ChicagoDiscus.com     Golden State Discus

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 73

Thread: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

  1. #1
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,729

    Default Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Given the Intense interest in Wild discus...I propose we start a discussion here about wild Discus and the traits that make them desirable apart from Domestics and compared to each other.... Some of this is subjective........ But I think if we do this is an intelligent general way alot can be learned by those new to the wild side of things or leaning there.

    I think a good way to do this is for hobbyists here to post their fish, list the prices paid, and point out what they feel is the strong points and weak points of their fish....WE can do this for each major type of wild and build a database.. No need to discuss where the fish came from...do that by Pm if you want.,

    I encourage others to comment on the fish if they can as to strengths and weaknesses... understand this will happen if you post to this thread.

    Thanks...

    This thread Heckels only....

    -al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  2. #2
    Registered Member Melissa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Carrollton, TX
    Posts
    1,916

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Bought as "Blue Face Heckels" $75.00 each
    Caught somewhere in Brazil.
    I really don't know how to judge strong/weak points of wild discus! Any and all input is welcome and appreciated

    Disclaimer here.... Please pardon the following pictures for being out of focus/blurry/too sharp or whatever else is wrong with them! LOL! This was the first time i've ever used a camera like this one, its actually my sisters and she's a professional photographer. If only i had her crazy skills! Btw, all of eor bars are out because they always think im going to feed them when i approach the tank, theyre just excitable little piggies! Anyway... enjoy!

    ]












    Melissa

    Just be yourself. The people who matter, won't mind.
    And the people who mind, won't matter.

  3. #3
    Registered Member Discus Origins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Ocala, FL
    Posts
    1,809

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Here were my Nhamunda Heckels, which were imported in from Canada thru Oliver Lucanus last year. I searched for an importer for years that shipped this exact variety and finally were able to get them in, they may have been the first ones in the US.

    Now that Hans has established with Hudson we are now able to get many different strains that were only in books or internet before.

    The Nhamunda variety of Heckels is the only one to have a blue body with brown striations, all other varieties are brown bodied with blue stripes. The more blue on the body, the more rare and prized. The pictures don't really do them justice as this was a newly setup tank that they were in for a couple weeks. I should have taken more pictures once they settled down and turned into bright sheens of blue but I also did not know one day I would come home to a tank full of dead fish from acid drop.

    They were $250/ea for the striated ones, $400/ea for the blue moons or solid forehead/body. The blue on the fish brightened up much more when the pH went below 6 and water hardness below 60ppm. They are probably one of the more aggressive Heckels, once established not picky on food as mine take a variet of frozen recipe, frozen blood worms/mysis shrim and live black worms. I do not ever feed dry food to my discus, they are far too valuable to feed them what guppies eat

    The most important thing with these is to verify that the fish were caught in the northern part of the Nhamunda river, the further north the more blue the fish. For some reason, most likely diet they develop the solid blue body. I will be purchasing some more Blue Moon Nhamundas both from John and Hans...I want to see if there is a big difference between suppliers of Santarem and H&K. Pictures hopefully to come soon!


    Mark
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Discus Origins; 01-25-2011 at 08:44 PM.

  4. #4
    Registered Member Discus Origins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Ocala, FL
    Posts
    1,809

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    These are my Jatapu Heckels, a higher quality blue face/blue head variety. They were imported from Glaser in Germany for $125/ea at a Med size (3-4"). As you can see they were nicely colored in the head even at that size.

    They are not as aggressive as the Nhamundas and having been nicely conditioned in Germany they came in taking pellets and flakes which I quickly changed to frozen food. But you can see where their bodies are dark brown with the blue stripes, opposite of the Nhamundas.

    Mark
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
    Registered Member wgtaylor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Brookings, Oregon
    Posts
    997

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    I bought this Blue Heckel wild, $40

    You never know when you get some of these heckels that may have been transported in and around Manaus if they won't produce hybrids that will be unique. This is what it looked like.



    It turned out much different than I expected. I like the ring of blue finnage.



    I wake up in the morning with wild discus.


  6. #6
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    31,668
    Real Name
    Pat

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Bill, Mark and Melissa, thanks for sharing pictures of your prized fish. Maybe one day when I get my feet under me nice and firm with wilds I might try heckel too.

    Bill, love the coffee cup

  7. #7
    Registered Member Melissa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Carrollton, TX
    Posts
    1,916

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Wgtaylor, amazing transformation!!! That blue halo is beautiful!
    Melissa

    Just be yourself. The people who matter, won't mind.
    And the people who mind, won't matter.

  8. #8
    Registered Member round flat fish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Lawrence, Kansas
    Posts
    129

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    I sure do like looking at other peoples wilds! I am bummed i missed out on the blue face heckels when John had them last. The timing was just bad for me. I really like the Jatapu Heckels.

  9. #9
    Registered Member Dave B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    332

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Quote Originally Posted by m3h3c3 View Post
    ...but I also did not know one day I would come home to a tank full of dead fish from acid drop.
    What happened? That sucks...

    Thanks for the informative post.

  10. #10
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Posts
    4,036

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Great Heckels everyone! I really miss mine. I have always wanted those solid blue headed Heckels, ever since I saw a pic of them in a TFH book....Your Heckel really blossomed Bill...love that mug!...Bill

  11. #11
    Registered Member Discus Origins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Ocala, FL
    Posts
    1,809

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave B View Post
    What happened? That sucks...

    Thanks for the informative post.
    Was using muriatic acid to keep the pH below 5.0. One day either city municipal water changed or I added too much to the tank and had a drastic drop in PH that basically wiped out my entire collection of Nhamunda Heckels. 2 made it back and that's what I have at this point. Expensive lesson learned! Mark

  12. #12
    Registered Member wgtaylor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Brookings, Oregon
    Posts
    997

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Quote Originally Posted by m3h3c3 View Post
    Expensive lesson learned! Mark
    That was a tough break Mark, thanks for sharing lessons learned. You have nice remaining heckels and hope more to come.
    Bill

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDiscusMama View Post
    Wgtaylor, amazing transformation!!! That blue halo is beautiful!
    Thanks Melissa and yours are looking great. Talk your sis out of that camera!

    Quote Originally Posted by Second Hand Pat View Post
    Bill, Mark and Melissa, thanks for sharing pictures of your prized fish. Maybe one day when I get my feet under me nice and firm with wilds I might try heckel too.

    Bill, love the coffee cup
    We have limits and can't keep every wild, darn. Thanks Pat.

    Quote Originally Posted by William Palumbo View Post
    Great Heckels everyone! I really miss mine. I have always wanted those solid blue headed Heckels, ever since I saw a pic of them in a TFH book....Your Heckel really blossomed Bill...love that mug!...Bill
    Thanks Bill, just toasted your comment with that cup of coffee.

  13. #13
    Registered Member hedut's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    3,710

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    very beautiful heckels everyone . I'm getting some heckels soon . questions guys : Is it ok to mix deference type heckels ? heard that mix batch could get fighting all the time?

    Thanks
    Henry
    Back to Discus grin:

  14. #14
    Registered Member Apistomaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Clarkston, Washington
    Posts
    2,425

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Quote Originally Posted by hedut View Post
    very beautiful heckels everyone . I'm getting some heckels soon . questions guys : Is it ok to mix deference type heckels ? heard that mix batch could get fighting all the time?

    Thanks
    The Heckel color variants will not act any differently than one type or another and as to mixing them that is purely a matter of personal taste or goal you have in mind. Heckels are more sociable than Greens and haraldi ime.
    Larry Waybright

  15. #15
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    138

    Default Re: Wild Discus Tech Notes 1... Heckels...The basics and More....

    Hi - I will be getting a group on wild heckels in a few weeks. Can this forum suggest the water parameters I need to prepare meanwhile or refer me to a thread that has discussed this question for wild heckels?

    Also - does this forum have any suggestions on how to train wilds to eat flakes/pellets?

    thx

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Cafepress