Was a LONG wait!

[William Palumbo]

Man, I about gave up on these guys. Actually had them up for sale as a group 2 times. Glad I did not sell them. Took them(me) 16 months to get the first spawn. Looks like I will have two pair. I am usually used to fish spawning at the 1 year mark...most times sooner. These are my Altum Snakes(fineline) from Mike Beals...Bill

[William Palumbo]

Here is a pic of them when I first got them 16 months ago 1/24/09...and a shot of them now...Bill

[David Rose]

Awesome looking Bill! Put me on the list for some juvies...:)

[William Palumbo]

Thanks David. Just need to get them into their own tank, and into some RO water. I did watch both fish make passes. Time will tell!...Bill

[jball1125]

Those are killer, you sure did a great job at getting then fat and round.

Congrats!

[VIOLIN33]

hey bill save me some also...they look very nice

[William Palumbo]

Hey Dave...You got it. But let's actually get some fry first!...Bill

[Condor]

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce2: :bounce2: OUTSTANDING, BILL!! You have done good with those! You raised yourself some stunners there, Nicely Done!

Adrian

[nc0gnet0]

Bill,

Just curious as to what you aim for parameter wise when you use RO water to breed. Do you condition it with tap or any buffers? Also, do you slowly acclimate them from there standard water and how long do you take to do this?

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Adrian. Was quality stock to begin with from Mike. I usually just move the pair to a 20H...fill it with 15gals of their old tank water, and add a 5gallon bucket of pure RO to it. The next day I drain out 5 gallons, and replace with 5 more gallons of pure RO. Now I have a 50/50 mix, and I go from there. Sometimes I may need to go with more RO. Depends on my pair(s) Is not nothing fancy or elaborate, but it works for me. Also, I use no buffers...except for peat moss at times, and that is just for the tannins and what not. It's not used as a buffer...Bill

[mmorris]

Gorgeous fish, Bill. :)

[Discus-n00b]

Very nice Bill, congrats on the spawn. Those fish look huge!

[rickztahone]

those are some nice dinner plates in your tank. great job!

[William Palumbo]

Thanks everyone. They are large. My biggest Discus in the fishroom...Bill

[Discus-Hans]

Very nice Discus you got there from Mike, good job in growing them out Bill, hope you get some nice fry out of them.

Hans

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Hans. I hope so...Bill

[Eddie]

Man Bill, those are some stunning fish my friend. Super nice and huge too. I love them!

All the best,

Eddie

[DiscusKev]

Impressive, love the high fin, high body look. You sure have some nice water to keep them in, and good food to feed them :)

[Harriett]

Bill, hope they make a lot of big fat babies for you! You put an awful lot of work into these guys and they are just stunning---some of the biggest discus I have seen in a while. They amaze me.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
H

[Moon]

Nice exampes of SS Bill. How big are they?

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Moon...Maybe 6-7" The height is what makes them look even larger. They are a bit bigger than my hand. They make a 20H seem too small. I will place them in a 29 shortly. These are Jeffrey Yang fish from Mike Beals...Bill

[Larry Bugg]

Outstanding job you did growing them out Bill. They are gorgeous.

[acroken]

Bill,
they are perfect. great work raising them up. the shape and size is unbelievable. good luck with the breeding.

Kenny

[ashaysathe]

Very awesome fish Bill. Worth the wait

[joshuajames]

is it just me or are these altum snakes that mike had amazingly large.i have seen a few on sd that are monsters and ive seen them at mikes place.you have a great bloodline going for some huge fish. best of luck! keep us posted i would love to have a couple of these big guys.

[kaceyo]

Great job raising those guys Bill. Hope they give you Lots of equally nice and nicer offspring.

[William Palumbo]

Thanks again everyone! I will either be moving them to a 29g, or leave them in the 55g, remove the remaining 2 fish, and change the 55 to RO water. Since 2 pairs formed right now, but only 1 pair laid eggs, I may divide the 55 in half for each pair. Maybe when one pair spawns, it will trigger the other...Bill

[hedut]

AWESOME fish Bill:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Harriett]

I think they are 7" without the tail. I have spent time staring at them in awe. They look like platters.
Harriett

[ockyra215]

Bill superb job bravo! They are great looking I have not been a big fan of snakes in the past but lately a few caught my eye.Yours definetly!:D

[pinoysport]

Hey Bill.. LOVE THOSE fine line SS.... Nice job growing them out and best of luck with your spawns... im sure you will have zero probs moving them... even if you wanted to move them...

awesome man


rod

[William Palumbo]

Thanks everyone. I decided to put a Poret foam divider in the 55 with a pair on each side. I am just about done getting the water(RO) ready for breeding. They were shaking earlier this a.m. Hopefully the next spawn, in the RO water will be fertile, and maybe make the second pair spawn. Fingers crossed...Bill

[Eddie]

Thanks everyone. I decided to put a Poret foam divider in the 55 with a pair on each side. I am just about done getting the water(RO) ready for breeding. They were shaking earlier this a.m. Hopefully the next spawn, in the RO water will be fertile, and maybe make the second pair spawn. Fingers crossed...Bill


Sounds good Bill! Can't wait to see these babes with fry on their backs.

All the best,

Eddie

[DerekFF]

These fish are disgustingly beautiful!

[roclement]

Thanks everyone. I decided to put a Poret foam divider in the 55 with a pair on each side. I am just about done getting the water(RO) ready for breeding. They were shaking earlier this a.m. Hopefully the next spawn, in the RO water will be fertile, and maybe make the second pair spawn. Fingers crossed...Bill

This is a great way to make space for pairs, it worked for me like clockwork and maintnence was very simple.

Rodrigo

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Eddie and Derek! I have to admit, I saw that in one of your threads Rod, where you had the two pairs separated by foam in a big tank and I liked that idea! Speaking of ideas, I am also trying the "spongeless" approach for a tank of fry right now to see myself. I did have some thoughts about that before, but figured maybe I might have been inhaling Prime for too long! So far they look really good. Never too old to learn or try new things...Bill

[roclement]

Hey I learned that from someone else to! The only downside of the poret is fry that may get stuck on it, or fry swiming to the other side...with that huge pair of fish in breeding color, I don't think you will have any issues with either problem.

Good luck with the spongeless approach, keep us posted!

Rodrigo

[Discus-Hans]

Speaking of ideas, I am also trying the "spongeless" approach for a tank of fry right now to see myself. I did have some thoughts about that before, but figured maybe I might have been inhaling Prime for too long! So far they look really good. Never too old to learn or try new things...Bill

Presume you still have a pump/airlift on it to put water at the other side of the foam?

Hans

[William Palumbo]

Hi Hans...I just still have the old sponge filters in there. One on each side of the Poret divider. Those Stendkers took over ALL the 20H breeder tanks I have! Which is a good thing...Bill

[roundfishross]

hey bill i read an article today on mondo discus website jeffery y says sometimes the altums can take up to three years to mature fully. this blew my mind , wow:D

[William Palumbo]

hey bill i read an article today on mondo discus website jeffery y says sometimes the altums can take up to three years to mature fully. this blew my mind , wow:D

WOW! That's pretty interesting! Thanks for the info. I guess I got lucky then. I could not see me keeping them too much longer without pairing up, let alone 3 years! Man, I hope the males don't take that long to get fertile...Bill

[Discus-Hans]

Hi Hans...I just still have the old sponge filters in there. One on each side of the Poret divider. Those Stendkers took over ALL the 20H breeder tanks I have! Which is a good thing...Bill

lol

if you make an airlift or a small pump to put the water over the foam, in a few days you can take the sponge out, save space lol

Hans

[William Palumbo]

Hans, I do have the lift tube that came with it. I probably will put it in there. I see there are even better lift tubes now for these filters, that move a LOT of water!...Bill

[roundfishross]

WOW! That's pretty interesting! Thanks for the info. I guess I got lucky then. I could not see me keeping them too much longer without pairing up, let alone 3 years! Man, I hope the males don't take that long to get fertile...Bill

yeah its got me curious about the altum show fish i picked up, how old is he? :) just have to wait and see i guess

[William Palumbo]

I did notice on my group, that like the other strains, they did all their growing in the first 12 months. Nothing really noticeable after the 1 year mark...Bill

[kaceyo]

Hey I learned that from someone else to! The only downside of the poret is fry that may get stuck on it, or fry swiming to the other side...with that huge pair of fish in breeding color, I don't think you will have any issues with either problem.

Good luck with the spongeless approach, keep us posted!

Rodrigo

The fry don't get stuck to the Poret as long as it's the 30ppi stuff. Havn't tried the other so don't know how that would be.

[Discus-Hans]

The fry don't get stuck to the Poret as long as it's the 30ppi stuff. Havn't tried the other so don't know how that would be.

I was wondering about that too, I never had a problem with the 30PPI never tried but I can imagine the 10PPI can give a problem,

Hans

[roclement]

Well I am not sure what size my poret is but since I got it from Hans and the color is green...what size is that Hans?

I had almost no problem with fry getting stuck but someone posted in one of my threads that they had a big issue with it...who knows what size theirs was! I think poret is a great alternative as a tank divider, it works great!

Rodrigo

[Discus-Hans]

Well I am not sure what size my poret is but since I got it from Hans and the color is green...what size is that Hans?

I had almost no problem with fry getting stuck but someone posted in one of my threads that they had a big issue with it...who knows what size theirs was! I think poret is a great alternative as a tank divider, it works great!

Rodrigo

You have the 30 Rod and should be okay,

Hans

[scottthomas]

Wow. Those are show quality fish IMO.

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Scott. I agree! My Poret is also 30 as well...Bill

[William Palumbo]

Well finally early morning, I have a couple dozen freeswimmers attaching to mom and dad. Took them 4 spawns to get it right. I have noticed she does not lay very many eggs, at least not yet. The Poret divider worked like I had hoped, as nothing got to the other side. Not many fry, but it's a start. They both seem like great parents. Even when their first few spawns were bad, they never gave up on them...Hard to see the fry in the pics, but they are there!...Bill

[Eddie]

Definitely a start Bill! Those suckers are amazing! Goodluck with the frys.

Eddie

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Eddie. I will try and do my best. But you know me and bad luck...LOL...Bill

[Eddie]

Thanks Eddie. I will try and do my best. But you know me and bad luck...LOL...Bill

LOL, WHAT!!! You had like 6 pairs with fry on their backs not long ago. Where's the bad luck in that! I want your bad luck! :D

[Tito]

They remind me of Heckels minus the bars.

Nice!

[roclement]

What a nice pair! Congrats Bill!

Rodrigo

[William Palumbo]

Thanks guys. Eddie, my bad luck comes AFTER I remove the fry!...Tho I have been pretty lucky as of late...Bill

[Eddie]

Thanks guys. Eddie, my bad luck comes AFTER I remove the fry!...Tho I have been pretty lucky as of late...Bill

Ah, I understand, maybe move the parents instead. :o Either way, you got some better luck than me man, trust me. ;)

All the best!

Eddie

[jimmyjoe]

Hey Bill, very nice pair you got there, huge how big were they when you got them from Mike? Good luck with the fries, grow them out like the parents now ..................Jim

[William Palumbo]

Hey Eddie...was thinking about just moving the parents. A real PITA getting in there with a net. The parents go CRAZY, and I always lose some fry from being hit too hard, or my dumb a$$ squishing them against the glass with the rim of the net. Jimmy, those were about 2 1/2-3" depending on how you measure. They were small little guys, but I knew growing up they were going to be something different, that I never had, at least along the SS lines. The pair on the other side of the divider has not got it right yet, and they were the first to pair up. A lot of times out of a tank of Discus, after I get the first pair, I usually move(sell) the rest. Glad I did not do it this time. So far the fry are still there...been mostly feeding off of dad, but mom's cool about it...Bill

[Eddie]

Sounds like they are doing good Bill! I'd like to see them babies on a timeline so make sure you get plenty of photos!

All the best,

Eddie

[William Palumbo]

Well the good news is they spawned again last night...BUT ate the small batch of freeswimmers overnight. I was going to move the fry today to their own tank. Should have done it yesterday when I thought about it. It's amazing I don't drink more than I do, or started smoking. Enough to drive you crazy...even after all these years!...Bill

[Eddie]

Well the good news is they spawned again last night...BUT ate the small batch of freeswimmers overnight. I was going to move the fry today to their own tank. Should have done it yesterday when I thought about it. It's amazing I don't drink more than I do, or started smoking. Enough to drive you crazy...even after all these years!...Bill


Sorry to hear Bill, hope this next round works out. I actually don't think its possible for me to drink more than I already do. :o LOL

[William Palumbo]

I hope so too Eddie. I remember when I was younger. Wish I had just HALF the money back that I had spent on drinking!...Bill

[Keith Perkins]

I hope so too Eddie. I remember when I was younger. Wish I had just HALF the money back that I had spent on drinking!...Bill

I'll drink to that!

Kind of late joining this party, but those ARE some awesome looking discus. If you get over your bad luck we might actually have to meet in person one of these days before too long. Guess who those big discus reminded me of Bill.

[William Palumbo]

Thanks Keith. Well I'll know in a few days if this spawn works out. If so, come on down!...Bill

[Eddie]

Thanks Keith. Well I'll know in a few days if this spawn works out. If so, come on down!...Bill

Make sure you guys have a drink for me!

[Keith Perkins]

Thanks Keith. Well I'll know in a few days if this spawn works out. If so, come on down!...Bill

It's only a matter of time.

[William Palumbo]

Well another batch a freeswimmers got eaten again. Man these guys are driving me nuts! I put the male with the other female, since her mate has no clue when it comes to spawning. She lays HUGE batches of eggs, so I'll see. So far she's not taking to kindly to her new mate. Oh well...let's see where this heads...Bill

[Jennie]

what a dissapointment I'm sure. Maybe all the reason for me never to take on breeding discus.

[William Palumbo]

what a dissapointment I'm sure. Maybe all the reason for me never to take on breeding discus.

It sure is. It can put you in a bad/mad mood for sure. But such is Discus. Have to take the good with the bad...even when there seems at times to be more bad than good!...LOL...Bill

[Eddie]

Sorry to hear Bill, better luck with the new match up.

All the best,

Eddie