ChicagoDiscus.com     Cafepress Store

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 38

Thread: My Heckels have settled

  1. #1
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    250

    Default My Heckels have settled

    Hello !

    Wannafish here! I have been attending this forum for a couple of years and
    have read a lot on here. I attribute my success in keeping discus healthy and
    happy from listening to everyone here. Especially the experts. Below are my
    Heckels in their 60 gal tank with two fluval 404's. I use peat, but I am working
    on getting my ph down. Right now it is about 7.3. I am sure they will much
    more lively and happy when I can do that.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Looks like a captive heckels heaven!!! It looks just like home!!!

    Wonderfully done! Very impressive
    Melissa

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

  3. #3
    SimplyDiscus Sponsor and MVP Nov.2015 Disgirl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Eastern North Carolina USA
    Posts
    4,477

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Looks really good! Seems like you have been on this forum way more than a couple years! 2004
    Barb


    Delightful Designs Discus Cones by Barb -- Check out my Sponsor section --HERE--!

  4. #4
    Registered Member wgtaylor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Brookings, Oregon
    Posts
    997

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Great looking setup wannafish.
    Those heckels do look settled and happy. Nice job.
    Bill

  5. #5
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    31,726
    Real Name
    Pat

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    I like your tank too. Very natural looking and your heckels look wonderful.

  6. #6
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    1,146

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Nice tank! What are your wc regime, tanka measurments, feeding, water measurments?

  7. #7
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    250

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Thanks for the comments. Accolades. It is good to hear from your peers.
    I have learned a lot by reading a lot here. I learned about caring for Discus
    with some domestics at first and then wanted some wilds. A slice of the
    Amazon here at home. I have a 60 gallon tank, 48 by 15 by 18. I do water
    changes once a week, but I think the fish would prefer that I do two.
    I age my water in a barrel with a powerhead and a heater.

    - Ph, 7.4
    - Ammonia, 0
    - Nitrite, 0
    - Nitrate, .5
    - Gh, 130 by 17 = 7.11
    - Kh, 100 by 17 = 5.15

    Is the math correct? I got my Discus from Snookin a little
    over a year ago. I feed them frozen blood worms twice
    a day, and live worms after a wc. They just love that. I use
    peat. But to lower the Ph, I want to gradually add RO water.
    It just doesn't seem right to have them in 7 + ph.

  8. #8
    Registered Member wgtaylor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Brookings, Oregon
    Posts
    997

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    wannafish
    You are doing great, they look good and colors are coming along.
    ro will make a big difference, hope you have a tds and ph meter, it will sure help you.
    A good homemade mix can do them well also.
    Lookin good..
    Bill

  9. #9
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    138

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Hi -

    1) what is your TDS?
    2) You mentioned you got these a year ago. How long did it take before you thought they really settled down? (I have new wilds recently ...)
    Last edited by sfdiscus; 02-22-2011 at 06:07 PM.

  10. #10
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    250

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Bill
    I have a couple pellet foods that I got online and I feed them color bits.
    I have read a couple recipes here on simply. I would like to add something
    else to their diet. Could you give me your recipe?

    sfdiscus
    I have a new meter, but I haven't tested my water. I am sure it is high.
    I have municipal water and live 22 miles from LA. I haven't added RO water yet.
    It took about 4-5 months for the Heckels to settle down and come out. When I
    first got them they were really spooked, and never came out or swam around.
    I put the tank in a quiet room with very little light. I have my desk right next
    to the tank and the fish see me sitting there. Once they got use to my working
    there they started to come out. Of course I had driftwood so they could hide
    and feel protected. If the tank was bare they would have to swim to run away
    and hide in the corner all the time. I don't think wilds like captivity very well.

  11. #11
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    cranston, ri
    Posts
    70

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Good job and nice looking setup.

  12. #12
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    250

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Hello

    It's been a few months since I was here. But wanted to come back to this thread to
    give an update. For about 3 or 4 months my Heckels were in the dark. Literally.
    They just wouldn't come out from hiding. Asked a few questions about it here and there
    and tried some things, but to no avail. I really thought something was wrong with them.
    I've had a couple for about a year and a half, so they should be settled. Anyway I decided
    to change the background color to make the water appear tan like the amazon. With the
    black background they remained dark in color. As soon as I made the change the Heckels
    came to life, and were coming up to me at the front. They would pace also until they got
    fed. Now they are in my face all the time. They are happy and swimming. A lot different
    than before. I changed my driftwood to make it a larger scape. I was trying to raise the
    branches up at the water surface and fall down in the water, but they are a little large for
    that. And it would have been hard to vacuum.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by wannafish; 01-24-2012 at 07:39 PM. Reason: pics not right size

  13. #13
    Registered Member DiscusBR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    New Orleans
    Posts
    2,216
    Real Name
    Mauro

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Thank you for the update. Nice to hear about your good results. Will you post some pics of the new setup?

  14. #14
    Registered Member TURQ64's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    farthest outpost
    Posts
    3,469

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    I think it looks great..?(can't tell much from those little pic's)...Heckel's look colored up nicely.
    The meek shall inherit the earth. The oceans are for the brave.

  15. #15
    Registered Member DiscusBR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    New Orleans
    Posts
    2,216
    Real Name
    Mauro

    Default Re: My Heckels have settled

    Thanks for adding the photos. The new background color and the fishes look great! Good job.

Page 1 of 3 123 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