Perception of wild discus

[brewmaster15]

Theres alot of myths and mystery out there about wilds...Just curious what people think about Wilds and their care.

Thanks,
al

[Bud Reuffer]

Although my experience with wilds is limited to a couple of really nice Heckels I purchased from wildthing a few years ago, they were the last to go (sorry David) when an infection took out all my discus. I actually thought they were going to make it. Don't know if they were hardier than the domestics or just less susceptible to that particular infection.

[lkleung007]

Hey Al,

I have kept Wilds for the past 2 years and they seem to be quite hardy. The Wilds that I have kept are adults and have not raised any juveniles. I have found that Wilds like a variety of foods; including flake. Although I keep my Wilds in hard water (180-200ppm) with pH around 6.6-7.0; I wonder if they would do even better in softer water??

Lester

[paulmat]

My biggest fish are wilds,they are just as ,or easier to keep then domestics.
They may be a little harder to get to breed (if they are Heckles),though.

Paul :guitarist:

[oodi]

No harder to keep, but much more interesting to watch IMO!!

Judi
:)

[GulfCoastDiscus]

I think they're a little harder to breed but sometimes you can get lucky and get one that just produces. I like crosses with wilds though.

Dan

[wildthing]

I voted
!
:)

a well phrased question Al, a lot of it is 'perception'.

For me personal they are more hardy and easier to care for than Domestics. I refer to sickness.

Of course the water is another story.
I believe firmly that Wilds should be provided with water that has a lower pH range then Domestics can be held in. But after finding a solution how to provide that, it is also easy. Just more work :-\

Ronald

I'm with Ronald. With my short experience with wild discus and a several attempts at the early years. They will thrive if the keeper treat them like Cichlid not discus. They will be just fine and breed for you wihtout any effort to try. They are very forgiven and more tolerable in harsh condition than the dosmestic. Like Teddy once said. " They are as stuff as nails".
Jimmy

[April]

when i had a virus..they were the least affected. they got over it very quickly..and barely got sick. so..i think maybe a better immune system.

[beta]

The heckels I had were the first to recover after a journey (Singapore-->India)
They also were very curious. They were the last to die in what I think was a water poisoning accident.

[Tad]

Brew,
Wilds have a special place in my heart and in our home ;D..When I started to purchase wilds I was a little bit leary but soon learned that they require the same amount of care and treatment as my domestics and not any harder to keep....I hope to some day have approximately 50 percent domestics and 50 percent wilds in our collection and hope to cross between them. For those who havent tried "wilds" yet, its a segment of discus keeping that you definately have to try at least once in your life...

JMO,
Tad

Breeding wild is a mind-boggling experience. I have failed every attempt to breed them. When I give up and throw my arms up. Give them the least attention. Feed them only once in a while. Water change only when I feel guilty. Very often I find fry attach to parents after water change. It's often too late to measure the parameters. I don't know how to breed them but I keep having tank raised wild juveniles to take over and carry on for the next generation.
Jimmy

[Moon]

I share your sentiments JimmyL. Years ago I had a few wilds, among these was a pair of Heckels. After some attempts of tryong to breed this pair, I gave up. The tank was neglected and the water was cloudy. When I tried to do a clean up and water change, I noticed eggs on the pot. The eggs did hatch but were eated by the parents. I checked the ph and it was about 4.7. Did not have any means of checking hardness. It was a one time fluke and when I decided to get out of discus I gave the pair to a friend Bob Wilson a well known local discus breeder. He did not have any luck with them. This happened about 15 years ago. Bob still credits me as the only person he has known to breed Heckels. It was just a fluke.

[Rod]

Very interesting poll. Obtaining really good wilds here in OZ is a nightmare, almost everyone i have ever seen were severly emaciated and in very poor condition. Despite this i have bought around 12 or so at various times over a more than 10 years and had mostly poor results. They take months to recover and gain good body weight , regrow the fins and regain good eye color. Breeding has been not so good with a couple of male greens spawning a few times and a female brown that spawned ok for awhile. Life span has never been more than a couple of years. For these reasons i have found wild discus more difficult to care for compared to domestics.

[Larry Grenier]

Remember this is a P e r c e p t i o n thing. I'd like to see what the results would be if the only voters had experience with wilds.

[Fishin dude]

Care is equally demanding.
I have the same numbers of domestic and wilds. I like them both!
Color intensity is stronger in domestic bred, but once you see some nice wilds, they are sweet and grow on you.
Most hobbiest who can afford nice discus start with domestic bred and advance to wild ones. JMO Lee :)

Since my tank is filled with mostly Wilds, I find them to be equally in care as the Domestics.

I agree with most folks here who state that the wilds grow and hook you (like hook, line and bait). I'm totally wild on Wilds. 8)

*Angie*

[mikeos]

Once wilds are debugged, acclimatised and feeding properly in tanks thay are more robust and gregarious than tank bred strains IMP ;D