Long fin Discus

[ssevasta]

Is anyone keeping or breeding any discus with the long fin style? I've never seen any like this before and I think they're pretty cool looking. I wonder if it's a dominant or recessive trait. It would be sick to see a LSS with that fin profile.
https://www.google.com/search?q=long+fin+discus&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS634US634&hl=en-US&prmd=isvn&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=ZMsS642R4xkZqM%253A%252CbiYEFoCqVwK8mM%252C_%2 53BgHy9MFww8YyR8M%253A%252CbiYEFoCqVwK8mM%252C_%25 3BJIR1o_Je1YV3_M%253A%252Cq7tiLwBJfTW16M%252C_%253 BH1cAA6Fja0_UeM%253A%252C2k1utxRYvwcepM%252C_%253B Kyq5lhky-2Zx6M%253A%252C2k1utxRYvwcepM%252C_%253BfAymij5qzJ UpeM%253A%252Cq7tiLwBJfTW16M%252C_%253BYtJegr8-ms0YoM%253A%252CC5RZGmfYyKb88M%252C_%253B-d84I925AFkdHM%253A%252CrV_H4dGCaLbSiM%252C_%253BtO JHwlu9M9iaRM%253A%252CB7S3_-BRrg7_FM%252C_%253Bg9UaLVBDuBdwrM%253A%252CC5RZGmf YyKb88M%252C_&sa=X&ved=0CBsQ7AlqFQoTCOLAxti-u8gCFUQdPgodWW8IOQ&biw=375&bih=592&dpr=2&usg=__zhdLZ-wtFbPO0G6Kpm_gC3JKH1Y%3D#imgrc=ZMsS642R4xkZqM%3A&usg=__zhdLZ-wtFbPO0G6Kpm_gC3JKH1Y%3D

[nc0gnet0]

Is anyone keeping or breeding any discus with the long fin style? I've never seen any like this before and I think they're pretty cool looking. I wonder if it's a dominant or recessive trait. It would be sick to see a LSS with that fin profile.
https://www.google.com/search?q=long+fin+discus&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS634US634&hl=en-US&prmd=isvn&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=ZMsS642R4xkZqM%253A%252CbiYEFoCqVwK8mM%252C_%2 53BgHy9MFww8YyR8M%253A%252CbiYEFoCqVwK8mM%252C_%25 3BJIR1o_Je1YV3_M%253A%252Cq7tiLwBJfTW16M%252C_%253 BH1cAA6Fja0_UeM%253A%252C2k1utxRYvwcepM%252C_%253B Kyq5lhky-2Zx6M%253A%252C2k1utxRYvwcepM%252C_%253BfAymij5qzJ UpeM%253A%252Cq7tiLwBJfTW16M%252C_%253BYtJegr8-ms0YoM%253A%252CC5RZGmfYyKb88M%252C_%253B-d84I925AFkdHM%253A%252CrV_H4dGCaLbSiM%252C_%253BtO JHwlu9M9iaRM%253A%252CB7S3_-BRrg7_FM%252C_%253Bg9UaLVBDuBdwrM%253A%252CC5RZGmf YyKb88M%252C_&sa=X&ved=0CBsQ7AlqFQoTCOLAxti-u8gCFUQdPgodWW8IOQ&biw=375&bih=592&dpr=2&usg=__zhdLZ-wtFbPO0G6Kpm_gC3JKH1Y%3D#imgrc=ZMsS642R4xkZqM%3A&usg=__zhdLZ-wtFbPO0G6Kpm_gC3JKH1Y%3D

dominant or recessive would only apply if the deformity was the cause of a single gene. In this case I don't think it is. I see fish with shapes like this from time to time in a small amount of my offspring, they get culled.

We agree on one thing, I do think they look "sick".

-Rick

[Driftwood Mike]

Not for me either, totally agree with Rick

[John_Nicholson]

The few that I have produced I have also culled. They are called discus because they are supposed to be round.

-john

[ssevasta]

I agree with you guys as far as Discus are supposed to be round, especially for contests. However I wouldn't consider it a sick fish or a cull like a bulldog discus that has spinal deformities and health issues that accompany that morphed body shape. I can't see how longer fins would hurt the fish.

[jdhuyvetter]

I don't like them either. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If we were in the Amazon basin, how many discus in our tanks would mother nature cull? I would say nearly all of them.

[John_Nicholson]

I don't like them either. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If we were in the Amazon basin, how many discus in our tanks would mother nature cull? I would say nearly all of them.

Yep. A little mathematical example for people that don't understand how nature works.......For a stable population on average how many offspring will reach adult hood from any 2 adult fish.......the answer ........2.........If on average more than 2 are also reaching adulthood than the population is increasing, any less and it is decreasing.

-john

[DJW]

And that would be two offspring reaching adulthood from multiple spawnings in many cases, making the likelihood for survival pretty low.

[nc0gnet0]

Yep. A little mathematical example for people that don't understand how nature works.......For a stable population on average how many offspring will reach adult hood from any 2 adult fish.......the answer ........2.........If on average more than 2 are also reaching adulthood than the population is increasing, any less and it is decreasing.

-john

Well, er, ur math is off a bit my friend.......:) but we get your point.

[John_Nicholson]

Math is right but the post could have been written a little better. It implied that the 2 that reach adulthood later successfully spawn.

-john

[pitdogg2]

I hope those don't take off they're hideous. I was always schooled that the reason the Central American cichlids lay thousands of eggs is in hopes of ONE making it to adulthood because of predation. Heck if more than one makes it it is called successful breeding in my book.

[warblad79]

I hate those long fin, balloon and modified fish, looks really terrible. Some breeder are shameless and don't care as long as they make money.

[MD.David]

Hi guys & Ladies,

If I may chime in, I don't say much here, all of my discus education came from my father in-law (worked on a fish farm in Thailand many year ago when he was a young man), but I have to say he never once told me about anything like this and in my two years of hobby breeding on my own I have never once seen anything like this.

Honestly I don't know whether to love them or just be in shock.
Very different, I think these would sell like crazy to an aquarist who doesn't know anything about discus, just because it looks so different, almost like an angel/discus cross.

I must admit, most of the things I have read here I have heard of, but this is a new cake.
We all learn something new everyday.

Thanks for sharing mates!

[Ryan]

I hate those long fin, balloon and modified fish, looks really terrible. Some breeder are shameless and don't care as long as they make money.

I can see your point, but I think there are different extremes. For instance, short-bodied fish tend to have a shortened spine, and so all their internal organs end up compressed into a body cavity that's too small, hence the balloon shape. Is that good for the fish in the long-run? Probably not. A deformity that affects the health and longevity of the fish is something I would cull for, and I don't agree with people breeding and selling those.

Fins are a bit different. They can go either way. Dumbo-eared bettas and super veil angelfish are good examples of fish who seem to suffer because of their finnage. Has anyone ever watched super veil angels try to dash away from something when scared, or even compete for food? A lot of them have trouble swimming properly because of the length of their fins, and also because veil angel pectoral fins seem to be upturned vertically for some reason. So again, I avoid these and don't really like the fact that they're out there.

However, longer dorsal and anal fins on a discus seem more cosmetic than anything. I haven't seen them in person so I'd have to observe, but I can't see where they'd hinder the fish in any way in terms of their normal behavior or have a negative impact on the well-being of the animal. If that's the case, wouldn't it fall into the same category as something like super red pigeons or very tall-bodied discus, i.e. a mostly cosmetic mutation? If so, I don't really have a problem with them. I've actually kind of liked them since I saw them. I liken it to long-fin rams or veil angels. It's not for everyone but as long as it doesn't get taken to extremes it's probably not an awful option to have.

It sure beats bulldogs. :p

[Luke in Phoenix]

As long as they are healthy, I think they look pretty awesome and would get them. All of the current discus for sale have been modified from the original wild discus for color or other items already.

[runner]

Those boys are ugly.
Jay

[jmf3460]

while I am not a fan of the balloon fish normally, nor the glowfish, long finned fish don't really seem to hut the fish in the long run like the ballooning and chemical dyes do. I don't think these are that bad. now would I buy them, probably not but do I appreciate their beauty, yes.

[Woodduck]

I don't like them either, but this has no to do with "nature". We put them in our little glass houses for our entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Eddie]

Ugly

[ssevasta]

Well at least I'm not the only one that thinks they look kinda cool lol

[dprais1]

Too add to Ryan's post,

Angels can have normal fins, veil or super veil. Regular veil (single dose veil gene) angels seem to do fine, no problems swimming or competing. Super veils (double dose veil gene) do have difficulties.

[Missing Score]

I can't see how longer fins would hurt the fish.

Agree! In addition, I think butterfly koi are fine, goldfish comets are fine. While I think "balloon" versions of fish, twin tailed goldfish, egg bodied goldfish, bubble eyes, telescope eyes, etc etc are not fine! The only time I think it is immoral to breed for long fins if said fish is a shoaling fin nipper! Long fin serpae tetra I think is the classic example people use. Elongated fins is a pretty tame thing to breed for in the ornamental fish trade and I don't think it's a big deal whatsoever.

[Woodduck]

Too add to Ryan's post,

Angels can have normal fins, veil or super veil. Regular veil (single dose veil gene) angels seem to do fine, no problems swimming or competing. Super veils (double dose veil gene) do have difficulties.

Mine don't

[Mike G]

The long finned discus appear from time to time.. I like them and would like to acquire some. However I don't think enough people like them for anyone to who is into breeding to devote the time to do what it take to create a fish that regularly breeds and produces the long fined discus. Years ago I posted asking if anyone had any and the negative feed back as to their appearance was the same as in this thread.

[ssevasta]

Well if anyone wants to start a project trying to breed these I'm sure they'll have a great position in the market cuz it doesn't seem like anyone else is doing it.

[Eddie]

Well if anyone wants to start a project trying to breed these I'm sure they'll have a great position in the market cuz it doesn't seem like anyone else is doing it.

Because there is zero demand. Lol

The fish look completely stunted with longer fins. It might be different if they were fully grown out and the fins were long but that's why people buy angel fish. Lol

[warblad79]

Because there is zero demand. Lol

The fish look completely stunted with longer fins. It might be different if they were fully grown out and the fins were long but that's why people buy angel fish. Lol

Good point, That's why you don't see them often because there's no market for it. Also that might include extreme ugly bulldog, it's all about the hype because they look different but not cool at all.

[Marsh]

I Know this is an old thread but the truth is culling of almost any discus that is being bred is for purely cosmetic reasons. With few exceptions, the discus currently available for sale are extremely inbred to produce specific colors and color patterns. So I am not sure there is a real difference between breeding for fin length or to isolate a specific color morph. Either way it is a cosmetic evaluation on the beauty and marketability of the fish.

[Discus_Diva]

Why spoil a truly beautiful and magnificent fish by "breeding them" to have those long fins? If that style floats your boat fill your boots with Angels.

[pitdogg2]

Why spoil a truly beautiful and magnificent fish by "breeding them" to have those long fins? If that style floats your boat fill your boots with Angels.
That could also apply to all the bubblegum colors also for many of us.

[Jack L]

how long before hit petco and petsmart with the glow-gene added??????

[pitdogg2]

how long before hit petco and petsmart with the glow-gene added??????

Oh sure let that secret out of the bag why don't ya...lol

[Phillydubs]

This is always a hot topic for debate and people always swing to one side of another or just ride the fence on it. We see it in many animals and unfortunately I doubt it will ever end...

I once remember my wife getting me some form of tatted fish years back that had hearts on their sides. The pet store achieved their goal. They got a customer to think the fish was cute cool or special and they ring the cash register. When I explained to my wife what they do to them, she burst into tears... Lesson learned.

Bottom line, this is a business and what do businesses need to succeed ? To appeal to, earn and grow a large customer base. The aquarium hobby is no different. People want new, they want pop and color, so scientists and breeders look to exploit these customers so they can sell their product.

Someone already said it here, but the bubble gum look. You aren't going to dive your head in the amazon and see some yellow and white checkerboard pigeon in there. Just like you aren't going to see a flowerhorn or a glow light tetra...

The discus fish may arguably be the most changed and commercialized fish if you look at where it came from and started and what morphs we have now.

Bottom line - People buy what appeals to their eye and business will always try and have products that appeal to those people... And so the wheel revolves...