaster15]

Willie,
Just reading and filling in the blanks from my time away. Great thread documenting raising these fish. Was wondering how they turned out?
Al