in the amazon [Archive]

cod

11-19-2003, 09:30 AM

It occurs to me that in the amazon river the,breeding discus are not confined to a 29 gallon tank. I am wondering about the mortality rate of baby discus finding and eating off the parents slime coat in one of the longest rivers in the world. Reading about the difficulty of the babies attaching to the parents from some of our posters , I would think that discus would be extinct in their natural habitat. Is this an example of survival of the fittest babies, the ones that can attach.
My second thought is why are new hatched free swimming discus fed bbs when they should be feeding off the parents slime coat. I am sure some experienced breeder will have the answers. Maybe I spend to much time thinking about discus. It is like golf. it came become obsessive
thanks for reading
cod

Carol_Roberts

11-19-2003, 12:08 PM

You've pretty much answered both your questions. ;) In captivity discus will hatch 100 - 200 eggs. Many of those would be lost in the wild leaving fewer babies to graze on the parents. We have to supplement with bbs so the 100+ babies don't eat the parents alive in their 29 gallon home.