What is the difference between a wild brown and wild alenquer?

[wo]

Hi,

I recently bought a pair of wild caught discus at a local aquarium store. However, he called them " Red Cover ". Although I knew he isn't honest; ( There are no wild caught discus call "Red Cover" ) I still bought a pair at the price of USD70.- But the color of the discus turned out to be brown( It was brownish red when I first bought them back ). I search the web for more information on wild caught discus but have not found many.

Could Anyone tells me does Alenquer belong to one strain of brown discus? How could anyone tell it is a red alenquer or brown discus? The pictures post on web sometimes do not show any difference. There are so many names for wild caught discus but sometimes they look like the same to me. The picture posted days ago on web by April is really beautiful. Are they Alenquer pericura(real red discus)? I once ask a importer from Germany for USD200.- each. Wow! Aren't they expensive. What will be the price for Alenquer Pericura in States or Canada? Some of local discus lover from my country talk about bringing up the f1 from wild discus is really tough and the color will be ugly. I am new hand hobbyist in wild caught discus. What is a discus pericura? Do anyone has comment on the wild caught discus f1?

One last question, at normal condition how old will the solid red strain fish show their red color? For examples,
the Marlboro when can one tell it will turn red or brown?


Thank!

[Denny]

hi wo


could you post some pictures?

denny

[April]

well..im still learning also...if you look on A Discus Dreams website..under wilds or reds..not sure..you will see hes Santarems which are quite rred. wilds. and you will also see his alenquers. and ..in the reds you will also see his sanmerahs which i believe are actually a brown based fish.
i was told the ones i posted are browns.

[Rod]

When alenquer discus were first bred in Germany by doctor Schmidt-focke the females were red brown base while the majority of the males were more brownish but frequently exhibited blue striations and spots through the body. Through inbreeding and selection the red base is intensified. Also the alenquer is normally dependent on a diet rich in natural colorants to express the best color and with a one sided diet or foods lacking pigments the base color will appear more brownish. Now it seems the name alenquer is used for marketing purposes for any brown discus with a reddish base. Most of the alenquer pics i now see don't really look like the alenquers of old.

[Ivan]

Usually wild Discus are named after the place where they are caught, ei, Lago/rio Tefe, Manacapuru, Alenquer, Nhamunda, Santerem. Alenquer are essentially Brown Discus. There must be more algea/plant (which contain ataxsathin(sp)) eating creatures the Discus feed on in that area which enhance the colour.
Ivan

[beta]

My Impression was that Alenquer was a reddish form of brown discus. But even a brown discus looks great with its natural beauty.

There are some pics of Alenquer Curipera here:
http://www.amazon-exotic-import.de/G...4nge/INDEX.htm

[Rod]

Nice site beta Those Barra mansa Alenquers look like the alenquer i know. Boy those Curipera ones look spectacular!! I guess there must be several collecting area's within the Alenquer region, all producing a different look.

[Ardan]

I dug this interesting thread out of the general archives and moved it here.
beta posted a very good link to some wilds pics on a website. (post #6)
hth

[roger]

Part of the problem with wilds, especially the browns is the environment that they come from. Depending on the food in the area it can turn the fish red, but when they come off that diet the turn brown again.

I have what I am pretty certain are wild Alenquers (atleast from that area) and the male actually takes on a blueish hugh at times. The female tends to be slightly redish in color but not by much, more a redish brown.

Peace,
Roger

[wildthing]

Brown is a color variety..Alenquer is a place ...
Both Browns and Blues and their intermorphs can be caught near Alenquer.
Alenquer Discus were known as 'reds'...often nice blues that show a lot of red tone to the body...The Browns can also show a lot of red. probably this is connected to diet and water conditions