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Thread: Back to Basics

  1. #1
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Back to Basics

    At some point in every hobbyist's tenure, there comes a time when you know it can't last forever. I first kept discus in junior high in New York City way back in the 60's . Much later on, I learned that they were likely the first batch of discus to be bred in Singapore and exported. After getting on with life, I returned to the hobby in the mid-90's and there's been discus in my fish room since. Ten years ago, I set up my fish room to enable daily water changes and the hobby became a mania. But I'm pretty sure that I won't be making daily water changes 10 years from now. Since it'll take more than a year to grow out a good batch of fish, what does the end game look like?

    I was chatting with a discus friend of 20+ years about all the strains that have come, and gone. After all this time, I've decided that a tankful of Flachens would make me happy. If you don't know, Flachens are Stendker versions of cobalt discus but with a greenish sheen. Like all Stendkers, they will grow big and they will spawn. So there was a phone conversation with Hans last month - with very specific directions on what I wanted. Hans said to wait for the next shipment because he was running low and then this happened.



    These guys got picked up from the airport FedEx office around 9:30 and are already looking for food around 11:30. I estimate that they're 3+ months old, so let's call it an Oct, 2019 spawn. They're going to get 100% water changes daily and lots of beefheart. I'll try to give updates periodically.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  2. #2
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Great looking discus!how big are they? Good luck with them.

  3. #3
    Registered Member Michael A's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Very nice looking discus. I have a rough idea how it going to look when it grows (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69fdnyifllU). By the looks of it, your discus 2-3 inches? How often are you feeding per day and how much quantity per feedings?

    Looking forward to your grow out progress
    gotta catch em all

  4. #4
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Hansie chose some good'uns for you, Willie. Very nice.
    Mama Bear

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    Registered Member Shan_Evolved's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Nice Willie! My biggest fish in my batch is also a Flachen! Love them
    Amateur discuskeeper, Professional doofus

  6. #6
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    These guys are 3-inchers and will be getting a steady diet of beefheart and Vibra Bites. I'd prefer that they keep the green, but expect that they'll get more blue with age.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Willie I was just at Hans’ shop on Saturday! He had a ridiculously awesome selection this time so we just timed it right He had a line literally out the door but as usual he was awesome and took the time to chat a bit. Picked up a near flawless Fire Red... just a tiny bit of pepper on the tail but it caught my eye immediately. Your Flachens look great too. I actually went up there with the intent to buy his last albino leopard but it had just been sold. I’d been to his shop about 5 times before finally deciding to pull the trigger on it but I was too late! Oh well my fire red has helped me forget all about it... for now.

  8. #8
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    You're so lucky to be within driving distance of an importer. In your shoes, I'd time my next visit and cherry pick the shipment. The nearest importer for me is a 5-hour drive and she only does wilds. But when I have a tank ready for wilds, I intend to make a day trip of it.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Awesome, they will probably grow up to be solid blue/green color. Last saw a local pair with fry a decade ago from Hans.

    Cliff

  10. #10
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Mine was like Willie said, like a Cobalt but with a green tint. I paired him with a Blue Scorpion female and got a lot of beatuiful babies.
    Mama Bear

  11. #11
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Only Day 4 in the fish room and these guys are settling down.



    They get 100% water change daily in a 40 Breeder and chunks of beef heart whenever I walk pass the tank. They share the tank with a few rams, corydoras and L-134's, which are fed VibraBites and algae wafers, a heater and a double stacked sponge filter. Right now, they're also getting glass worms (which will run out in another two weeks). Over time, they'll start to feed on the VibraBites as well.

    I'm posting so that newer hobbyists can see the KISS principle for raising young fish. At this age, they tightly school and follow an alpha fish. And despite all the comments about a 10 gal/fish requirement, putting 8 in a much larger tank would be problematic. Not only do young discus school naturally, but they've been kept in close quarters since the spawn. They'll also have difficulty finding food in a large tank. I'll probably keep these guys in this tank until they reach 4.5" - 5". Even with daily complete water changes and beefheart, they're good until July. They may stay a little longer if I decide to move out the lesser quality ones.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  12. #12
    Registered Member seanyuki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Just curious why you chose Hikari VitraBites to feed yr juvies compare to other commercial products.
    Grasshopper
    Francis

  13. #13
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    You know there's a discerning fish keeper when the question is so, so specific.

    Note that my discus are raised primarily on beefheart, Francis. In my experience, nothing packs on size like beefheart. With large water changes in barebottom tanks, the messiness associated with them does not pose a problem for me. Some, not all, of the discus will feed on VibraBites between meals.

    The dry food is for everything else in the tank. VibraBites were chosen because of its high protein content and shape. Unlike granular foods, the extruded rod fits into a large range of mouth sizes. I keep 5 - 6 different Corydoras species, 5 - 6 different L-number plecostamus species, scalares and altum angelfish, bristlenose plecos and rams. They'll all eat VibraBites.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  14. #14
    Registered Member seanyuki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Good to know, as for me tried various commercial foods and my discus did not care for granules .
    Grasshopper
    Francis

  15. #15
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Back to Basics

    Looking good!! What size tank is it?

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