Why do you keep discus?

[henryD]

I was reading through the hormone thread and it occured to me that we all keep discus for different reasons. Not that I did not think this before. I just think that threads points it out more.

I keep discus for their looks. I like the different colors that they have. I think they have a lot of personality. IMO the wilds have more than the domestics. I have had both. I guess I enjoy their colors more because I had more domestics than wilds. I like watching them swim gracefully from one end of the tank to the other. I have no aspiration to breed them.

I am probably in the minority who thinks this way. No just because i keep them for pure enjoyment, does not mean i don't care about their shape and size.

So why do you keep discus?

Henry

[Larry Grenier]

http://larrygrenier.brinkster.net/mr-discus.gif

Nuf said

He ain't modest but he's right ;D

[mikeos]

Coz I belong in a room with special soft walls, extra soft floor and a door with no handle on the inside. ;D

Seriously though.......see above ;D

What other fish would I keep, .....why have cotton when you can have silk?

[oodi]

Because I have a hubby who wasn't happy with the Eclipse-6 I got him one Christmas. ::)

In all seriousness, we started with discus, because of their uniqueness. As Henry and Larry said... they have more personality than other fish I've seen. Gotta love a fish with personality! ;D

Judi
:)

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Cause they're purdy ;D :P

-Ryan

[Cosmo]

Larry's ever so modest fish said it best :)

Started with mostly wilds years ago, so it wasn't all the purty colors, it was their community, the way they interacted, and their different personalities. Very relaxing to watch them too. Now with all the domestic breed and the multitude of colors it's added a whole new dimension, but the original holds true, just much more colorful in the tank now.

Jim

[Jeff]

I'm with ya Henry. I like they way they look. ;)

[Wolf_Mek]

Cause they're purrrrrdy... and

Great personality that I think is only rivaled by other larger american cichlids.
They can be kept in a community, despite their size (try that with another large SA/CA :) ). They also can stick up for themselves when the going gets tough.
They trust you (usually) when other fish, like angels won't.
Did I mention their beauty?
And, every fish is different, no two alike. They all have their own little quirks and they all do things their own way.

[Anonapersona]

I think discus are the orchids of the freshwater aquarium; lovely, exotic, demanding, beautiful. Like orchids, I think once you get it right, once you learn it, you can find it is really very easy. But, getting it right can be difficult.

I never thought that I'd be attempting discus so soon in my fishkeeping history, and I thank all of you here for the opportunity to learn from you.

[April]

I saw a pair in a petshop ,many moons ago and i suppose they were wild browns and i was told they feed their fry off their bodies. and then i had a book about tropical fish with pics of them..and pics of them with their fry. I was told their costly . so..of course 50.00 was out of my price range. but..never forgot. i have bred a few batches..but..no time right now. but..i love watching the parents with their eggs and fry. absolutely fascinating.
Ive gone from one tank to many many tanks back down to a few tanks. Cant imagine never having none. at least one tank full.
my favourite thing is getting a new group of youngsters and growing them out.
of course..the blue cobalt or turquoise was what sold me on them. love the blue ones. what more can you ask for than a beautiful powder blue fish?

[kaceyo]

I remember the first discus I ever saw was. It was a brown in a lfs about 25 yrs ago and the instant I saw it I thought there was somethng different about this fish. The way it looked at me almost as if it were thinking. That was the "personality" comming out I guess as I remember a feeling like it was a higher form of fish. All I had to do from there was 1)be told I needed more experience 2)stare at that brown every day after work. 3)look through Jack Wattly's Handbook of Discus. I was hooked. I bought the brown a few days later. Then bought some wild Tefe Greens. Then started looking for homes for my community tank fish so I could order some of the newest Hi-Fin Turq strains from Jack. To answere your Q. They are unique, I love the colors, I love watching them move and watching them color into you don't know what,etc. etc. etc. Kacey

[Howie_W]

So why do you keep discus?

Henry





Henry, I think the question really is...Why don't you keep Discus?! ;)


Howie

[Rod]

Because i love breeding fish and discus seemed like the ultimate challenge. It is very rewarding for me to have a tankfull of gorgeous adult discus that i can say, i did that.

[Panama Discus]

The way I look at it....once involved with discus...always hooked like if it were a drug.....Maybe it is....who knows

Seriously they are beautiful fish

[brewmaster15]

To prove to myself I can I guess was the first reason. A "friend " gave me my first ones... and I Killed them in my ignorance. I'm a taurus and as bull headed as they get...I don't give up easily in anything..

So I set out to try learn all i could and master the Fish that has mastered me...I am still learning and have much more to learn...thats another reason..This fish is still an open book in many ways...

lastly.. I Love them. The shape., the way they swim, the regal graceful way the glide thru the water and then a moment latter face off and fight for dominance.

They enchant , entrance, and bewitch my every waking and sleeping hour :).
-al

[Lauren]

I agree with the padded room idea.

But seriously, I was told to get a hobby & went a little overboard.

I have an addictive personality I suppose, I'm addicted to my weekly treat of Krispy Kreme,and orange juice, strong coffee too. Im really addicted to some veggies like brussel sprouts, spinach & broccoli (spellcheck), I was addicted to cigarettes from pre teen until I was about 17 and that was hard to kick. I'm addicted to shopping for shoes that I never wear, the color orange, the computer, and sleep - I can easily sleep 10 hours at night and take a mid day nap to boot ::) also online games like RPGs & Muds on & off.. And PS2 games like DDR

So its only natural I'd be addicted to fish keeping!

8) 8) 8)

Lauren

[Glenn]

Come guys you keep discus because you love doing water changes.

[Kap]

A friend of mine kept a large tank of brown discus. I was a teenager then and loved their graceful manner and round shape. 30+ years later I still remember that experience and admire discus for the same reasons! The colors and varieties are so great today compared to what was available then. While I have kept fish off and on over the years, I finally decided that if I ever were going to try my hand with the King of the Aquarium, I better get started. That was 2 years ago, and I have not looked back since. Yes, some other species would be easier, but none can compare with these magnificent creatures! As long as I am going to change water I may as well do it for fish I really admire!

[susankay1]

I love wet floors and super high electric and water bills.

[discusnutz]

4 words.........THEY SOOTHE MY SOUL

Brenda

[Tad]

Cuz they keep me out of Bars ;D

Tad

[oodi]

I wish they kept you out of casinos. :-\

[Discus_KC]

I wanted colorful fish. I had done the salt route and wasn't ready to have another salt tank.

I started looking thru FAMA and TFH magazines and noticed some discus ads. I sent off for some price lists and got to meet a few of the breeders there and then made contacts to other breeders.

What made me want to breed discus was the fact that KC was discus challenged at the LFS.

All it took was one tank and then it was two and then it was full on !!! Just me and my little fish room !!!!

Jack

[paulmat]

The Fame and Glory !!!!
Paul

[Moon]

Nice words Al. Very poetic.
I keep discus becuse of their beauty and more importantly because of their breeding habits and how they raise their young. About 25 years ago I saw some fully grown wild browns in the LFS. They were about $25 each and I could not afford them at that time. About the same time a friend gave me three very runted small bodied large eyed blues. I put them in a 15g tank and within a few weeks two of them spawned and raised a batch of about 25 fry. During this process I was glued to the tank. I took time off work, did not eat or do other domestic chores. My wife threatened to leave me. Anyway I got over this fascinating event and eventually traded the fry for a 125g tank.
This is how I got into keeping didsus and I am still fascinated by their breeding behaviour. Did you guys know that Etropolus Maculatus (Orange Chromides) breed in the same manner as discus.
By the way my wife is still with me. :D :D

Joe

[kaceyo]

Wow Joe, what are the chances that the very first 3 discus you buy will end in a pair, then spawn and THEN raise the fry to a sellable size, and all this within the first few weeks of discus ownership. Considering many people put LARGE amounts of time, money and themselves into trying to do that and never do, I'd say thats pretty amazing!!!

[Moon]

I guess it was beginners luck. I did have many discus after that and had saome spawns but the parents always ate the eggs. I gave up the hobby for about 10 years (threats by wife). Now that the kids have flown the coop I am back at it.
In the early days everyone was talking about raising fry artificially. Don't hear much about that anymore. Is anyone doing it??

Joe

[BrianNY]

well i love the species and would rather have them in my tank than in some lfs that treat them like mollies. besides once they are big enough they are really easy to practice spearfishing
tara

[alex_m]

I keep discus, because i think that they are beautiful fish and are unique in their breeding behaviour.

alex

[acorn54]

they are beautiful and have alot of personality
so many varieties can never tire of them
breeding is a challange
as for raising artificially, gil curtain a breeder here on long island did that and he told me he gave it up because the fry grew up "weak"
acorn(guy)

[ed8t]

I don't have Discus...yet.

I would like to keep them because like a lot of other posts, they're drop dead gorgeous, full of personality and I like the challenge of learning, planning and researching. I've learned lots going through the forum - had to because none of my buddies ever kept Discus before.