Brew' heckels

[brewmaster15]

Hi all,

Awhile back Rod asked me to take some pics of my fish more often.....so I finally took some new pics. These are some of the heckels I am working with and hope to one day breed.

Hope you enjoy them.

Comments are welcome...

Thanks,

-al

[brewmaster15]

a few more...


hope you enjoy them.

thanks,
al

[Kenny's Discus]

I do like them a lot Al, especially the pronounced middle bars on them. Just a silly question from me, does the heckle bar always show? Does it go away sometimes like for instance Turks do? (I never have Heckle adults)

Thanks for sharing Al,
Kenny

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Kenny!

Just a silly question from me, does the heckle bar always show? Does it go away sometimes like for instance Turks do? (I never have Heckle adults)

They always have the middle bar , but can invert it and change its intensity.


Last set of pics for now..

-al

[brewmaster15]

....

[Ryan]

I never get sick of seeing heckel pictures. They look awesome

[tpl*co]

I do like them a lot Al, especially the pronounced middle bars on them. Just a silly question from me, does the heckle bar always show? Does it go away sometimes like for instance Turks do? (I never have Heckle adults)

Thanks for sharing Al,
Kenny

So.... When are you getting some heckels Kenny? .

I like the looks of heckels (especially the blue faced ones) and the center bar too. Al, yours look great! (too many nice fish, too little tank space )

Tina

[Moon]

Al
Really nice looking Heckels. A few questions:
How big are they?
How long have you had them?
Are you keeping them in soft low ph water?
I've only had mine since Feb of this year. They appear to be very slow growers compared to domestic discus.
Good luck and hope they breed for you.
Joe

[Ed13]

And to add to the questions posted by Moon
Tank size?
Diet?
Collection place?
how many per tank?
How many are you going to send me?
heckel me!!!lol

Great heckels, and yes I would like it if you showed us your collection more often!

I think one day it'll happen for me!

[brewmaster15]

Hi Joe,
I have a few different tanks of them ranging from 4" on up. The largest and oldest group are about 5.5-6" tip to tail. The heckels I have posted here I have had most since dec/jan ..

I keep all my wilds (heckels and all others) in tap water... pH is 7.00-7.6... 350us... The exception is an any adults I am trying to breed...then its an RO mix. and I shoot for a pH in the 5.5-6.5 range.

I have not noticed any real lag in growth, but I see growth spurts... my smallest sized ones seemed to junp from 3" to 4" overnight....but that coincided with a move from a 75 gal... to a 125 gal tank.


what do you feed yours ?

-al

[brewmaster15]

Hi Ed,

Thank you!

Really and honestly... I don't treat my heckels and other wilds any different than I do my domestics...most of the time they are mixed as well with domestics. Some have driftwood, all are barebottom tanks,some have fake silk plants as an accent area...and most have pothos rooted in the water.


Collection places with any wilds...I take with a grain of salt.. unless you collect them yourself...you never know really...but I am reasonably sure that I have a few groups from the Rio negro area, and Rio Unini area.

Food...same as all others.. a mix of flake, pellets(multiple brands), frzn blood worms and brine shrimp, home made seafood mix, and beefheart mix.

tank sizes... mostly 75 gals tanks, and and 1 each 125gal... fish per tank...same as all else.. 7-9 per 75 gal...

hth,
al

[Ed13]

home made seafood mix

I'm interested in the seafood mix, have you posted the recipe before, I already have your Bh recipe

And thank YOU AL!!!! I don't think I've missed too many pics you've posted, and I'm always impressed!

[brewmaster15]

Hi Ed,
Thank you for the kind words! I try.

my seafood mix... it does vary but here you go..the basic recipe...


5 pounds shelled raw shrimp
2 pound bay scallops raw
1 pound salmon fillet
2 pounds white fillets...I like using pollock, haddock, flounder when avail
multivitamens (3-4 powdered 1 a day human types)
1 cup spirulina flake
1 cup seafood flake (hBH brand) optional
1/2 cup Brine shrimp direct non-hatching decaps

Grind all fish and shrimp..one pass.. I use a manual sausage type grinder..

Mix all ingredients by hand... store in freezer in zip lock bags



at feeding... I cut on a cutting board while semi frozen and slice and dice to bite size pieces.

[wolfbane]

I've never had much interest in heckels, but you've changed my mind Al, those are beauties!!! Yours seem to have great color and shape, their keeper must be very proud!

[Rod]

Beautiful Al, really nice discus. One of them appears to be eyeing out that pot mate, any shake, rattle and roll happening?

One question i have, your heckels appear to have beautiful orange to red colored eyes. Many heckels i have seen have black colored eyes. Is that a normal variation found in wild heckels? or is it a health issue?

Rod