Heckel tank update

[Apistomaster]

If I can afford to build a new fish room then I will set up the two pairs that have formed in their own 75 gal tanks and any other pairs that move up in rank afterwards.
Then they will gradually acclimated to the closest I can come to duplicating their natural water conditions and wait them out. I think pretty much the same style of tank set up will keep them happy and be a good place to start.

I am currently in the same position many of my Altum Angelfish friends are in where there is courtship and pre-spawn cleaning behavior but no spawns. I have been this far with Heckels before. How to induce the nice phase is the the $64,000 question. I'll probably never learn much more until and unless I start working with the individual pairs. I am certain that there will be at least three pairs to experiment on.

I have some new wild blues that are far more likely to breed under my current situation. They aren't very fancy but it has been fun to have a group of them again. What constitutes a blue versus a brown has always been a subjective call but apparently the line between blues and browns is lower than mine has ever been but even a nice brown has beauty. They are so much more rowdy than Heckels. One nice blue I have had for a two years spawned with his Red Turquoise mate yesterday for only their second time in one of the new 40 gal tanks and I am hoping they decide to raise this spawn. It is their tenth time so I am beginning to lose patience. In a few months the new blues will be in good condition and I can match the older wild blue with one of the new wild females and try that combination. I have always had a pretty good feel for sexing discus so all I need to do is choose the most dominant female from the new group and place her with the older male blue. The Red Turquoise can be placed with the new wild blues which are approximately the same age and one of the males is likely to try pairing with her since she is spawning so regularly. One way or another, I'll get that cross accomplished. The cross should produce some with colors more along the lines of what I consider a blue discus.

[blue acara]

Exciting times, I bet you cant wait to put your plans into action. Like you I dream of having 3 massive tanks for each species, 50 in each tank, auto water change systems and a mass of smaller tanks with many different fish species in. That will have to wait for a lottery win I'm afraid.

Interesting thoughts on pheromones and using Purigen. How much do you use on the tank, how long does it last?

[Apistomaster]

I use about 80 to 100 g of Purigen in the reactor. This lasts about 2 months. Purigen is rechargeable to like new condition by soaking it in a strong bleach solution over night. I run mine through two recharge cycles since it is pretty dirty. It will look like chocolate but when it has been recharged it is like new.
The Purigen itself appears to be reusable indefinitely. That feature makes it much cheaper than it first appears. I have some that is still working after four years. I have a couple liters so I can refresh it any time I want. I usually accumulate a liter of used Purigen then clean and recharge that.