Ralph
12-24-2002, 12:49 PM
This controversy has gone on for too long and in an attempt to settle this issue, I wanted to post the definative answer to the charges leveled at "pirate" people. It is for too long that we have been relegated to the status of second-class discus keepers. I have collected here the various charges collected from several threads that contain warnings to "pirate" newbies. Here it goes:
1) The incoming air changes the chemistry of the water.
This is true to some extent, CO2 brought in by the airline actually lowers the pH though which is usually a good thing. And the added O2 can do nothing but benefit discus, especially the young ones.
2) The constant movement of opening and closing treasure chest lids or lifting of grog kegs is a distraction to the discus.
I can't speak for all "pirate" people but my discus enjoy the movements and often spend time near the pirates. I did have one of my fishes' fins nipped by a closing giant clam, but the fin grew back quickly with no permanent damage.
3) Discus will hurt themselves on the pirates.
I would recommend against putting any pirate apparatus (such as ship masts) with pointy things in the tank with your discus.
4) My fish were runted in a tank with a skin diver.
Many things can cause runting, we are often quick to place the blame on our plastic friends.
5) Pirates are a lot of extra work and need constant cleaning (and what about the expence).
They ARE extra work (and cost) but the enjoyment we get watching their colorful movements and the discus interactions with these ossified renegades of the deep is well worth it.
6) Plastic gives off dangerous substances into the water causing harm to the discus.
Yea.... right.
7) Pirates are cheesy.
Well....that's true.
I hope that this post settles this issue once and for all. It is time for all "pirate" people to come out of the closet and post their pictures. And for the board's sake, I hope that us "pirate" people from now on have the freedom to post our pirate questions without fear from attack for our values and beliefs.
1) The incoming air changes the chemistry of the water.
This is true to some extent, CO2 brought in by the airline actually lowers the pH though which is usually a good thing. And the added O2 can do nothing but benefit discus, especially the young ones.
2) The constant movement of opening and closing treasure chest lids or lifting of grog kegs is a distraction to the discus.
I can't speak for all "pirate" people but my discus enjoy the movements and often spend time near the pirates. I did have one of my fishes' fins nipped by a closing giant clam, but the fin grew back quickly with no permanent damage.
3) Discus will hurt themselves on the pirates.
I would recommend against putting any pirate apparatus (such as ship masts) with pointy things in the tank with your discus.
4) My fish were runted in a tank with a skin diver.
Many things can cause runting, we are often quick to place the blame on our plastic friends.
5) Pirates are a lot of extra work and need constant cleaning (and what about the expence).
They ARE extra work (and cost) but the enjoyment we get watching their colorful movements and the discus interactions with these ossified renegades of the deep is well worth it.
6) Plastic gives off dangerous substances into the water causing harm to the discus.
Yea.... right.
7) Pirates are cheesy.
Well....that's true.
I hope that this post settles this issue once and for all. It is time for all "pirate" people to come out of the closet and post their pictures. And for the board's sake, I hope that us "pirate" people from now on have the freedom to post our pirate questions without fear from attack for our values and beliefs.