How to stimulate pairing

[mikechen]

Hi,

I now try to breed discus for once. I have a 4.1 feet, 100g tank with 15 adult discus. Eight red cover, two mix, four BD and one ghost. Before I only feed my discus once or twice a day with brine shrimps, now I feed them 5 times a day with hamburger, blood worms and brine shrimps. I change water everday to prevent water polution. However, they start fighting and pecking each other. No sign of pairing off beside the original pair of mixed blood discus makes me frustrated. The mixed blood pair reproduce once ~~~~that is the ghost discus in the tank but I don't want to breed them again (Their gene are not good) and want to form another pair. Are there any way to stimulate pairing off?

[hexed]

Mike,
When I do water changes I use water that is a little cooler than what the tank temp is. Not a lot cooler but within 3-4 degrees and I feed live CBWs only. This seems to get them to pair off quicker. I had 10 adults and ended up with 4 pairs, the other 2 are males. Each pair has spawned for me so far with 2 pairs raising fry and they other 2 pairs I need to pull the females because they just keep laying and eating the fry. Next time I will let the males raise them.
I hope this helps you,
Frank

[mikechen]

Thanks Frank, you are very lucky to get 4 pair out often discus. They must be very healthy. Can you tell me what kind of discus are they? Are they siblings? I try your method moments ago. Hopefully I get a pair tomorrow. :o Keeping discus really a patient and hard work yet worthwhile.

[hexed]

Mike,
Yes it does take a lot of patience when it comes to breeding discus. If you want to you can read about mine, the thread is "breeding in a 55 gallon tank"
The discus are Pearl flower marlboros and I do not know if they are siblings, I purchased them online 2-3 years ago. I did the same to my "bar discus" tank and have 2 pairs in that tank. It might not happen overnite, but it does stimulate them into breeding. Be sure to put breeding cone or clay pots in the tank as well.

[mikechen]

Frank:

Thanks! It's amazing that I get another pair today. They are two red cover. The female is red body and yellow eyes but the male is yellow body and red eyes. I will post the pic tomorrow. I put them to my breeding tank now and move my runts to a small tank (bought them one year ago but never grOW BIGGER). Hope my new formed pair can breed in new environment. Cross my finger.

[hexed]

Mike,
Congrats! I would still continue to put in water a little cooler and feed CBWs even though you put them in the other tank. Place a breeding cone or terra cotta pot in the tank and they should start for you. Be patient because it can take upto and over 20 times to get it right. They could lay the eggs then eat them, eat the wigglers or eat the fry. I just let them be and if they do eat them after the 3rd time of spawning I try to catch them doing it and as soon as they are done I add Formalin to the tank. I also place mesh around the cone, this stops them from eating the eggs and will let me know if the male is fertile. If those eggs hatch he is and if they done he most likely is not or he doesn't know what he is doing. I keep the temp in my tanks about 83, 84 degrees. Would like to see the pics when you get them. Glade it works for you as it did me ;)
Frank

[mikechen]

Hi Frank:

I was so glad to see the pair laid their eggs the day I moved the two to the breeding tank. I noticed the male chased the female away after 30~40 eggs laid and would not let the female to get closer the sponge where they laid their eggs. :argue: The female seemed having not finished with this spawn. I first was wondering if they were of the same sex but the next day all the eggs turn dark but no one was watching for the eggs. The both two saw me and came near the glass begging for food left the eggs unattended. I did not stopped feeding the two and they were really in good appetite so I feed three time a day with brine shrimps, blood worms and hamburger. In the second night I decided to do a half volume water change. The third day morning I found all the eggs were gone.:angel: I guess the eggs were dead after a large volume water change and then the parents ate them. Following are the pictures I took. I now just leave them in the breeding tank . Hopefully, they would do better next time. Thanks for the help!
http://tw.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mikechentw2000/detail?.dir=d97e&.dnm=c171scd.jpg&.src=ph
http://tw.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mikechentw2000/detail?.dir=d97e&.dnm=f4f9scd.jpg&.src=ph
http://tw.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mikechentw2000/detail?.dir=d97e&.dnm=b85ascd.jpg&.src=ph

The red cover are a pair and the blue diamond are not. The pic are little red biased due to the red plant light used.

Have a nice weekend to all of you!