Looking for a mentor to build a small discus breeding farm..

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

Hi,

Hope everyone is fine. I m looking for support from anyone who has the clear concept on building an facility to start a small discus breeding farm with around 50 pair. Currently I have 12 proven pair at my home and doing well but considering massive work load I am not be able to continue this at my home.

So I have planned to build a small farm at my home town and initially going to engage one man (comfortable knowledge on fish maintenance having 10yrs experience at a LFS and well known to me). Floor size is 20ft x 30ft that I turns into a farm. I have water source from natural source (deep tube well) of my own and ready to go. So far I understnd I can roughly accumulate 50 breeding tank (18cube), 20 fry tank (12x15x12), 20 grow out tank (36x18x16) and 2 large display tank (48x36x24).

Presently room, fish, fish-tank and source water is ready. soon I am going to visit my home town and check the water detail. Also will setup my cctv detail for remote monitoring. It is around 6hrs by road journey or one night (9pm to 5am) excellent river cruse or 45mins air trip from my present location.

Now who can help me with the advice/suggestion on usually for building a farm what is the check-list to follow and what could be the best technique to process the water with cost effective manner, how much gallon of water should I process regularly ? what is best feeding professional procedure? And so on....

Please share your knowledge, whatever you have, to guide me towards building a nice farm.

Thanks in advance...

[John_Nicholson]

Here are a couple of threads on my fish house. The first has a video. Not sure it will help you but might give you an idea or two.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?97801-Fish-House-Video&highlight=fishhouse

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?113608-Fishhouse-update&highlight=fishhouse

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?72388-A-few-new-pics-of-the-fishhouse-project&highlight=fishhouse

[Knick]

If you have 50 pairs breeding, that is no where near enough grow out tanks.

[pitdogg2]

Here are a couple of threads on my fish house. The first has a video. Not sure it will help you but might give you an idea or two.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?97801-Fish-House-Video&highlight=fishhouse



the video didn't work for me John

[Second Hand Pat]

You need to click on the picture and hope that photobucket will play the video.
Pat

[pitdogg2]

I did pat

Sorry, an unexpected error occurred.

Please try again or go back to the previous page.

that is what I get.

[Second Hand Pat]

I did pat

Sorry, an unexpected error occurred.

Please try again or go back to the previous page.

that is what I get.

I got the same thing. :(
Pat

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

Here are a couple of threads on my fish house. The first has a video. Not sure it will help you but might give you an idea or two.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?97801-Fish-House-Video&highlight=fishhouse

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?113608-Fishhouse-update&highlight=fishhouse

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?72388-A-few-new-pics-of-the-fishhouse-project&highlight=fishhouse


Thanks a lot for your video and photos. Sorry for late response, I was kind of sick and sudden huge work pressure. From your post, I am very impressed and inspired as well to move forward asap. What is your opinion about the breeding tank size ? is 18" cube ok ?. Presently at my home I am using 16Wx24Lx20H but i m seeing at internet that professional breeders tanks looks smaller. I am considering fries with parents at least 30days. So what size of tank should I go ?

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

If you have 50 pairs breeding, that is no where near enough grow out tanks.

suggestion please......

[Altum Nut]

Shibly...it strikes me as kind of odd that your willing on taking on a large breeding establishment build and debating on what's the best size for breeding tanks.
You will see that many use 20g, 25g cube, 40g etc. which appears to be an individual's preference that work for them and not a rule.
I really hope you thought this out....
My take is that someone who has bred Discus on a smaller scale and has successfully raised and shipped Discus world wide would be knowledgeable to proceed further at a larger scale. Does this fit you?
I only say this.... as it happened to a distant friend who spent $100.000+ thinking how hard could it be and later shut down a mere 5 months later.

Your planned grow-out fry tanks are not near what you will need for 50 pairs.
Requesting info on what food choice and feeding schedule? This should have been written in stone already.

I have to question your statement below...and ask "are you really ready for this"
The check-list to follow and what could be the best technique to process the water with cost effective manner, how much gallon of water should I process regularly ? what is best feeding professional procedure?

Please refer my post as someone looking out for your best interest, in addition to wishing you success. Always admired by someone that follows their dreams and succeeds.

...Ralph

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

Shibly...it strikes me as kind of odd that your willing on taking on a large breeding establishment build and debating on what's the best size for breeding tanks.
You will see that many use 20g, 25g cube, 40g etc. which appears to be an individual's preference that work for them and not a rule.
I really hope you thought this out....
My take is that someone who has bred Discus on a smaller scale and has successfully raised and shipped Discus world wide would be knowledgeable to proceed further at a larger scale. Does this fit you?
I only say this.... as it happened to a distant friend who spent $100.000+ thinking how hard could it be and later shut down a mere 5 months later.

Your planned grow-out fry tanks are not near what you will need for 50 pairs.
Requesting info on what food choice and feeding schedule? This should have been written in stone already.

I have to question your statement below...and ask "are you really ready for this"
The check-list to follow and what could be the best technique to process the water with cost effective manner, how much gallon of water should I process regularly ? what is best feeding professional procedure?

Please refer my post as someone looking out for your best interest, in addition to wishing you success. Always admired by someone that follows their dreams and succeeds.

...Ralph

Dear Ralph,

Thank you very much for wishing me success. It would also striked me if someone ask me the same as I do when someone was moving for bigger setup. It is obvious that throughout my home project I have little but significant experiece and confident to move forward. All I am asking is for, getting advice/feedback/suggestions/ideas from experience peoples. This is the most effective way to build a good setup. I usually prefer to learn from as many people as I can and try to share the same. SD give me the fantastic opportunity to interface with nice people like you all to update knowledge.

However, I am trying to justify all my lame questions...

Shibly...it strikes me as kind of odd that your willing on taking on a large breeding establishment build and debating on what's the best size for breeding tanks. You will see that many use 20g, 25g cube, 40g etc. which appears to be an individual's preference that work for them and not a rule.
I really hope you thought this out....

yes, i know it is an individual's preference to select an tank size but there is always a industry best practice for everything that's what i m looking for. couple of years of experience in breeding can not make anyone expert and so am I. Say for example initially I was started breeding in 20g and later I found that it becomes tought to ensure proper envronment with moderate number of fries with large parent. So then moves to 30G (24Lx16Wx20H) and feels better. That's why I am looking for your export opinion.

My take is that someone who has bred Discus on a smaller scale and has successfully raised and shipped Discus world wide would be knowledgeable to proceed further at a larger scale. Does this fit you?

I am not sure what you exactly mean. All I know (with help of SD) how to breed discus, rise and shipped locally with very limited experience of 2years in home environment. I think it fits but if you say "proporly fit" then i am not in a position to feedback :).

I only say this.... as it happened to a distant friend who spent $100.000+ thinking how hard could it be and later shut down a mere 5 months later.

I appreciate your concern and truely grateful for indicating the risk. Well, sometimes I let myself to learn from environment like I have seen that fish never eat from my hook? but same food same hook my younger brother catches fish frequently -summary I m not fit for that. Again, my mother plants what ever the plant is growing well that means she is fit for gardening. Similarly, initially i was not start rising Discus for bredding and the fishes starts pushing doing so and I have a small home breeding setup with 12tanks and getting good number of fishes. So I believe I can keep this continue.

Your planned grow-out fry tanks are not near what you will need for 50 pairs.
This is the section where truely I am blind at this moment. Please advise me the raio of breeding:growout tank as a rule of thumb. If necessary space shouldnot be any issue.

Requesting info on what food choice and feeding schedule? This should have been written in stone already.
Well, I know that feeding schedule is everywhere in internet but no authenticity. Will be helpful if get any specific. Anyway this is no big deal as BH and tubeflex is there.

I have to question your statement below...and ask "are you really ready for this"
The check-list to follow and what could be the best technique to process the water with cost effective manner, how much gallon of water should I process regularly ? what is best feeding professional procedure?

- Check-list to prepare an environment from a experience person is always helps the novice to start more steadly and condifently.
- Regarding Water process, my concern is is there anything to do otherthan aging and temp mathcing if source water is fine?
- Idea on volume of water for 50 breeding tank will be helpful, otherwise I have move based on trail-error basis.

Thanks once again for your time and information. Please help me with your knowledge if you feel to share.

Take Care
-
Shibly

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

My initial design layouts are shared below. Looking for your valuable inputs to make it more efficient...

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Thanks & Take Care...

[RogueDiscus]

Hi Shibly,
I see you are putting lots of good thought and planning into your project. I wish I had the means to do something like this. Just to address the number of fry tanks a bit, I have a breeding pair that I am actively working with at the moment. They produce a new batch of fry every month. Right now I have 2 55gal and one 75 gal tank full of fry from this one pair. I've had to put the pair back in the community tank just to slow them down. So I'm just saying you need to consider your goals for each breeding pair you intend to keep, and have enough fry tanks for multiple batches from each pair. Good luck!

[RobbieRobV]

When I was about 12 years old, I bought 6 rabbits with my allowance. Your fry room is too small for 24 pairs.

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

Hi Shibly,
I see you are putting lots of good thought and planning into your project. I wish I had the means to do something like this. Just to address the number of fry tanks a bit, I have a breeding pair that I am actively working with at the moment. They produce a new batch of fry every month. Right now I have 2 55gal and one 75 gal tank full of fry from this one pair. I've had to put the pair back in the community tank just to slow them down. So I'm just saying you need to consider your goals for each breeding pair you intend to keep, and have enough fry tanks for multiple batches from each pair. Good luck!

Thank you Steve for your suggestion & wish me luck. I am working on the same issue :) and trying to increase fry tank as much as possible. But at this moment no option to increase grow out tank. However, if everything goes well for next 1 year, I have another similar size/design adjacent space that I can utilize. Take care.

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

When I was about 12 years old, I bought 6 rabbits with my allowance. Your fry room is too small for 24 pairs.

Noted with thanks, Rob. Working on this. Take care.

[RobbieRobV]

You don't have increase fry space, you need to start with a whole lot less pairs. How many pairs are you currently breeding? I am a newb, but I don't need much experience to tell you that for that many pairs of fish, you would probably need a huge facility. Start with just 2 pairs, get it right, then go to 4 pairs, then maybe 8 once you have mastered the 4.

[rickztahone]

Many of you are taking something for granted, and that is to think that OP will get all these pairs to breed at once. It just won't happen that way. Having a lot of pairs is a good thing but having a clear goal of where you want your breeding program to go is paramount above everything else imho.

So, at the end of the day, increase your chances by having a lot of pairs, sell the ones you don't need, pairs always typically sell well and focus on what you want

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

You don't have increase fry space, you need to start with a whole lot less pairs. How many pairs are you currently breeding? I am a newb, but I don't need much experience to tell you that for that many pairs of fish, you would probably need a huge facility. Start with just 2 pairs, get it right, then go to 4 pairs, then maybe 8 once you have mastered the 4.

Right now I have 10 proven pair. Also around 20 more adults also in community, having difficulties with male & female where in my community tank all females are PB and all males are non-PB. Do not want to cross-breed to avoid heavy peepering and so waiting to grow all small PBs and non-PB those from my 10pairs. Hopefully I will get at least 10 male PB and 10 female Non-PB from my existing 300+ juv.

I m managing all fry at home fish room. Usually when I am full of fry I do keep pairs in community and let them eat and surf heavily. However, for this project I choose a smaller room due to one issue which is water. This project is at my home town where all my water comes directly from under earth and TDS is quit high. So i am quit tensed though I am also building a small scale water treatment plant to low down TDS. Not worry about PH as presently working under PH8.

So finally my initial pair will be hopefully not more than 20 in next three month. Let's see. I will keep updating here and share my experiences with you all. Again thank you for your suggestions.

Take care.

[Md. Shafiqual Alam]

Many of you are taking something for granted, and that is to think that OP will get all these pairs to breed at once. It just won't happen that way. Having a lot of pairs is a good thing but having a clear goal of where you want your breeding program to go is paramount above everything else imho.

So, at the end of the day, increase your chances by having a lot of pairs, sell the ones you don't need, pairs always typically sell well and focus on what you want

Thanks Ricardo for indicating the point. That's one of my reason to increase the number of Breeding tank. In my exiting home setup I have experienced that it is not frequent that all pairs breed together or breed more frequently. Some are very frequent and some are very choosy to breed. Though it mainly depends on the water and fish health that i believe. However, I m considering the worst case and 30% pair will breed nearly same time/more frequently at this moment. As in my country no professional breeder is available who sell proven breeding pair, I also consider that to get very good pair that breed very regularly I may need 1 year to classify. Hope after a certain period when I will have good a number of pairs those are very regular, I will have another space to expand the facility.

I do not know how I show my gratefulness to the members of SD. You people are so amazing and helpful. Please keep in touch and take care.