Greetings from the Void...

[brewmaster15]

Time really does Fly... it has been far too long since I posted here. I am very sorry for that everyone. Life has a way of throwing you curve balls and completely kicking your legs out from under you from time to time. I hope you all made it through the Pandemic and are doing well.

The rumors that I fell into a void and was never heard of again are obviously not true, though the climbing out was not easy /is not easy.I'm sure to slip again from time to time. I am doing okay though.:) Its been so long I am sure that a few of you don't even know me and are sitting there saying "who the heck is this guy?" No worries, I hope to get to you know you. As for my old Discus buds heres.. so good to see you all !

I spent the last few years in Discus purgatory. I split most of my pairs up and did not breed many discus. This past past week I put my pairs back together and am hoping to pick up where I left off. Still working with my wild X domestic crosses.. Very promising stuff too. I figured I should get my self back on track..


Oh but not too make you think I was bored and did no breeding. My son and I got into Axolotls... what a cool critter, and as in all things we do with hobbies, we went over board. Once you get the basics down Axolotls breed as prolifically as Angelfish. We are currently working with wild type brown, Leucistics, and coppers. Nice thing is my sons taken the reins on the axolotls and has been selling them now to help with college expenses.

So thats the skinny on me.. feel free to pop in to this thread and say hi .

al

ps... yes..I still sell Australian Blackworms and various other fishfood through Aquaticsuppliers.com:)

[jeep]

Again, welcome home! We try to leave you alone but recent possible events have awakened the force!

[seanyuki]

Wishing Al and your family, good health, happiness, and prosperity all year round.

[jwcarlson]

Hi, Al! We don't know each other, by my discus have enjoyed a lot of your freeze dried black worms over the last year. :)

[brewmaster15]

Wishing Al and your family, good health, happiness, and prosperity all year round.

Thanks Francis! Hope you and yours are well! Happy New Year!

al

[brewmaster15]

Hi, Al! We don't know each other, by my discus have enjoyed a lot of your freeze dried black worms over the last year. :)

Hi Jacob,
I recognize your name. :) I do pretty much everything on those orders..Thanks for your purchases and its nice to see you on Simply! oh and Happy Anniversary on 1 Year at Simply!
-al

[jwcarlson]

Hi Jacob,
I recognize your name. :) I do pretty much everything on those orders..Thanks for your purchases and its nice to see you on Simply! oh and Happy Anniversary on 1 Year at Simply!
-al

Thanks! Technically I've been a member here since 2006, but reading here convinced me that doing discus at that time would have been a bad idea. Different account now, obviously. :)

[brewmaster15]

Thanks! Technically I've been a member here since 2006, but reading here convinced me that doing discus at that time would have been a bad idea. Different account now, obviously. :)

Its a very small world.. I was doing some research just yesterday and came across your "Discus Journal" on another forum by chance.. You've had an interesting journey so far! Got to love internet rabbit holes... look for one thing and find a million others.
al

[fljones3]

Welcome from the void! We knew you were there all along. :D
Can't forget Al. Welcome back.

[RogueDiscus]

Hi Al! Good to hear from you.
Steve

[brewmaster15]

Welcome from the void! We knew you were there all along. :D
Can't forget Al. Welcome back.

Thanks Frank! Happy to see you here as well!

al

[brewmaster15]

Hi Al! Good to hear from you.
Steve

Hey Steve,
Good to see you too my friend! Hope all has been well with you!
al

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice to see you online Al, we do miss you here :D What pairs are you working with?
Pat

[Iminit]

Hi Al good to see you back!! Thanks for all the worms :).

[brewmaster15]

Hi Al good to see you back!! Thanks for all the worms :).

Thanks Tom! and thanks for all your orders!:)

al

[brewmaster15]

Nice to see you online Al, we do miss you here :D What pairs are you working with?
Pat

Thanks Pat, Missed you guys too.

i have a couple of my f1's from the wild green X Blue Snakeskins Domestics that are my main focus... going to F2 on these. Then I have some domestics as well..brilliant blue turq Pair , scorpion snake pair, and fine line snakeskins pairs. They all are relevant to my F1 crosses.. These Domestics are actually descended from the last batch of contest fish we ran hereon Simply . I still have the Dad of that pair too.

al

[LizStreithorst]

Simply is not the same place without you, Al. Welcome home.

[brewmaster15]

Simply is not the same place without you, Al. Welcome home.

Thanks Liz, That means alot to me!:)

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Pat, Missed you guys too.

i have a couple of my f1's from the wild green X Blue Snakeskins Domestics that are my main focus... going to F2 on these. Then I have some domestics as well..brilliant blue turq Pair , scorpion snake pair, and fine line snakeskins pairs. They all are relevant to my F1 crosses.. These Domestics are actually descended from the last batch of contest fish we ran hereon Simply . I still have the Dad of that pair too.

al

I agree with Liz, this place is better with you here Al :D You still have any of the F1 blues :D
Pat

[brewmaster15]

I agree with Liz, this place is better with you here Al :D You still have any of the F1 blues :D
Pat

Thanks Pat.. I do sort of have them still. My group did not fair as well while I was dealing with all those "aging parent" issues. Theres a few that I hope will breed.. they are smallish but healthy.. its not genetics ,. its my poor care at a critical time. I may have to take a number the next time you breed yours from my group.. my F1 wild green fry and domestics weathered the times fine.
al

[brewmaster15]

Please take these pics with a large grain of salt.. My tanks are really old and the lighting is really bad....
All the fish here are Homebred....I have not been able to buy discus in years so working with what I have.

These are my F1's wild green X Blue snakeskin..

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623787929_63b9a37909_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/k8u044b46V)IMGP0042 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/k8u044b46V) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623970345_ba1e5d9f77_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1591QH20oQ)IMGP0068 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1591QH20oQ) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623017937_daaf5475ae_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/3y71nU4309)IMGP0073 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/3y71nU4309) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623016842_00ebbe9b29_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/661W5r9Sjh)IMGP9991 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/661W5r9Sjh) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52624016428_910ab1ada1_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/3Tv0qs4UpW)IMGP0050 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/3Tv0qs4UpW) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr


Of my Domestic Lines..

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52624014983_a58f2cd649_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1w008899L7)IMGP9984 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1w008899L7) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

other shots

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623785724_a2f0302eef_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1g70u3b3FV)IMGP9997 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1g70u3b3FV) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

and ulimately what I want .. more of these.. my favorite F1 wild greenX blue SS

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52624017313_f7a949f2a9_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1BH35GCa02)IMGP0023 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/1BH35GCa02) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623971805_dd6e63fbf3_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/6UZ31iNH69)IMGP0016 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/6UZ31iNH69) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr


and lastly.. we have about 100 of these strange looking "fish" (axolotls)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623017542_07690577f9_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/EWt9PQ9E02)IMGP0075 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/EWt9PQ9E02) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

[jwcarlson]

How fast to axolotls grow, Al? It seems like a relatively big creature and for some reason I have it in my head that it takes them a year to get to adult size.

[brewmaster15]

Axolotls can breed at about 1 year .. these ones in the pics are 1 year old... They will continue to grow though and get bigger the next year or two.. My son has one of our first pairs and they are about 3x the size of these guys. much heavier too. They really are fun creatures, but hard to breed if you don't know how to work with hatching Brine shrimp. They are practically blind initially and the food has to bump into them! After awhile they can smell food as well. We raised our on live BBS,, then transitioned to our Discus Chow which they really liked. Now they are on various large sinking pellets.

tell you whats super nice about them.. No fancy filters ..just sponges, no heaters! They like cool water. Talk about saving on electric bills!


al

[LizStreithorst]

Al, you've seen mine and I've seen yours. I do believe we should do some trading back and forth in the future.

[pitdogg2]

Welcome back Al. Nice to see you posting again.

[CliffsDiscus]

Al, Welcome back and Happy New Year.

Cliff

[RogueDiscus]

That blue snakeskin with the yellow eye looks vaguely familiar :)

[brewmaster15]

Welcome back Al. Nice to see you posting again.

Thank you!! Great seeing you still around too!:)

al

[brewmaster15]

Al, Welcome back and Happy New Year.

Cliff

Hey thanks Cliff! Good to be back. Happy New Year to you as well my friend!

al

[brewmaster15]

Al, you've seen mine and I've seen yours. I do believe we should do some trading back and forth in the future.

That sounds like a great plan Liz!

al

[LizStreithorst]

I already have my eye on some kids from the fish Steve mentioned. The blue based spotted SS with the yellow eye. She's the type I'm breeding for.

[farebox]

Happy New Year's, welcome back my friend. Long time a member here in SD and owe all my success to you with my fish. Also, they're addicted to your FDBW. Love & peace to the family and you, Thanks, Roland from San Antonio, TX....

[brewmaster15]

That blue snakeskin with the yellow eye looks vaguely familiar :)

Do you think so?:evilgrin:

They should. Every one of the fish I just posted is a direct descendant or 1/2 descendent ( the other half is wild) from those domestic snakeskins I got from you ages ago? 2016. Unfortunately I only have one left of the original group.
The male from the contest fish pr...

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?133006-Fry-Feeding-time-****UPDATED****

he isn't much for breeding these days, but he likes to act like the king of the tank...


this one...
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52623785724_a2f0302eef_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/kuM2P4o390)IMGP9997 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/kuM2P4o390) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr


these
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52624014983_a58f2cd649_h.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/t756DX8Lb0)IMGP9984 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/130140749@N05/t756DX8Lb0) by Al Sabetta (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140749@N05/), on Flickr

are all siblings of the contest fish from 2018:)

al

[brewmaster15]

Happy New Year's, welcome back my friend. Long time a member here in SD and owe all my success to you with my fish. Also, they're addicted to your FDBW. Love & peace to the family and you, Thanks, Roland from San Antonio, TX....

Hi Roland! Thank you and Happy New Year to you and your family as well !! Great to hear from you again and see you still here!

al

[brewmaster15]

I already have my eye on some kids from the fish Steve mentioned. The blue based spotted SS with the yellow eye. She's the type I'm breeding for.

Liz I'm not surprised you loved her father when I posted his pics too.:)

al

[bossanova]

Hey, welcome back! You don’t know me but I’ve learned tons from you over the years, so thanks! I’m a hobbyist from Brazil, living in DC

[brewmaster15]

Hey, welcome back! You don’t know me but I’ve learned tons from you over the years, so thanks! I’m a hobbyist from Brazil, living in DC

Thats music to my ears Bossanova! I am glad to meet you and happy I was able to help you!

Thanks for the Welcome Back!
al

[brewmaster15]

Steve,

Not bad for 6 years old and having raised spawn after spawn for me .... from your tank as fry to mine to... the male discus that gave us the 2018 discus grow out fry...

134074

I'd say he did well with his life. :) I feel like he should get a golden globe or something.

Al

[RogueDiscus]

Glad he did well!

[solasis]

Welcome back!! Thank you for this great forum :)

[brewmaster15]

Welcome back!! Thank you for this great forum :)

Thanks Carter! Much appreciated!


al

[Tony_S]

Its been so long I am sure that a few of you don't even know me and are sitting there saying "who the heck is this guy?"

Yep...you kind of just come striding though the front door like own the place. If I had the energy anymore I'd kick your ***....or at least make you do a few face palm's just for old times sake.:bandana:

Good to see you old timer...

[brewmaster15]

Yep...you kind of just come striding though the front door like own the place. If I had the energy anymore I'd kick your ***....or at least make you do a few face palm's just for old times sake.:bandana:

Good to see you old timer...

Lol.. Im thinking glass houses and such. I have to disappear to get a post out of some people...lol

Good to hear from you Tony. Get some Discus dude and come back!

Al

[Tony_S]

Glass houses....ya, I guess you've got a point there...I'll go easy on ya then.:evilgrin:

Discus?...is that something you throw?
Haven't kept any Discus since New Orleans. Been a while! LOL! I wish I had the time for them. Never been without 3-4 aquariums though, so thats why I still creep around in the shadows here.

[LizStreithorst]

The Mama Bear is curious to know what kind of fish the Stud Muffin is keeping these days.

[Tony_S]

LIZ!!! You sweet thang! :D
Nothing too special these days...drifting into aquascaping more and more the last few years.
Run of the mill...
Kribs(that breed like rats)
Brichardi(that breed like rats)
Red Neon Blue Eyed Rainbows(Sooper cool)
Forktail Rainbows...
Angels..
Bushynose...
Cardinals..
Dwarf Cories..
Shrimp...
I think thats it?
Thanks for wondering about the muffin :bandana:

[LizStreithorst]

The red neon blue eyed rainbows are indeed super cool. If I could handle small fish I would be over the head with desire for them.

I can't handle anything smaller that Apistos. I tried Angels but found them too easy to breed. Right now, as well as breeding my Blue SS Discus, I'm breeding Pitch Black Rams and Dutch Blues which is almost too easy except there is a good market for the Pitch Blacks.

[Hicgup]

Curious just how good the market is for pitch black rams. I know new and different sells, but personally every black ram I have seen just doesn’t move me. Probably I would feel the same way about a pitch black discus, maybe just not my thing.

[brewmaster15]

Curious just how good the market is for pitch black rams. I know new and different sells, but personally every black ram I have seen just doesn’t move me. Probably I would feel the same way about a pitch black discus, maybe just not my thing.
Pitch black discus.. red eyes..maybe black with red highlights to fins. white substrate..hmmm might be the latest greatest.. i'd have a tank of these midnight discus..

Al

[LizStreithorst]

The Pitch Black Rams don't ring my bell, either. The Dutch and German Blues are much more beautiful fish IMO. But the Pitch Blacks reach breeding age at 4 months and pairs sell on AB for $65. per pair. They're way easy to sex and any male put with any female will almost always spawn. The Black Rams support my Discus habit.

[Tony_S]

The red neon blue eyed rainbows are indeed super cool. If I could handle small fish I would be over the head with desire for them.

I can't handle anything smaller that Apistos. I tried Angels but found them too easy to breed. Right now, as well as breeding my Blue SS Discus, I'm breeding Pitch Black Rams and Dutch Blues which is almost too easy except there is a good market for the Pitch Blacks.
I have a pair of black Angels that breed like rats as well...they've laid probably 30 times and eaten the eggs 30 times. No big deal, not interested in raising angels, or Angels in general for that matter. Very few I see that interest me.
German blue rams are one of my favorites and it's unusual for me to not have any. Full of character. 'Some' golds get me pretty worked up also, but Blacks...meh...
Love me some apisto's also. Haven't had any in a while...the last I had/attempted where Apistogramma Agassizii. Didn't last long though because they were complete psycho terrors. I don't have the time or room for species only tanks, so away they went.

[Iminit]

Maybe this guy?134084

[Tony_S]

Not for me at all. Not a fan of long fin varieties either(of most species). In general I tend to lean heavily towards wild and 'closer to wild' in regards to body form and color variations.
Pigeon blood Discus are nothing but a tragedy...right from day one.
Body shape variations, balloons etc. in any species are just plain wrong also imo.

[LizStreithorst]

It is a very nice fish, indeed. I'm just in the Muffin's corner on this. It's actually just a matter of taste.

[Hicgup]

The worst are long fin Oscars and in the salt water arena long fin clownfish. Both always look like a tattered old flag.

[Hicgup]

And a local wholesaler sell a LOT of Angel Rams, aka Balloons, but I refuse to breed them even though I could make a good profit. I would breed pitch black rams though, even though they are not my thing if I could sell as many as I could produce.

[Hicgup]

And how about Glo Fish? A pet shop owner recently told me the patent expired. Any thoughts?

[LizStreithorst]

And a local wholesaler sell a LOT of Angel Rams, aka Balloons, but I refuse to breed them even though I could make a good profit. I would breed pitch black rams though, even though they are not my thing if I could sell as many as I could produce.

If you're interested in getting a pair or two, shoot me a PM.

[jeep]

I like the pitch black rams. Unfortunately, all mine are interested in doing is eating and eating and eating...

[LizStreithorst]

If you want some of mine who breed like flies just PM me. They sell very well on AB. For anyone who can breed Discus, these should be a piece of cake.

[LizStreithorst]

I just realized that your do come from me. I can't imagine what's wrong with them. If you treat them like Discus you should do just fine with them.

[jeep]

I had two that staked out the dish for awhile and drove the rest to the opposite corner, but I haven't seen that behavior in some time now...

[LizStreithorst]

Just stick that pair in a BB 10 gallon of their own.

[brewmaster15]

Brian what kind of water are you trying to breed them In? I know your tap is pretty hard?
Al

[LizStreithorst]

My water is too hard as well. I hatch my eggs to free swimming in a container in the parents tank so that the parents can see them.

[Hicgup]

Apologies for derailing this thread. Nice to have you back from the void Al! Liz, thanks for letting me know you may have some P.B.R.’s to sell. I have some wild fish coming in from the Florida Keys this week, and every week for about the next six weeks, so I have my hands full for a while. I may shoot you a pm late Spring. Al, I would love to know more about your Axolotl breeding. I have no problem hatching Artemia to feed the babies, I buy 425 g cans buy the case, and have hatching cones from 20 to 470 liters. Can you pm me some info on conditioning temperatures and feeding? Also when and how you wean the little ones off artemia to dry food.

[brewmaster15]

Pm sent Steve.

[jeep]

Mine are in regular tap water. Jack had success in KC water once but he lost the fry and they never spawned again. Things are settling down on the home front so hopefully I can dedicate more time to an additional project.

[Winnie's Discus]

Well hello stranger, welcome back! :) Good to see you back and keeping busy Al.

[brewmaster15]

Well hello stranger, welcome back! :) Good to see you back and keeping busy Al.

Hey Ceyhun! Thanks for the welcome back! Hope all is well with you and Winnie! Say Hi to her for me!

al

[Steve_Warner]

Hi All,
Al, I think I saw you in the void while WE were down there!👀 Just wanted to say hi to Al, and all the others(I recognize some names!). I can’t even remember how long I’ve been a member of SD(guess I’ll have to check my profile). I don’t have any tanks going, but like to cruise thru the forum every once in a while. Love to see the pics of everyone’s fish, setups, and how far tech has come in the hobby!
Hope everyone is doing well these days!

[brewmaster15]

Hi All,
Al, I think I saw you in the void while WE were down there!�� Just wanted to say hi to Al, and all the others(I recognize some names!). I can’t even remember how long I’ve been a member of SD(guess I’ll have to check my profile). I don’t have any tanks going, but like to cruise thru the forum every once in a while. Love to see the pics of everyone’s fish, setups, and how far tech has come in the hobby!
Hope everyone is doing well these days!

Hey Steve,
Great hearing from you! Its been a long time bud, very long indeed! I am really glad you are doing well. I thought for sure by now you would have a tank of wilds going:) :angel: Anyhow, stop by more often, Could always use your input here.
take care,
al

[dmun24]

Hi Al Glad you are well same here ,getting back in into discus slow Dennis

[brewmaster15]

Hi Al Glad you are well same here ,getting back in into discus slow Dennis

Hey Dennis, great to hear from you too. Its been awhile. Im glad you are well and getting back into discus again!
Al