Various Questions on Breeding

[AuroraDiscus]

Hi I made a couple questions that I asked my local discus hatcheries. They all dodged these questions, I suppose because they just think I want to be a future competitior. So I need to find answers elsehwere. Any helps appreciated!

What lighting do you suggest for breeding discus for them to be comfortable and not eat the eggs?

What level of traffic do you suggest around the tank to keep them calm when breeding?

Do you feed them soon after they have laid their eggs?

How long should it take before they calm down and get good at laying eggs, when they don’t eat the eggs or fry anymore?

Do you recommend if after a period of time that the parents don’t seem to get better, should I just start removing the female after every spawn and when fry are big enough, re introducing her?

What significance does fast moving water have on discus health and discus breeding? Does it need to be slow moving? If so how can I slow the power of my canister filter? Should I use the canister Rena xp3 for another tank and switch it with the overhanging biowheel 60 gallon that I have in my 55 gallon tank?

Is there anything else that could help with breeding?



edit: I'm buying 6 of these super cobalt Hue discus in about 5 days. The picture of the adults is in my avatar. What do you think?

[White Worm]

Hi I made a couple questions that I asked my local discus hatcheries. They all dodged these questions, I suppose because they just think I want to be a future competitior. So I need to find answers elsehwere. Any helps appreciated!

What lighting do you suggest for breeding discus for them to be comfortable and not eat the eggs?

What level of traffic do you suggest around the tank to keep them calm when breeding?

Do you feed them soon after they have laid their eggs?

How long should it take before they calm down and get good at laying eggs, when they don’t eat the eggs or fry anymore?

Do you recommend if after a period of time that the parents don’t seem to get better, should I just start removing the female after every spawn and when fry are big enough, re introducing her?

What significance does fast moving water have on discus health and discus breeding? Does it need to be slow moving? If so how can I slow the power of my canister filter? Should I use the canister Rena xp3 for another tank and switch it with the overhanging biowheel 60 gallon that I have in my 55 gallon tank?

Is there anything else that could help with breeding?



edit: I'm buying 6 of these super cobalt Hue discus in about 5 days. The picture of the adults is in my avatar. What do you think?

I think they didnt give you the answers because sometimes there is no black and white answers to all questions...especially when it comes to fish.

Lighting should be dull but enough to where they can see things fine and tend to their eggs when they have them. I dont think discus appreciate bright light but they will adapt to most lighting just fine. Lights left on 24/7 while tending eggs and fry.

Egg eating could be affected by many things or nothing at all. Some are just egg eaters and they either learn how to do it right or they never learn. Thats just chance I think. I would think that they would not do well if they were left in the dark and would probably eat the eggs out of fear.

Traffic levels depend on the pair. Some are more skidish with high traffic and some could care less. I have my pair breeding in my living room and they dont care who walks by because they are used to it. Some pairs may be more private. Again, it depends on the fish. One thing will never work for all but with experimentation, you will find what works for most. I find they prefer to be above chest height though. I think it gives them a feeling of security when they dont see someone coming from above.

Some will eat normally and some will not eat at all during breeding time. You will have to see what yours do. If they dont eat it, remove it and wait till fry are freeswimming.

Discus could get it right the first time, tenth time, 100th time or never. Hopefully, within 5-15 spawns, you (they) should get something right. If not, it might be time to try a different couple.

If you have to remove a parent during the fry stage, I wouldnt put it back. One parent is usually more than capable of raising the fry alone.

I use a smaller tank like 20g or 29g for breeder pair and I just have a sponge filter running. Fast current can affect fertilization of the eggs and could affect the eggs themselves and of course create problems for attachment. I would have no current at all in the breeding tank. During freeswimming stage, I even turn down the air to my filter.

For breeding...select only high quality specimens to breed, cull low quality fry. The most important thing that I think is needed during breeding is to know your water parameters (hardness). As long as the Gh is somewhere around 3-6, you should be able to get good hatch rates as long as the male does his thing properly.

Nice cobalts.

[Elite Aquaria]

Hi I made a couple questions that I asked my local discus hatcheries. They all dodged these questions, I suppose because they just think I want to be a future competitior. So I need to find answers elsehwere. Any helps appreciated!

What lighting do you suggest for breeding discus for them to be comfortable and not eat the eggs?

I only have a dim light in my breeder room and the light is shining up toward the ceiling so not to cast a shadow on any of my tanks

I have night light 24/7 after eggs have been laid


What level of traffic do you suggest around the tank to keep them calm when breeding?

My breeder room is separate from the main fish room...mainly only I go in the room only to feed and check on future spawns...very little to no traffic


Do you feed them soon after they have laid their eggs?

Once fish lay eggs I do not do anything different except feed clean food...I like Live CBW (I cut back on frozen beef/seafood mix)


How long should it take before they calm down and get good at laying eggs, when they don’t eat the eggs or fry anymore?

This all depends on the pairs...I have some that it took 18 months


Do you recommend if after a period of time that the parents don’t seem to get better, should I just start removing the female after every spawn and when fry are big enough, re introducing her?

I prefer to use a piece of egg-crate to separate the male and the female


What significance does fast moving water have on discus health and discus breeding? Does it need to be slow moving? If so how can I slow the power of my canister filter? Should I use the canister Rena xp3 for another tank and switch it with the overhanging biowheel 60 gallon that I have in my 55 gallon tank?

I do not like to have fast moving water in my breeding tanks...I feel that the fast moving flow can prevent the male from fertilizing the eggs. If the eggs are not fertilized the fish will eat the eggs. In fact, once I notice that a pair is about to lay eggs I totally cut off the air supply during the breeding process. Since I am not in the fish room 24/7 this is not possible with all spawns. I only use a sponge filter in my breeding tanks


Is there anything else that could help with breeding?

Be patient...the water parameters must be very consistent...I like to keep my PH around 5.5 - 6.0, uS between 50-100 and temp around 82-84

Good luck
Dan

[AuroraDiscus]

Thanks guys so far for both your imputs!

[Ed13]

I think they didnt give you the answers because sometimes there is no black and white answers to all questions...especially when it comes to fish.

You are more optimistic than me then!:). Notice the location, in the US what are the chances of having various local discus hatcheries. I really think they did not know(not like gov secrets were ask and breeding is not that easy so there should not be a threat of competitors) and chances are they are importing or retailing most of it. My point is if you buy discus from them don't expect any help from them, stick to the sponsors here and you can't go wrong.

BTW, nice advice. I find it really usefull too. Hopefully more guys will give their experience

[mmorris]

You are more optimistic than me then!:). Notice the location, in the US what are the chances of having various local discus hatcheries. I really think they did not know(not like gov secrets were ask and breeding is not that easy so there should not be a threat of competitors) and chances are they are importing or retailing most of it. My point is if you buy discus from them don't expect any help from them, stick to the sponsors here and you can't go wrong.

LOL I think you're spot on here Ed. ;) Martha

[AADiscus]

QUOTE]What lighting do you suggest for breeding discus for them to be comfortable and not eat the eggs?[/QUOTE]

We have under cabinet lights mounted above each breeder tank, a large shop light in the room plus a night light. The breeder lights are normally just turned on when cleaning tanks or if there is a spawn in that tank. The room light is on if we are in there working with tanks since we have grow out tanks in there to. The night light is always left on. If a breeder tank has fry there tank light is left on for 24 hrs the 1st week.


What level of traffic do you suggest around the tank to keep them calm when breeding?

This really depends on your fish. Our fish are used to heavy traffic. When a spawn starts to spawn we do try to keep everyone out of the fish room until they are done. But normally when not spawnning if your fish are used to traffic then they will be fine.


Do you feed them soon after they have laid their eggs?

This really depends on the pair. We have some that will eat a little bit but then some that loose there appetite for a few days. When feeding them though make sure it is clean food that won'tdirty the tank.


How long should it take before they calm down and get good at laying eggs, when they don’t eat the eggs or fry anymore?


Some will never stop eating eggs or fry. Sometimes it takes a pair a few tries then they will stop. Patience is the key when it comes to breeder.


Do you recommend if after a period of time that the parents don’t seem to get better, should I just start removing the female after every spawn and when fry are big enough, re introducing her?


Once you pull one of the pairs I would not put them back in the tank once the fry get older. I would the one parent continue to raise them by themselves. I have found the males make a better parent but that is just IME. Letting the female rest and regroup then they will ready to go when you put the pair back together.


What significance does fast moving water have on discus health and discus breeding? Does it need to be slow moving? If so how can I slow the power of my canister filter? Should I use the canister Rena xp3 for another tank and switch it with the overhanging biowheel 60 gallon that I have in my 55 gallon tank?


I would not use a 55 gallon to breed in and I would not use a canister filter. I would use a regular sponge filter and a 29 gal bb tank. You want to keep your tank simple and easy to work with. A sponge filter, heater and a breeder cone if you choose. You don't want to have a hugh water movement in a breeder tank. Keep it low but enough to keep movement in the tank.


Make sure your water is soft enough for breeder (under 100 ppm's) and water temp at 82.

[AuroraDiscus]

Yeah the discus aren't going to be in the 55, that is my community tank. They are in a 29 gallon with as you said it one breeding cone, two peices of slate, and two sponge filters. In addition to that though, I have a canister. And I was wondering if I should move that to the 55 gallon when they spawn. They aren't ready to spawn yet though and thats why I have it. They are still juveniles. But I wanted to learn all this now so I was prepared.


Lol I expected smart discus owners, thats WHy I joined this site :). I'm happy I did. Also none of their's appear to be imports, they raise them all themselves. The two locals for me, I have seen their discus and many of them were actually laying eggs when I was there. There are about 6 local breeders within 100 miles of me so I guess I'm lucky here in Maryland.

[johnm]

I would highly advise that you reconsider purchasing those discus from DM. I purchased 1 back in oct and it looks nothing like the pix. The body is brown and the fins a blue hue but nothing like he advertises. Tell him to send you pictures of them first. And fyi he told me to use 60 watts of light with T8000 and T10000 lights and a black background. Doesnt help.