first discus tank. all wayne ng stock. a few ?s

[jiggy]

hi everyone..
i will be setting up a 75g barebottom tank with only a fluval fx5 for filtration.
i have been in the fish keeping hobby my entire life and have kept everything from predatory to tetra community to african cichlid community to small and large reefs. i want to start off with only wayne ng fish as i feel comfortable enough to start with quality fish and not killing them.
i am thinking of getting 10 2.5 inchers, maybe 5 strains, 2 of each strain.

now my question is.. is this a good move to buy multiple strains? for example, if a BK and a leopard skin pair up, will the fry even be worth anything since they are mixed? or would it be better to get all of one strain so that if pairing occurs it will be the same strain fry?

more questions to come as i get answers.

thanks for the help.

[hedut]

if you looking for breeding of course a group for one kind, but if you just like to have discus mix will be ok as long as they came with same supplier if not you need to quarantine them for sure before you mix them.
for Wayne fish you can contact Elite aquria (Dan) he has nice Wayne fish ;). Good luck and looking forward for picture when all done ;)

[jiggy]

so mixed strain fry and adult pairs that arent the same strain arent really worth anything?

[hedut]

well all depend from what kinda cross and sure worth something:D:D

[jiggy]

any recommendations as what strains to keep to maximize the value of the fish in my tank?

[kingranchu]

IMO, any strain would work as long as they are of quality stock.. Depends on what you're into really. What you think is valuable, others may not.. and what others see as valuable, you may not.. I'm still a newbie myself, and I hope to learn more..

[hironobu]

Depends on how you define worth. There are numerous strains with various patterns and colours and there really isn't anything new under the sun. So you won't achieve much by mixing. Most mixes have been done and the offsprings are acceptable. However if you run into genetic issues like dominant pigeons and they cross with say snakeskins, then the fry will be heavily peppered and deemed less desirable.

I've seen people keep badly shaped fish, heavily peppered fish, stunted fish and who am I to say the fish should've been culled. Discus are like dogs in this respect. Although pure breeds are more desirable and 'worth more', do mutts worth anything? Should they be allowed to cross breed? It is a highly subjective and contentious issue. If you do like a variety of fish then maybe pick similar ones that guarantee good offsprings. For examples PB + Marlboro Red/Golden + Red Cover and even Coblat or Red/blue turqs + Leopards + Snakeskin... etc. Just my 2 cents.

[jiggy]

yes thats exactly what i mean. i want to keep fish that will only produce offspring that are worth something.

so what are the best combinations? out of wayne ng strains.

[William Palumbo]

Don't put the cart in front of the horse. First, you'll actually have to spawn them... Successfully. THEN raise the fry up to a sellable size. A lot can and does go wrong during that time. Then if, and I do mean IF lucky, you may sell the fry and barely break even. Get fish you enjoy keeping and looking at. Much easier and fun that way...Bill

[hironobu]

They have a lot, is there a particular strain that is most appealing to you? i.e. I loved PB and RT but now I'm addicted to wilds.

p.s. Breeding discus is not that easy, otherwise they won't fetch a pretty penny. It may take years before you can break even by selling your fry.

[jiggy]

im not in it to make money. im in it for the love of the hobby and fish. i am just picky about only having the the best quality and valuable fish.
i like his blue strains.

[hironobu]

Check out the Color Inheritance thread under Breeding Discus in the forum. Also take a look at this to learn more about how the different strains came about, http://www.pds.ph/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=859

Obviously the list is incomplete and not inclusive so feel free to ask more questions, but do it in the Breeding Discus section so more experts can respond to you on this specific topic.

[jiggy]

what is the difference between A and AA? is there a standard that says "x is what makes this fish an A rather than an AA? etc..

[William Palumbo]

The grading of Discus is for many things. Eye color, markings, coloration, pattern, and shape can all be graded. A Blue Diamond with a red eye can be graded as "A", while one with a dark or amber eye is graded less. A lot depends on the characteristics of the strain...Bill

[Eddie]

If you want variation, then at least get some that are compatible like all blues such as Blue Knights, Royal Blue Titans, Super Angel Diamonds.

[Skip]

the maximum value fish .. are the ones you buy for your first tank... AND KEEP ALIVE! do that first.. :D

[PAR23]

Don't put the cart in front of the horse. First, you'll actually have to spawn them... Successfully. THEN raise the fry up to a sellable size. A lot can and does go wrong during that time. Then if, and I do mean IF lucky, you may sell the fry and barely break even. Get fish you enjoy keeping and looking at. Much easier and fun that way...Bill

+1......Go with your heart and select strains that keep a smile on your face. IF they spawn and successfully breed.....than that's a bonus. Raising juvies free of diseases and keeping them healthy is a challenge in itself.

All the best.:)