Flachen Discus: strain description / pictures?

[mryeburn]

There are some small (2") Flachen discus from Stendker that I will be looking at possibly buying in a few days.

I have not been able to find much information about this strain at all. There are only a few pictures on the web. The fish won't have their adult colors so I want to know more about what this breed looks like.

The babelfish translation of "flachen" from German into english is "flatten", that doesn't help much.

If anyone can describe the characteristics of this strain or post some pictures I would appreciate it.

[Harriett]

I have 2 of Stendkars flaschen--one is an adult and the other is a juvie from this years' ACA. My experience is that they are bluish greenish with some pale turk type markings as youngsters; my adult got progresively a bit greener as a subadult--really pretty. When I put her in the big tank which has a black back, she went blue with some markings in face and body. If I took her out and put her in a BB with light background, I am certain she'd go greenish again. Very nice fish. The juvie is in the BB grow out and has the green going. Hope this helps.
Harriett

[keno]

This is a pic of my stendker flachen, its the one at the top of the heater, ill try and find one of it alone

Ken

[discusdave]

Here is a 6" Flachen from one of my my sales tanks:

[Jessie555]

Here is a 6" Flachen from one of my my sales tanks:


Flachen is Solid Turquoise, if they mature most turn out Solid, some keep some light lines on the body. The color is a little more "Grenish" as the cobalt.

"Jessie"

[LizStreithorst]

IME, they are like a Cobalt but with a greenish tint. I have some in my tanks but they're only 4+ inches and haven't lost the striations yet. BTW, a Flachen crossed with a SS makes a BEAUTIFUL fish. Those I have pics of. One was crossed with a Red Snake, the other with a Blue Snake.

[Lee C]

Liz,
Maybe I am wrong, but are you sure those are Flatchen X Snake? The one on the left looks like a Red Snake and the other it is hard to say from the lighting.
I have 2 of the 6 inch ones and they look greenish and are almost a solid.
Lee:p

[Squiggy]

I believe Hans recently stated on DAAH that Flachen were a solid turg with a green sheen...

[mryeburn]

I really appreciate all the replies, it looks like a gorgeous strain of fish.

[LizStreithorst]

Liz,
Maybe I am wrong, but are you sure those are Flatchen X Snake? The one on the left looks like a Red Snake and the other it is hard to say from the lighting.
I have 2 of the 6 inch ones and they look greenish and are almost a solid.
Lee:p

Lee, IME they're kinda like Scorpions (BDXSS). Some of them have a pattern (always very fine) and some are almost solid with the SS markings only on the gill plate)

[Lee C]

Lee, IME they're kinda like Scorpions (BDXSS). Some of them have a pattern (always very fine) and some are almost solid with the SS markings only on the gill plate)

Here is what I am talking about. I think this one is a F3.

[LizStreithorst]

He's beautiful, Lee. He certainly has much less pattern than mine.

[discusdave]

I'm sure a Flachen/Snake pair will throw all sorts of different patterned babies.

[mryeburn]

So the next question, what sort of color should I expect on a 2" Flachen discus, this is coming from a discus noobie about to get his first discus. Should I expect the fish to be a pale/drab color, only to color up when they are 3" to 4" size? I am wondering how you can select small discus without knowing what they will eventually look like. Or should I just accept that if they are a strain from a proven breeder then they will turn out OK?

[Jessie555]

So the next question, what sort of color should I expect on a 2" Flachen discus, this is coming from a discus noobie about to get his first discus. Should I expect the fish to be a pale/drab color, only to color up when they are 3" to 4" size? I am wondering how you can select small discus without knowing what they will eventually look like. Or should I just accept that if they are a strain from a proven breeder then they will turn out OK?

Just my opinion, but what do I know.

Buying small Discus is allways a gambling game, if you want nice Discus, buy from a rep. breeder. how 2" flachen turn out is for 80% up to you, not the breeder, do they turn out compleetly Flachen or keep some lines??? nobody can garantee you. You want 100% solid Flachen, buy them big.

NOBODY can garantee you 100% if you buy 2" Discus, how they will look if they mature,

"Jessie"

[Gen]

at 2 inches, flachen would almost look like a greenish turq with thick striation all over the body

[LizStreithorst]

Here's a pic of a 4" Flachen. You can expect the fish to have striations when he's young. It's normal, they fade as they get older. At 2" the pattern will be more pornounced. Select for shape.

[LizStreithorst]

Liz,
Maybe I am wrong, but are you sure those are Flatchen X Snake? The one on the left looks like a Red Snake and the other it is hard to say from the lighting.
I have 2 of the 6 inch ones and they look greenish and are almost a solid.
Lee:p

Lee, You are right. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck it has to be a duck.
They're nice SS's though, don't you agree?

[Lee C]

Lee, You are right. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck it has to be a duck.
They're nice SS's though, don't you agree?

yep Liz,
They look like nice Snakes. I knew there was too much of a difference, but just thought they were F2? Plus, I think the Flatchen is crossed to a Blue Snake for the F1, then F1 back to Flatchen.
Guess that might just be the Master Breeder's secret?:wave:

Lee