lfs vs. private breeder ~

[Kindredspirit]

Hey guys~


Can YOU tell by looking at a discus if it came from a lfs or a private breeder/seller?

Do you think you would be corrrect in your assessment? I would like to be able to do that ~ for what reason is beyond me!


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[Alan]

It depends. If the private breeder is trying to sell you culls, then the fish are just going to be the same as from an LFS. However, there are some LFS that sell better-looking fish than private breeders/sellers. So, the best way is to know who you're getting your fish from. :D

[aisarang]

That's true, it really doesn't matter if you can tell where the fish is from, but rather, the quality of the fish in general. Would you care too much whether it was a local breed discus or a wholesale bought discus if it were healthy and stunning?! Chances are probably not. But in an economical point of view, private breeders are probably not doing the breeding to make a profit, as much as a lfs needs to make profit. So in that retrospect, it might be more beneficial to support a private breeder.

[Kindredspirit]

I understand what you guys are saying, but if you saw a picture, do you think you would know if it came from a lfs or a good quality breeder?




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[Dkarc@Aol.com]

I understand what you guys are saying, but if you saw a picture, do you think you would know if it came from a lfs or a good quality breeder?






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If its from a good quality breeder, then yes...easy to tell. Give me a picture and give me a price and it wouldnt be hard to say LFS or breeder.

-Ryan

[sleonard]

I would think that most lfs get their fish FROM a breeder (Only other option is that the lfs IS a breeder, Discus aren't delivered by storks!) so how would it be possible to tell!

So, I guess what you're really asking is whether it is possible to tell the difference between the discus from a small private breeder/hobbiest and the discus from a large commercial breeder.

My lfs gets their Discus from a breeder in Germany. They are great looking fish (and priced that way, esp. since they are all adults or older juvi's). This breeder has a commercial hatchery and only sells wholesale and not to hobbyists but he produces great discus. On the other hand there are surely large commercial breeders that do not do so good with quality. The same goes for the small private breeders. Some produce outstanding quality and some not so good.

I say it would be impossible to tell from a photo or even seeing the fish in person. OTOH, it might be possible to assign a likelyhood (statistical probability) that a good quality fish comes from a private breeder or vice versa but you could never be sure on a case by case basis.

[Squiggy]

What may have been an excellent specimen will quickly diminish at an lfs. They don't seem to understand/care how often or frequently juvies need to eat. Case in point, I was looking at some truly beautiful red turqs at an lfs two weeks ago. They must have just arrived because I stopped in the other day and the same fish are looking emaciated and already showing signs of stunting. I've only known of one lfs that gave discus the added attention and feedings that they demand. And thats going back to the 70s...:(

[sleonard]

I only know the one lfs I mentioned and they have a discus guy on staff, have a seperate RO/filter system for them, and take really good care of them. Very nice fish even after many months in the store's tanks. I would gladly buy from them but I can't afford adults that are $175 -$250 each. Besides they have a limited color variety and I am finding color morphs I like better from places like Rocky Mountain Discus.

[Timbo]

you can tell what kind of care they have had from a pic, but not where they came from

[Timbo]

If its from a good quality breeder, then yes...easy to tell. Give me a picture and give me a price and it wouldnt be hard to say LFS or breeder.

-Ryan

i think you would be able to provide an educated guess, at best

[KIWI13]

I agree with Timbo....

LFS fish come from breeders, then its all a question of if the breeders sell em culls or good fish..

Then it all depends on if you got the fish the first day, they arrived or after 1 month where they do not have proper W/C and no proper feeding.

Very few (if any) LFS breed their own fish and so this topic is kinda pointless.. I think we should be asking, how do you recognise a good quality fish??? and the answer is, go to the Discus University and start learning... LOL

Jason;)

[Kindredspirit]

.
Very few (if any) LFS breed their own fish and so this topic is kinda pointless..
Jason;)


Meanie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_2_111v.gif

[Kindredspirit]

Give me a picture and give me a price and it wouldnt be hard to say LFS or breeder.

-Ryan



Thank You Very Much , Ryan ~


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[KIWI13]

Its true Marie, i can show you some LFS fish that are better than some fish from breeders... I know a breeder in france that sells to his local LFS and if you see his fish, you'll drop over backwards...

I was not trying to be a MEANIE LOL.....

I just think its not fair to judge and after all we are not here to alienate the LFS .. where do you think the majority fo the population get their fish from??? and importers that get fish from good breeders??? it has to be sold doesnt it?? well that's my opinion anyway. I'd rather judge the fish than the means by which I obtained it..

Jas

[Kindredspirit]

Its true Marie, i can show you some LFS fish that are better than some fish from breeders... I know a breeder in france that sells to his local LFS and if you see his fish, you'll drop over backwards...

I was not trying to be a MEANIE LOL.....

I just think its not fair to judge and after all we are not here to alienate the LFS .. where do you think the majority fo the population get their fish from??? and importers that get fish from good breeders??? it has to be sold doesnt it?? well that's my opinion anyway. I'd rather judge the fish than the means by which I obtained it..

Jas


I know that babe, I wasnt trying to put down the lfs, Jason I saw a picture yesterday and it popped into my head if the trained eye could ~ by just looking ~ at a picture ~ on a dime ~ tell if it was lfs or a breeder ~

I did not mean to insinuate a poor quality of either, lfs or breeder...just in general ~

Who stole your cookie today? ( i shall make them give it back if your are nice to me )

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[KIWI13]

Who stole your cookie today? ( i shall make them give it back if your are nice to me )

I am on a diet.. LOL NO Cookies for me ........ But if you got me an orange chocolate chip cookie.. oohhh I wouldnt say NO ..

[Kindredspirit]

I am on a diet.. LOL NO Cookies for me ........ But if you got me an orange chocolate chip cookie.. oohhh I wouldnt say NO ..



Anything for you ~


http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_6_109.gif ( < how cute is he I ask you J !)


( check out your pm )

[Dave C]

The question makes no sense. Many breeders sell a good amount of their fish to LFS. And many LFS import wilds or from Asia. On the day of arrival the fish that are in the LFS should look no different then they did when they left the breeder. Over time they will no doubt degrade due to lack of expertise or commitment. I agree with Jason, the quality of the fish is not determined the the source, it's determined by the fish itself. A good fish is a good fish no matter where you find it. For instance, when I owned a LFS I ordered fish from a breeder, Mike Wells. I also ordered fish for my own personal use from Mike Wells. Now if I posted a pic of one fish in my LFS and another in my tank at home, how could anyone determine which came from the LFS and which from my home? And why would they want to?

[KIWI13]

LOL Marie You have like taken the world record for smilies on forums.... I have never seen anyone use them in almost every paragraph.. LMAO

Man they should design a discus smily for you..

Then again I think we all need time away from discus lol......like a nice cool relaxing drink under a japanese tea tree and koi swimming all around your feet.. There ya go less stressing than discus.. I swear its unhealthy when the word discus figures in our vocabulary more than any other

[tpl*co]

The question makes no sense. Many breeders sell a good amount of their fish to LFS. And many LFS import wilds or from Asia. On the day of arrival the fish that are in the LFS should look no different then they did when they left the breeder. Over time they will no doubt degrade due to lack of expertise or commitment. I agree with Jason, the quality of the fish is not determined the the source, it's determined by the fish itself. A good fish is a good fish no matter where you find it. For instance, when I owned a LFS I ordered fish from a breeder, Mike Wells. I also ordered fish for my own personal use from Mike Wells. Now if I posted a pic of one fish in my LFS and another in my tank at home, how could anyone determine which came from the LFS and which from my home? And why would they want to?

I agree, asking that question is like taking a picture of a person and trying to determine where they are from. I think it depends on what we are now and how we got there (discus and people) :). Some of my fish came from the LFS and with proper care they are just as beautiful as those I got from private breeders (Marie, you remember Sampson and Goliath? Where do you think I got those from? LOL though I did some very careful selecting at the LFS to get them). No matter where you get them from you can get some really good or not so good where ever you go. Even the best breeders will get some defective fish not so great fish in a batch, somethings you can see right away, some you can only tell when they grow up how they'll turn out.

Tina

[Kindredspirit]

LOL Marie You have like taken the world record for smilies on forums.... I have never seen anyone use them in almost every paragraph..
ForumS?


You meant ForuM...yes? I try not to venture to other forumS...well, I am now a member of BAD, thanks to Mike, Brian, Tad, Judi and all the other Cali K00L people ~


O.k.a.y.... then.....http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_12_20.gif

Looks like I hit some nerves here ~ not my intention ~ just curious if anyone thought they could actually pull if off ~

I have discus from a lfs , Ms. Pringles ~ soooooo.....

Question made sense to me~ and those that it did not make sense, ya certainly had a lot to say ~ Ryan answered it perfectly, actually ~

Having said that I have a lunch date under a Japanese Tea Tree and people like my smilies thankyouverymuch, Brat! I have taught many and........thatz it...lol!!

[White Worm]

Discus aren't delivered by storks!

They're not? AHHH Man! Now you have gone and ruined it for me. The next thing you will be saying is that there is no Santa Clause! :D

[Timbo]

and people like my smilies thankyouverymuch, Brat!

guess i'm not a people

[Kindredspirit]

guess i'm not a people



guess not~

[KIWI13]

Marie, you clown....

your cicrus antics are much appreciated by us on here.... I mean we almost renamed the forum "Simply Shittums"


oh and that rap smiley takes the cake.. LMAO.. i have no idea what he is sayin but he is cool..

J da BRAt

[tdr1919]

Marie,
I think that It would be hard to tell the difference, BUT I recently bought
discus from a LFS that bought in the juvies from a reputable breeder, he might have had 30 or so fish in a 125 gal. tank. My fish (about 2 mos. now)
are much bigger than the remaining 10 fish he still has remaining.
SO it is important to get the fish when they get in to the LFS. The remaining fish could be stunted.
- Tom

[Kindredspirit]

Marie, you clown....

your cicrus antics are much appreciated by us on here.... I mean we almost renamed the forum "Simply Shittums"


oh and that rap smiley takes the cake.. LMAO.. i have no idea what he is sayin but he is cool..

J da BRAt


....hmm....

[Kindredspirit]

Marie,
I think that It would be hard to tell the difference, BUT I recently bought
discus from a LFS that bought in the juvies from a reputable breeder, he might have had 30 or so fish in a 125 gal. tank. My fish (about 2 mos. now)
are much bigger than the remaining 10 fish he still has remaining.
SO it is important to get the fish when they get in to the LFS. The remaining fish could be stunted.
- Tom

I see your point, Tom~ If you not gotten them when you did, then they wld be stunted as well....I think it would be hard to tell the difference too ~ but I do not have that trained eye ~

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[1977]

If there is lfs out there with quality fish I have yet to see it and I have extensively covered a 5 state area.Even when I went to Brazil the quality of fish at the lfs was poor. I have sold some of mine to lfs in the area that were very nice but they take such poor care of that within a couple weeks their awful looking and worthless in my opinion. I would never buy from a lfs.

[tdr1919]

1977, That is what i'm saying, the LFS brought in fish from Hans, I got mine about 3 days after they arrived. so I got nice healthy fish, and as I said my fish are well over a half inch larger than the remaining fish at the store after
a month.

- Tom

[DiscusBob]

That's the key: timing.

I was in a lfs last week and asked if they were getting any discus in soon (he had about 5 horrible skinny dark ones waaaaay in the back for 15 bucks...food: flake). He said they were getting a batch of 2" in from a German breeder on Wednesday. I went in on Wed. and saw one that really stood out....looked like a red panda maybe...beautiful markings....round shape, tiny red eyes... nice, fat forehead.

I bought him on the spot, brought him home...and fed him some live CBW which he munched up.

IMO, this would be the only way to be sure a lfs doesn't 'ruin' a Discus...I'm curious to see how the others are doing a few weeks from now...