Wild Discus in UK.

[Red Eye.]

Hi, is there a list of people from the UK that keep wild Discus?.

cheers Matt.
East Sussex.

[brewmaster15]

Matt, Im afraid not here yet. Even in the States and Canada the numbers of people that keep.wild discus is very small compared to the domestics.

Al

[Red Eye.]

Would you disclose someone in the US who is good with Wilds... just for help etc.

David Carr at Planet Arowana ( just down the road from me ) and Just Discus can get and stock Wilds.

[brewmaster15]

If you are looking for help in terms of keeping them , we have several members here that are experienced with Wilds. Two of the forum's Admins, Pat Husband and Myself, have kept and bred them for example. If theres something specificially you want to know more about best suggestion is to just ask.

Theres also alot of information here..

https://forum.simplydiscus.com/forum...rce-The-Amazon

[Red Eye.]

Matt, Im afraid not here yet. Even in the States and Canada the numbers of people that keep.wild discus is very small compared to the domestics.

Al

If you are looking for help in terms of keeping them , we have several members here that are experienced with Wilds. Two of the forum's Admins, Pat Husband and Myself, have kept and bred them for example. If theres something specificially you want to know more about best suggestion is to just ask.

Theres also alot of information here..

https://forum.simplydiscus.com/forum...rce-The-Amazon

Thank you so much....have kept 2 lots so far ....first set in a planted tank...didn,t work out great...2nd lot ...just sand and wood..110 gallon was a lot more successful.

I,m meeting with David at Planet Arowana to learn more about modern sumps /pumps/heaters/ media etc.....he said he go,s to Asia 3 times a year to collect rare fish for clients and he knows he can get Wild Discus etc.

Would you start with 6 or 8 fish in a 5x2x2 tank plus sump ......

Water....my tap water here a the UK is around 7.6ph kh 6 gh 10.

so would these parameter's be ok for wilds 29/30deg C

TDS 200 or 100
PH 6.0 or Lower?
Kh 3 Gh 6

NO CO2/ NO Carbon media.

Would you use peat for blackwater look and to acidify the water a wee bit....or is there any modern way?, was going to try apple wood like the chap ( white shirted Business Gent) on Utube ....?

cheers Matt.
Precision Panel Craft.

Will be Active on this Forum each dinner time 1/2pm UK time.

[brewmaster15]

Hi Matt,
If you want the best chance of success here I would consider a Reverse Osmosis water system... though I have kept and bred wilds in my well water... these fish will do best for you in soft acidic water.. but it has to be consistent. .. doing that means RO water and a storage barrel. Though its possible to succeed with your tap water your wilds will thrive and settle in much faster in water closer to the native parameters.

Driftwood will add tannin, as will various high tannin leaves on the market.. I use oak leaves and bark here as they are local and free.

Depending on size..6 would be better than 8 in that tank..The wilds like horizonal real estate.

Al

[Red Eye.]

Cool... I have a RO Unit and a HMaxe filter....so all ok there.....yes I thought 6 was OK ....whats your feelings on beefheart foods.....it seems very 50/50.

[brewmaster15]

Beefheart is common as a discus food and wilds can be trained to take it but at least initially I would stay with freeze dried blackworms,frozen or freeze dried hikari bloodwoom, frozen mysis, and a good quality pellet .. avoid tubifex(live or freeze dried). Live compost worms...aka red wigglers are excellent foods as well.

Its important with new wilds to get them eating asap as you have no idea how long they have been traveling to get to you or if they have been eating well. Most will readily accept freeze dried blackworms (or live if you have access to them) and frozen bloodworms by hikari. If you have not fed bloodworms wear gloves, alot of people have bad allergies to them. I cant touch them or even be in a room where they have been fed.

[Red Eye.]

Thank you Al?, next year when I get them would need some advice on quotienting and what procedures in order you take to start them on the rght journey... ( sorry bad at spelling ...better with Metal)

As a freshwater angler have used a lot of bloodworm kilos mostly from Russia. bigger bloodworm from farm ponds here in the uk.... but for Discus I know it has to be very clean because they come from sewage outfalls ....say no more!!.

[Vanman]

What would be the problem with freeze dried tubifex? I thought the freeze drying process kills everything.

[brewmaster15]

What would be the problem with freeze dried tubifex? I thought the freeze drying process kills everything.

It doesnt. Many bacterias survive it fine and heavy metals are actually concentrated by it. Tubifex is not farmed...they are collected from nasty water where they grow best (usually sewage out flows ).. heavy metals are signigicant here. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the worse most risky food you can feed ... tubifex is a 0 for me.