Domestic Wild Types Stendker

[Bethzb]

Having done some research, I have decided that adding fish to my 125 set up may actually decrease the current aggression. I had wanted to experiment with the wild types currently offered by Hans but I am not sure of the actual purpose of the different strains so, I thought I'd ask here.

It appears to me that the Stendker Tefe may have started out as a green with mild spotting but they seem to be breeding to increase the spotting. Is this correct? I had wanted closer to a wild type green but although attractive, the pictures I've seen look more like a leopard spotted type.

Alenquer versus Santarem. Due to the frequent addition of red to the Alenquer name I have to assume this strain is being bred for a back ground red color??? So what is the Santarem strain being bred for?

What I was hoping for goes back to my childhood where we had what was then referred to as a "semi-royal blue" or a common brown. Both had a lovely reddish brown background with the turquoise markings around the head to mid body and brilliant red in the fins, offset by black. The greens I remember had greenish flanks against gold and turquoise markings to mid body. Any chances one of the three Stendker types matching my memories?

[Second Hand Pat]

You would be best to go to Han's online store and look at the photos of the three strains you mention http://discusfishstore.com/. To me the Alenquer best fits your description of a brown with striations about the head and outer body. I have seen a few Stendker Tefe in person at a few of the NADA discus shows and one I liked and the others not so much. Perhaps a drive to see the fish in person is your best bet.
Pat

[Demosthenes]

The Tefes seem to have a lot of variety to them, with some having more of a fully spotted look than others. I was just down at Hans' last month and brought home a group of them to grow out. They aren't showing much color yet though at about 3.5 inches. I was in the same boat as you, completely torn about the three different wild types. I did a lot of searching youtube videos to get a better idea of what they look like. I found the photos that Stendker provides to be lacking. In the end I decided the santarems and alenquers were too plain for me as they are almost completely solid. I struggled to figure out what the difference is between them, but I think the alenquer has slightly more bright striations in the fins. Neither of them really seemed to show that semi-royal, bright color throughout all the fins look that I think you're describing.

Here is Stendker's color chart:
http://www.diskuszucht-stendker.de/plugins/pdfs/Farbtafel-Stendker-Diskusfische.pdf

And here's an example of Tefes (not my fish):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgxhwBRDIr4

[Bethzb]

I am starting to think I'd have to try to breed my own strain or invest in an RO water filter to get what I really wanted. I too have searched videos and images trying to find actual stendker examples as their (Stendker's) images aren't the absolute best. Unfortunately, there are so many altered or misrepresented images/videos out there, I thought if I could find out what the actual outcome of the breeding program is supposed to be, it would help me make a decision. I suppose I could email Hans. Mind you, the only experience I've ever had with breeding is in dogs but at least I understand line breeding.

[dillct]

Hans has quite a few youtube videos up. Lighting isn't the greatest, but gives you a pretty good idea between the three wildish strains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D48ogF2ERRc

[Demosthenes]

Hans has quite a few youtube videos up. Lighting isn't the greatest, but gives you a pretty good idea between the three wildish strains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D48ogF2ERRc

That's a great video. It's interesting to me how there is 1 alenquer with the semi-royal look, while every other example I've seen has way less coloration. I wonder if that's more of a throwback? If they looked more like that consistently I'd have chosen them over the Tefes.

[Ryan925]

I am starting to think I'd have to try to breed my own strain or invest in an RO water filter to get what I really wanted. I too have searched videos and images trying to find actual stendker examples as their (Stendker's) images aren't the absolute best. Unfortunately, there are so many altered or misrepresented images/videos out there, I thought if I could find out what the actual outcome of the breeding program is supposed to be, it would help me make a decision. I suppose I could email Hans. Mind you, the only experience I've ever had with breeding is in dogs but at least I understand line breeding.

Have you checked out any of the other sponsors here. Many of them have wild crosses alenquer, curiprera, heckle, semi royal etc

[Bethzb]

Have you checked out any of the other sponsors here. Many of them have wild crosses alenquer, curiprera, heckle, semi royal etc

I hadn't considered going outside the Stendker's at this point since I am not doing any special water treatments (no RO, no treatments, no storage etc.) The Stendker's have already proven their hardiness to me when my primary and secondary filters both failed at the same time. All I could do was add a circulating pump and wait for the following day to address the problems and every fish came through with no problems. Also concerned about possibilities of cross contamination.

[Ryan925]

I hadn't considered going outside the Stendker's at this point since I am not doing any special water treatments (no RO, no treatments, no storage etc.) The Stendker's have already proven their hardiness to me when my primary and secondary filters both failed at the same time. All I could do was add a circulating pump and wait for the following day to address the problems and every fish came through with no problems. Also concerned about possibilities of cross contamination.

Gotcha didn't catch that you were adding to existing stock. I agree then that you would want to try and avoid cross contamination

I do love my alenquer from Kenny

[Bethzb]

Gotcha didn't catch that you were adding to existing stock. I agree then that you would want to try and avoid cross contamination

I do love my alenquer from Kenny

Pretty much have decided to just go with two of the alenquer and two of the santarems and do my own comparison. That'll bring my total population up to 12 in a 125 but as soon as I re-home the angelfish in my other tank, I'm pulling the pair that proved fertile for the 75 gallon tank to see if they can raise a brood.

[Filip]

Pretty interesting subject going on here , especially for me because I currently raise 2 Stendker Alenquers and 2 Stendker Santarems.
I have read a lot on this subject lately and seen a ton of pictures on the net just like you Beth , to see what I should expet out of them.
They grow up to be pretty similar and solid discus types IMO with santarems supposed to be more reddish and alenquers more golden brown colored.
So far I'm up to 5 1/2 " mark (13 cm) and 7 months of age and honestly a bit dissapointed with their still dull looking brown colours . I just hope that this 2 strains should add their colours later than others and im still waiting for some more colouring .
I doubt that my santarems will get that desired deep Red colour ,as seen on some net pictures from stenkers santarems though .
Here are some photos of mine.
First one is santarem , second one is Alenq. and the 2 group pics :

110971110972110973110974

[Bethzb]

[QUOTE=Filip;1267375]Pretty interesting subject going on here , especially for me because I currently raise 2 Stendker Alenquers and 2 Stendker Santarems.
I have read a lot on this subject lately and seen a ton of pictures on the net just like you Beth , to see what I should expet out of them.
They grow up to be pretty similar and solid discus types IMO with santarems supposed to be more reddish and alenquers more golden brown colored.
So far I'm up to 5 1/2 " mark (13 cm) and 7 months of age and honestly a bit dissapointed with their still dull looking brown colours . I just hope that this 2 strains should add their colours later than others and im still waiting for some more colouring .
I doubt that my santarems will get that desired deep Red colour ,as seen on some net pictures from stenkers santarems though .
Here are some photos of mine.
First one is santarem , second one is Alenq. and the 2 group pics :

Thanks for the pics and I do see what you mean about the lack of coloring. I would have expected a bit more in the fins and head region but, at 7 months, maybe they need to mature a bit more. I am dithering on quantity and type right now, mostly because I missed out on one of Hans' Specials so I am back to one each of the Stendker "wild types". Just trying to plan out the other tank as adding 3 fish to the 8 large fish already in the 125, may push my feeding/cleaning routine out of wack. Current plan is to take the one pair that actually fertilized eggs and give them the 75 gallon so it is all down to timing of getting rid of the angelfish in the 75 gallon first. Luckily I am a very patient person.