Sad News on Long Island, New York

[NYwheeler]

Hello everyone, my name is Ron and I'm from LI/NY and I've been a discus enthusiast for 6 years.

I just would like to mention that Long Island's finest discus breeder is calling it quits: Gil Curtin in Yaphank. It was a sad day on 2/20 when I visited him to see him down to 2 tanks left in his showroom. To see the dedication that he gave to this hobby, almost 50 years, is remarkable. He'll surely be missed. For me personally, it will take a lot to gain the same confidence in another breeder that I had for Gil.

For those that can make the trip here...Gil still has some stock but not much. He has one tank with around 50 red pandas of various sizes (very nice looking too...I bought 2). The smalls are $30 each, 5 for $120. The mediums are $50, I think. He has another tank with some mixed stock (maybe 25 fish), mostly 5-6 inch at $100 a pop, 6 for $500. A few nice blue diamonds, I recall.

If I'm not mistaken, Gil's a retired UPS worker and his wife just recently retired. His promise to her when she retired was that he would give up the discus business so that they could travel together. Gil told me that he has never taken a vacation for more than 3 days in his entire adult life.

I joined this forum to post this. I felt like I needed to share this info with other discus lovers. What was really cool about Gil was his love of his fish; he was always so damn excited about his stock, especially the fry. When I first met him and was getting into the hobby, I thought, after so many years of doing this can it still be that exciting?! After 6 years, I think I get it. I hope I can feel this way 44 years from now. I think my 4 year old daughter is getting it also.

Good luck Gil!!!

P.S. Gil, if you read this...discus don't smoke, you shouldn't either. Eat beefheart instead. Also, is your legal name really "Gil?"

Gil Curtain 631-772-7034

Hope to post in the future.

Ron

[moik]

Hello, sorry to hear. Is there any way to get picture on these? Will shipping be an option?

[NYwheeler]

You'll have to call Gil to find out.

Ron

[Greg Richardson]

Ron. Never knew the guy but it certainly sounds like he had a passion for them.

[brewmaster15]

Gils pretty much been a legend in the Northeast for decades... I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but know many that have bought fish from him. I wish him all the best in his retirement!

-al

ps.. welcome to Simplydiscus Ron!!! Hope to see you posting more as well!

[Apistomaster]

That kind of continued committment to discus is a real accomplishment.
I commend him.
Discus are very labor intensive to raise commercially. Contrary to some popular beliefs, they are not automatic money machines. In the final analysis one invests as much as one gets in returns and it can become grueling work.
That is why most current "discus breeders" are importing and reselling rather than raising the majority of their stock.
As a result quality domestic discus never exposed to hormones are in short supply.
Larry Waybright