What is the attraction to the 'Wilds'

[krislewis3]

I've now had my Discus tank for well over a year.....learned alot from making a lot of mistakes, and especially from the advise of the experienced folks here at SD.
In looking at the photos of the tanks that SD members have, I'm very attracted to the 'wilds'.
I'm considering setting up such a tank.
Question: Can you guys advise me on how to get started on this venture? Is there anything different, as far as raising these beautiful fish? Kris

[DiscusBR]

I've now had my Discus tank for well over a year.....learned alot from making a lot of mistakes, and especially from the advise of the experienced folks here at SD.
In looking at the photos of the tanks that SD members have, I'm very attracted to the 'wilds'.
I'm considering setting up such a tank.
Question: Can you guys advise me on how to get started on this venture? Is there anything different, as far as raising these beautiful fish? Kris

There is nothing particularly different in relation to wilds when compared to domestics. They also need a lot of clean water and a rich diet. It is important, though, to get them from reliable sources. Some sponsors here at SD, especially John (Soonkn21) and Mark (Discus Origins), often have amazing wilds for sale.

[krislewis3]

Are they as beautiful as they look in the photos, or are they enhanced by lighting, to look better? And.. Are there different variations, or do they all have similar color and markings? And lastly, why are you attracted to them as opposed to domestic discus?????

[DerekFF]

It's just sort of majestic to see a natural fish if you can re-create its habitat in your home. Wilds are just awesome specimens with great colors and patterns that haven't been touched by years of selective breeding to get other traits


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[Second Hand Pat]

Kris, I have two photo albums here on simply and would like you to take a look that them. Click on a picture to make it bigger. The first one is my wild Tefes and the second is my wild Cuipeua. Holler back if there is doubt on the attaction of wilds.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/album.php?albumid=601

and

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/album.php?albumid=578

[the20tonknuckler]

Pat I just love your cuipeuas. Really awesome fish.

[Tazalanche]

Pat I just love your cuipeuas. Really awesome fish.+1

We'd love to set up a wilds tank, preferably with cuipeua, but will need to improve our water source before I'll consider it.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Mike and David, the Cuipeua are awesome looking fish and even more so in person. :)

[krislewis3]

Pat, they are amazing.....I can't wait to get started!!

[barkmanusd]

I'm in the same position as the OP. i really liked his question. Maybe it doesn't make sense to ask 'Why you like chocolate more than vanilla'....but I've always wanted to hear form 'wild' owners what attracted them to this variety. good answers!
One question - I really like the Cuipeua and Tefe but also love Virgin Reds. Are Virgin Reds considered 'wilds'? I don;t think they are but could easily see them in the same tank......opinions? ...no right or wrong. Thanks!

[Second Hand Pat]

Virgin Reds are a domestic strain. As far as mixing them with wilds, that is a personal preference.

[barkmanusd]

Virgin Reds are a domestic strain. As far as mixing them with wilds, that is a personal preference.

Thanks Pat - I figured they were domestic. ...was just curious what others opinions were about the combination. Thanks!

[star rider]

I have always been attracted to the wild fish. I don't have any wild discus yet..I do have virgin reds....
I also raise wild Angels and have a tank with P.Altum.

not sure how wild discus are different from Altum to raise. I raised my altum from Dime size Juveniles..but IME the P. Altum are very demanding.. but IMO well worth the work.

one day I will invest in wild Discus.

[barkmanusd]

Star,
I also like angels. Years ago i had a tank with just angels and Bala sharks. Just my own little ironic joke that I don't think anyone else appreciated!
Now I have a 'show' tank with domestics & cardinals but may go wth wild in the other. I also love rams - maybe I'll try those together......

[DiscusBR]

Not funny or appropriate

[pauline]

I think there is a connection of some sort to our primitive side....an almost subconscious connection with nature.

I have some wild cross angels and will be getting tank bred wilds soon. I'd love wild discus but will only be admiring them in pictures and videos.

[barkmanusd]

Not funny or appropriate

were you refering to my Bala / angel tank?

[pece1976]

were you refering to my Bala / angel tank?

I think that he was referring to a picture posted after your angel post that was removed by moderators

[DiscusBR]

I think that he was referring to a picture posted after your angel post that was removed by moderators

Exactly. Nice that moderators deleted the inappropriate post.

[Second Hand Pat]

Exactly. Nice that moderators deleted the inappropriate post.

I did, it was not a good fit for the thread. Sorry Mauro, should have grabbed your post too.

[krislewis3]

I just can't stop staring at the photo of your tanks Pat......were your fish actually caught in the wild, or did you breed your wilds in captivity?? And......do they grow to the same size as domestics?

[Second Hand Pat]

Yes Kris except for the F1s I am raising which are most mine (fry from my own wilds) and a handful of F1 Cuipeua from Mark, Discus Origins. Size wise wilds generally tend to be smaller that domestics but wilds can get large in some wild populations. Also wild greens tend to be smaller the wild browns and heckels.

[Elliots]

I recently bought fish from John at SNOOKN21. I bought six 5 plus inch Green Tefes. He acclimitized them in his tank for weeks. I believe they were treated for parasites and other things. He said my fish did not have worms so he did not treat them for worms. Contact John for more information. I do not have facility to quarrantine six 5" fish. John reccomends quarantine but says I can probably just them to my Discus from Hans. They have been in 10 days so far without quarrantine, no problems. It did take about a week for all of them to swim around with open fins. They ate almost the day after I put them in my tank. They are showing more color sand I expect more color as they settle in more. John feeds flake food. I feed beef heart to my other Discus and I add flakes for the other fish in my tank. The Tefes do not eat the beef heart yet. I think I will be cutting out beef heart soon, too messy for my planted tank. I clean my filter intake sponges 1-3 times daily and I shake up my sword plants 1-2 times daily to get the beef heart off them. I probably feed a little too much beef heart.
I highly reccommend John. The fish are beautiful. Prices are great! John gives OK customer service. There are sometimes delays in his answering emails and phone calls but he gets around to everything. I had no problems. It appears that Hans gives better customer service but John sells a lot of fish that are not Discus and is probably busier than Hans bercause he has more customers including Aquabid.

[barkmanusd]

I think that he was referring to a picture posted after your angel post that was removed by moderators

Thanks! I had made a comment about a 'bad joke' where I mixed Bala sharks with Angels - didn't think it was offensive...just kinda stupid on my art! :o)

[Len]

Thanks! I had made a comment about a 'bad joke' where I mixed Bala sharks with Angels - didn't think it was offensive...just kinda stupid on my art! :o)

It wasn't your post that was inappropriate. That post has since been deleted.

[Ryan]

Not to be too picky, but wilds are just that -- fish that were caught in their native habitat. If your fish are tank-bred, even from wild parents, you cannot technically call them wilds. You can say they are wild-type, meaning they originated from wild stock without being mixed genetically with tank-bred strains.

Steve Rybiki of Angels Plus has a section of his site for Wild Angelfish, but he's actually selling F1 juveniles or juveniles with one wild parent and one tank-bred parent. I have a lot of respect for Steve as an angel breeder and for all the work he's done in angelfish husbandry, but I think it's misleading and disingenuous to sell these as wild angelfish when they were bred in captivity. They may only be one generation removed from wild fish but it's a very different thing, IMO.

[krislewis3]

Im thinking that I'll start with the tefes!!! They look majestic in your tank Pat!

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Kris, it will take them a while to look that way. At first they will seem sort of plain.