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Thread: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

  1. #31
    Registered Member Darrell Ward's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Yeah, it pretty common for fins to get trashed from shipping. They usually heal up pretty quick on their own under good conditions.
    Darrell

  2. #32
    Registered Member ROOT's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Quote Originally Posted by Darrell Ward View Post
    Yeah, it pretty common for fins to get trashed from shipping. They usually heal up pretty quick on their own under good conditions.
    yup! the fins are healing well a week on, but colours still somewhat missing, think need a while more for them to stabilise??

    just took some pics...



    this was before:

  3. #33
    Registered Member ROOT's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    another piece....




    when arrived:


  4. #34
    Registered Member TURQ64's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Slowly lower your ph, and man, their colors will jump at you!..
    The meek shall inherit the earth. The oceans are for the brave.

  5. #35
    Registered Member Apistomaster's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    They look like most newly shipped Heckels.
    First they heal the ragged edges of their fins then begin to build body mass. I see they are well down that path.
    It is true that Heckel colors are more intense in very soft acid water. Just make changes gradually and getting their lost weight back is the main priority now.
    They are usually as good as new after 6 to 8 weeks.
    Larry Waybright

  6. #36
    Registered Member TURQ64's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Looks like they are settling in nicely, ROOT..
    Last edited by TURQ64; 10-27-2011 at 06:33 AM.
    The meek shall inherit the earth. The oceans are for the brave.

  7. #37
    Registered Member ROOT's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Quote Originally Posted by TURQ64 View Post
    Slowly lower your ph, and man, their colors will jump at you!..
    i'll do that once they're all in the main tank! :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by Apistomaster View Post
    They look like most newly shipped Heckels.
    First they heal the ragged edges of their fins then begin to build body mass. I see they are well down that path.
    It is true that Heckel colors are more intense in very soft acid water. Just make changes gradually and getting their lost weight back is the main priority now.
    They are usually as good as new after 6 to 8 weeks.
    thanks for the re-assurance, and i concur the priority is to get them to bulk up...

    problem is, 1 of them is still not taking in food! :-( the other 5 pieces are already taking fair amounts of feed...

    Quote Originally Posted by TURQ64 View Post
    Looks like they are settling in nicely, ROOT..
    thanks again, i'll update soon as there're observable difference.... :-)

  8. #38
    Registered Member Apistomaster's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    I usually recommend having a supply of live black worms or cultured white worms on hand when you receive newly imported Heckel Discus because they always eat worms.
    One other food which Heckels are surprisingly fond of are Spirulina Stcks; not the Algae tablets for plecos. The Stick form turns soft within a minute or two and they will usually pick at the bits off the bottom for hours. Other species of Discus don't seem as interested in Spirulina Sticks but most will eat Earth Worm Sticks well.
    These foods and frozen blood worms are much less likely to pollute the water than any beef hert based frozen food. Introduce all new foods in small amounts first and gradually increase to match their appetites. I transition by overlapping any new food along with a food they are used to.

    In fact, all I feed my Blue Discus are frozen Blood worms, earth worm sticks, live black worms and Tetra color granules in that order of quantities. S. haraldi are easier to acclimate and care for than Heckels.
    Last edited by Apistomaster; 10-29-2011 at 03:37 PM.
    Larry Waybright

  9. #39
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    What about an update?

  10. #40
    Registered Member ROOT's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Quote Originally Posted by Apistomaster View Post
    I usually recommend having a supply of live black worms or cultured white worms on hand when you receive newly imported Heckel Discus because they always eat worms.
    One other food which Heckels are surprisingly fond of are Spirulina Stcks; not the Algae tablets for plecos. The Stick form turns soft within a minute or two and they will usually pick at the bits off the bottom for hours. Other species of Discus don't seem as interested in Spirulina Sticks but most will eat Earth Worm Sticks well.
    These foods and frozen blood worms are much less likely to pollute the water than any beef hert based frozen food. Introduce all new foods in small amounts first and gradually increase to match their appetites. I transition by overlapping any new food along with a food they are used to.

    In fact, all I feed my Blue Discus are frozen Blood worms, earth worm sticks, live black worms and Tetra color granules in that order of quantities. S. haraldi are easier to acclimate and care for than Heckels.
    locally we don't seem to have live black worms/cultured white worms.. only have tubifex worms which i'm resistant to using...

    currently feeding them commercially prepared frozen beefheart, will try to make my own mix eventually....need to borrow a grinder...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jorge Lamy View Post
    What about an update?
    sorry for the late update - been past 5 weeks since i've had them.. and it was only over the weekend when i transfered them to the main tank....

    here's a shot, local friends have advised that they're still looking skinny (esp that piece in the centre - he refused to eat for the first 2 weeks!) I'm feeding them twice a day , before work, and night after dinner.... if only i could get them to start eating pellets/flakes, i'll put a auto feeder to fill their tummies during the day....

    hope they'll start eating more, and beef up slowly.....


  11. #41
    Registered Member ROOT's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    okay it has been almost a month since my last update....

    the Heckels have been settling in well, appetite is good, and that piece which for awhile wasn't eating is the dominant piece now!

    noticed they dun usually show their bars, any particular reasons? the usual time i see their centre bars is when they've eaten their fill, and chilling out....

    here's a group shot - taken with White + Pink LED lighting:


    close up:

  12. #42
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Now they look fantastic!! congratulations!!

  13. #43
    Registered Member Apistomaster's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    [QUOTE=ROOT;833772]okay it has been almost a month since my last update....

    the Heckels have been settling in well, appetite is good, and that piece which for awhile wasn't eating is the dominant piece now!

    noticed they dun usually show their bars, any particular reasons? the usual time i see their centre bars is when they've eaten their fill, and chilling out....

    Heckels do not show their fifth bar as much while eating because that is their neutral mood coloration.
    While "when they've eaten their fill, and chilling out...." that is when there are some complex but subtle dominance, courtship and other social behaviors where ranking is more important.
    That is the interpretation I came too over the many years I have kept Heckels. It is by no means anything based on any scientific study.
    Larry Waybright

  14. #44
    Registered Member dadecountyalan's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    they look real real nice

  15. #45
    Registered Member Brokenrack's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1st venture into Wilds - HECKELS!

    Quote Originally Posted by heckel90 View Post
    Now they look fantastic!! congratulations!!
    +1

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