Discus breeding is HARD work!

[Jeffery_Doty]

Hello everyone,

I have now been breeding discus for over half a year, and I must say, it is a lot of work!

When you figure in all the care you give to the adults, the time spent doing water changes, feeding, other maintenance, etc.  And then throw in all of the effort you expend on the babies, wiping down tanks, water changes, feeding, hatching brineshrimp, etc.  It all adds up to a whole lot of hard work!

Then there is the many frustrations along the way, egg eating, fry eating, mysterious die offs, pair that won't spawn, fish that get sick, water problems, equipment problems, and on and on.  It aint easy!

But with all that being said, I LOVE it!  Discus keeping is a big thrill for me, but discus breeding is an even bigger one.  I suggest everyone try it at least once.  You won't be sorry!

Now, when I get a 3 inch discus from a local breeder, who raised the little guy from the start, I can really appreciate all that has gone into getting that discus ready for me to take home!

So, have you hugged your discus breeder today?   ;D

Jeff
Oregon

[DarkDiscus]

Nice testimonial, Jeff!  I'm looking forward to all the work and all the rewards.  Nothing like having baby fish around to marvel at!

John

[Bill_P.]

Hey it's amazing The Hoops that our little discus friends make us jump thru

Hince the name King of the Aquarium


thanks for the post


Bill

i must agree. i've never bred discus yet, bu i have bred rams, and the work needed to get fry big and healthy to the 1 month stage, where they are all of even size and in good health seems a lot of work. when we can buy a fish directly from a breeder at 2 1/2" for 25 bucks, it doesn't reflect the amount of work and expertise that has gone into the making of that fish.

when we see the top breeders doing it every day of the week, we have to see their skill in a different light from our own, when we can keep discus, and sort out the odd problems, but still have to go running for help now and then.

it also puts into a good light the value of getting decent fish to start with. breeding shi##y fish is a big waste of time, imo. imagine taking the care to raise a few decent fish and find no-one wants them because of the colours or shape, they inherited from their parents.

rick

Hey Jeff,
any tips/tricks/secrets you would like to share with us,

(i'm a newb trying to breed them = ))

thanks
Raymond

[Jeffery_Doty]

Raymond,

Thanks for asking!

The only secrets I know are:

Determination
Persistence
Patience
Open mind

If you have these you will eventually be successful.  

Of course, if you can find a breeder, and observe what they are doing, and then apply it to your situation, you can get a jump start.

This board is also a great resource as you have found out.

Keep at it, and DON'T GIVE UP!!

Here is a picture of the reward your hard work and persistence will bring you.

I hope it helps!

Jeff
Oregon

that is the type of picture I would like to be taking of my own discus, bunch of fry eating off their parents,

i think the thing that sticks to my mind was at my LFS with a breeding pair with around 50 ~70 fry 1cm roundish eating off the female then one shake and they're all transfered to the male very very nice scene

I can't wait until I can witness that with my own discus

Raymond

Yes it is alot of hard work but, the reward of your hard work is a pair spawning and raising its fry. As they say W/C, W/C, W/C, and more W/C.
Miles

[brewmaster15]

Hi  Miles,
 You and  Jeff  Doty are from the same Neck of the woods. Do you guys know each other?

  -al

Hi Al,
    I have not met any of the breeders here in Oregon yet. Hopefully this summer I will have a chance to meet him and Carol. It is always nice to meet other breeders.
Miles

[Carol_Roberts]

All my discus friends are welcome to stop by the house. :wave: I'm really easy to  find and live close to the freeway exit.  I'm just a hobbiest with tanks scattered about the house.  

LOL, I wonder what my husband of 31 years will say if I start having a bunch of young men dropping by to visit.  ;)

Carol :heart1:

[Jeffery_Doty]

Carol,

(Said in a Austin Powers voice) Yea baby, Yea!!!  

Young men stopping by to "see the discus!"  LOL  I am sure after he got a good look at us, he would not be too concerned.  I hope to make it down your way sometime.  How many tanks are you up to now?

Jeff
Oregon

[Kevin]

It is challenging to say the least. It is also very rewarding to see them pair off and start. I raise all by hand so it is a bit harder than most. The feeding the first few days is the hard part. I believe I will try the egg method on one batch this time. Usually I make food with dried brine shrimp crushed up, spectravite, flake food also crushed, then make a paste and put it on. I have also had luck with filter feeder food. It will pollute the rearing container so water changes are a must. I bought a bottle of food u and will give it a negative endorsement, It just is not worth the money and the young like to die when exposed to it. I hope this will help some one, I know how dissapointing it is to lose what you have worked so hard to get. Success is awalys better. K.