Just a few pics of couple of pairs from Mike Beals

[Jhill]

Here are a couple of pairs that came from Mike Beals of Central Ohio Discus. I bought 12 and out of 12 I got 5 pairs. Lost one pair to a heater malfunction:mad: But the other 4, 3 are constantly raising fry and one pair are still practicing;) The others are on their 3rd batch of fry, and each spawn is getting larger. Oh well hope you enjoy.

A Friend in discus
John

[Jhill]

Just a few more pics since I know how everyone loves pics;)

A Friend in fish
John

[Jhill]

Here are a few that I have left from pair #1. They were all yellow except one that is completely different. The stripes are a bit broken up but I really like it so I kept it. The first spawn was a small one. Only ended up with 15.

A Friend in discus
John

[Eddie]

Great pictures John, they look great, pairs and babies. Nice little fat belly's on them juvies.


Best of luck, although it looks like you don't need it (5 pairs out of 12 fish). ;)


Eddie

[Jhill]

Thanks alot Eddie, I still need the luck though;) It has been a bit frustrating but I stuck with it and so far it is paying off, Of course the fish Mike gets from Jeffery helps too. They are always nice and healthy and eat like Piranhas.

Thanks again
A Friend in discus
John

[Condor]

Awesome John, thanks for posting! Now I will have to for sure stop by!!!!:D:D

Adrian

[Elite Aquaria]

Great job John...I love to see fry on the parents backs...:D

[prolude006]

I love the look of the last pic....the stripe pattern is awesome.

[seanyuki]

Hi John,

So lucky to have so many pairs.....very envy:D...very nice discus & thanks for sharing your beauties.

Cheers
Francis:)

[Jhill]

Awesome John, thanks for posting! Now I will have to for sure stop by!!!!:D:D

Adrian

Thanks Adrian,
Yes you have got to stop by sometime, You're not to far away.

A Friend in discus
John

[Jhill]

Thanks Dan, prolude006, and Francis. I have 3 other spawns growing out now besides these two latest spawns. I will try and get some pics and post.

A Friend in discus
John

[cveks]

hey Jhill share with us your water parameters what dH, kH , pH you have there

[Jhill]

Hi cveks,
The water is around 80 to 120 ppm. 83 +- degrees and not sure what the ph is but I would guess around 6.5 or so. Tell you the truth I haven't checked the ph just the tds. Then I have some spawn in tap water 600 to 700 ppms. My first pair spawned and raised the fry in about 700ppm. I took the fry out at around 10 days and must pe od them cause they ate the wigglers for the next 4 or 5 spawns. So I took them out and placed them in a 20 breeder and lowered the tds down to around 100ppm and caged the eggs until they started free swimming and they raised this batch. They are 15 days now.

A Friend in discus
John

[freestylez_14]

Hi John can you tell us what you feed your pair before the spawning process and during guarding the eggs process? thanks. You really have nice pairs!!

[Jhill]

Hi freestylez,
Thanks a lot. I do nothing different feeding I feed them as I normally do. Once or twice a day with bloodworms, red wigglers and color bits. If I am on the lazy side I just give them colorbits. When they are fanning the eggs I feed they same regime but just before they start freeswimmg I feed once a day at, maybe 1/2 of what I do normally. I do this so the pair doesn't create a lot of pooh. I clean and change water daily until they freeswim then I only suck the pooh and fill. I do this until the fry are eating bbs then I go back to my normal water change regime, 60 to 70%.
It works for me.

A Friend in discus
John

[freestylez_14]

thanks for the reply John. I have a few questions to ask you. I read your post in the other thread about one of your pair kept eating the wigglers until you placed in a screen to cover the eggs and after they successfully got it, wigglers attached is that true? When you had the screen in the tank did you lowered the water to help the fry attach to the parents? and did you remove the screen when the eggs became wigglers or you just left it in the tank until they are attached? and were there anything that attracts the fry like your sponge filter because it is in black colour? and were the sponge filter got removed during the whole spawning process?

thanks John for answering so many questions. This will help many breeders like myself. Thanks.

[Jhill]

thanks for the reply John. I have a few questions to ask you. I read your post in the other thread about one of your pair kept eating the wigglers until you placed in a screen to cover the eggs and after they successfully got it, wigglers attached is that true? When you had the screen in the tank did you lowered the water to help the fry attach to the parents? and did you remove the screen when the eggs became wigglers or you just left it in the tank until they are attached? and were there anything that attracts the fry like your sponge filter because it is in black colour? and were the sponge filter got removed during the whole spawning process?

thanks John for answering so many questions. This will help many breeders like myself. Thanks.

Hi freestylez_14
Yes they raised their first batch but I believe I removed them to soon because I thought they would eat them. So the next few spawns they did great until they started to wiggle then they would disappear. So I covered them and they fanned picked the wigglers up off the floor and spat them back on the cone. Then when they went freeswimming they were back in the saddle so to speak. After they attached I removed the cone and cage, I did not lower the water because to me it just brought the fry closer to the sponge filter. I really haven't had any trouble them going to the sponge. I did find some yellow sponge filters and I replaced the black ones with them just for insurance ;) So far the pairs that I have been doing the parenting thing really well. This does not mean that they will continue. I have one pair that raised all 4 of their spawns.
As for moving the sponge filter I do not move I may adjust the air down a bit for insurance also. I guess I have been fairly lucky so far but it was a rocky, hair pulling road.

A Friend in discus
John

[freestylez_14]

thanks John for the useful info it sure going to help on my next spawns. Good luck to you on the future breeding pairs.