Rio Manacapura

[Cuchulainn]

I told you guys/gals they were coming....questions that is. Just needed that tenth post(thanks Warlock4169)you made it so easy to do lol
So, I picked up 4 wilds from Spencer Jacks here in wpg. Will be picking up a couple more which brings me to my first question.

Which is better suited for a positive demeanor, 6 or 7 discus in total? They will all be the same type.

Can I feed strictly fresh frozen foods like market shrimp, cod, bloodworms.e.t.c. Or is it best to use mix's? I do however want to introduce a small percentage of fruit, and vegetables into their diet, so am thinking one of the excellent seafood recipes I've found on here.
I'm assuming a frozen slurry of foods would be most desired?

Also wondering what most peoples do with there canister filters and HOBS. Do you turn them off for 30 minutes or so while the discus feed? Or I'm thinking some sort of pre filter over the intake would suffice. Ideas?

Oh yah one more. What does everyone suggest I use for wiping the inside glass down a couple tymes a week. Magnet cleaner work well enough? Or maybe a sponge? Sorry, I've just never even known I had to do this till recently. :confused:

Anyways that's it for round one of question period.;) Thanks for the input everyone!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWb4xlgC2OI/AAAAAAAAANo/eJFpwuD5mg4/s800/SNC00522.jpghttp://

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWaDS-yNcaI/AAAAAAAAAMM/dwlaLII1YEE/s800/SNC00415.jpghttp://

[William Palumbo]

Pics did not show up. 7 Discus is better provided you have a large enough tank to house them. Feeding is probably best done with a good mix. Much easier to feed. FBW's are a nice treat or snack. You are correct in putting a sponge pre-filter over your filter intake. The couple HOB's I have I never shut off...but have pre-filters. I use sponges and plain paper towels to do my wipe downs. Whatever you use, make sure it's fish safe...no soaps or chems added, especially when looking at sponges/scrubbies...Bill

[Cuchulainn]

Thanks Bill! Yah, guess I can't post pics up quite yet. Need to make a few more posts first. Judgement day for the discus will have to wait! ;) 7 discus it is then. They will be housed in a 120. 4 of them are in there now. The other 3 will be next week hopefully. Was thinking about just using an Aquaclear sponge, and maybe one of the left over scrubbies I bought to put in my canister a couple years ago. They are soap/additive free

[William Palumbo]

Sounds good!...Bill

[vera]

here u go , hope u dont mind me posting yr picture , the other image has a broken link
beautiful colors !

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWb4xlgC2OI/AAAAAAAAANo/eJFpwuD5mg4/s800/SNC00522.jpg

[William Palumbo]

Not THAT bad...seen worse...Bill

[Cuchulainn]

No Vera thanks very much. I went to bed last night thinking...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWfVTYeyEZI/AAAAAAAAAOc/tolDPTE-yHY/3015_this_20thread_20is_20useless_20without_20pich ers.jpg

[Eddie]

Pics did not show up. 7 Discus is better provided you have a large enough tank to house them. Feeding is probably best done with a good mix. Much easier to feed. FBW's are a nice treat or snack. You are correct in putting a sponge pre-filter over your filter intake. The couple HOB's I have I never shut off...but have pre-filters. I use sponges and plain paper towels to do my wipe downs. Whatever you use, make sure it's fish safe...no soaps or chems added, especially when looking at sponges/scrubbies...Bill

Ditto

[vera]

No Vera thanks very much. I went to bed last night thinking...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWfVTYeyEZI/AAAAAAAAAOc/tolDPTE-yHY/3015_this_20thread_20is_20useless_20without_20pich ers.jpg


lol , wilds collector at far right ? :)

[Eddie]

lol , wilds collector at far right ? :)


LOL, is that a discus in your pocket or are you happy to see me!

[Len]

....So, I picked up 4 wilds from Spencer Jacks here in wpg. Will be picking up a couple more which brings me to my first question.

Which is better suited for a positive demeanor, 6 or 7 discus in total? They will all be the same type.



Which of Spencer's fish did you get? I ask because that's where I got my wilds browns from a couple weeks ago, and was still tempted to try some of the others.

[vera]

LOL, is that a discus in your pocket or are you happy to see me!

LMAO

[Cuchulainn]

Lol, oh I hope it a discus in the pocket!


Which of Spencer's fish did you get? I ask because that's where I got my wilds browns from a couple weeks ago, and was still tempted to try some of the others.
Nice Len, I saw the browns Spence had in they were great looking fish. I picked up 4 of the Manacapura. I'm not really sure what kind they are though....i.d?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWaDS-yNcaI/AAAAAAAAAPs/l6w4nxP65LY/s800/SNC00415.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWfgS81mKpI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/Pn1Z-XZtEUI/s800/SNC00518.jpg

[Cuchulainn]

A couple more.....
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWfhq8XSUrI/AAAAAAAAAQY/ct3AeNqWTrs/s800/SNC00431.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWfh8O_avFI/AAAAAAAAAQs/Ig8TMx-LkcM/s576/SNC00429.jpg

[Cuchulainn]

Not THAT bad...seen worse...Bill

Oh come on now Bill, that was hardly even a jab ;) I can roll with the punches. What is it specifically about these lads and lasses that makes them good or....not so good? I'm curious, because I do not know.
Also, I believe they are Heraldi Rio Manacapura. Does this sound correct?

[eco-mod]

Good looking fish, any full tank shots you could throw ip at all?

[Cuchulainn]

Heres a couple older photos. Still figuring out which plants are staying now with the increased temperature(84), and the recent decrease in light since introducing the discus. I recently added a black background which I like better. Will try and post a more recent FTS in the next couple days.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWZ8FYcJTII/AAAAAAAAATE/dYlbLHRM0b4/s800/120%20%20at%20night%20017.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWZ8Wbj6dpI/AAAAAAAAALA/LjgIP-BNXzs/s800/120%20%20at%20night%20029.jpg

[Kingdom Come Discus]

I like that tank!!!!

[roybo]

Sweet fish!

[Cuchulainn]

Here's a couple more recent crappy cell phone photos after I added a black background and a few Valls to help cover some of the white silicone used on the flooded overflow.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TXbn0pd1mKI/AAAAAAAAAVE/n06K9ykpHks/s800/SNC00604.jpg

[Cuchulainn]

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TXbnmzqSCWI/AAAAAAAAAUs/83t6_jSaor0/s800/SNC00608.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TXbmtfD7JLI/AAAAAAAAAUo/rm6loPiky5g/s800/SNC00602.jpg

[Cuchulainn]

I like that tank!!!!

Thanks! ;) Been up and running for about a year, with the intent to stock it with wilds, but had to wait till quite recently to finally get the discus I was after


Sweet fish!

Yah Spencer Jack brought in some colorful guys/gals for sure. I was just lucky to show up when I did.

[Second Hand Pat]

Man, I like your tank and the wilds look great. Some nice color on those guys.

[Cuchulainn]

Man, I like your tank and the wilds look great. Some nice color on those guys.

Thank you Pat! After seeing those Alenquers of yours, it makes me want to mix it up a little now and add some in with the heraldi. That is, if I can find some ;)

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Cuchulainn, I guess we are coming out of the wilds season. I would not mind adding a couple more myself.

[Cuchulainn]

Thanks Cuchulainn, I guess we are coming out of the wilds season. I would not mind adding a couple more myself.

I feels yah, its now or wait for yet another year. I can get some green tefes, but there so small-too small to add in with the Heraldi's me thinks. Perhaps if/when your Alenquers spawn, you'll consider me for some of the F1 fry ;)

[Second Hand Pat]

I feels yah, its now or wait for yet another year. I can get some green tefes, but there so small-too small to add in with the Heraldi's me thinks. Perhaps if/when your Alenquers spawn, you'll consider me for some of the F1 fry ;)

Sure, could meet you at the border. :)

[Cuchulainn]

Sure, could meet you at the border. :)

LOL ohh ok cool. Although its been years since I've been to Florida. Like Johnny Cash said, it may be tyme to go down to Florida and get some sand in my shoes! ;)

[Second Hand Pat]

...and there is always Disney. I'm about 30 min from it.

[Cuchulainn]

Woot Disney! It was so expensive when I went in '88, can only imagine what it costs nowadays....nah think I would rather spend my cash on more discus! ;)

[jimg]

Nice! I like the layout too

[Second Hand Pat]

Woot Disney! It was so expensive when I went in '88, can only imagine what it costs nowadays....nah think I would rather spend my cash on more discus! ;)

Ditto, prices are insane. I only go when we have folks from out of town.

[Cuchulainn]

Nice! I like the layout too

Thanks Jimg! I would really like to find one large piece of driftwood instead of many smaller pieces like I have now. Well see what the universe provides me when I go on my next canoe trip this spring! ;)

[jimg]

Thanks Jimg! I would really like to find one large piece of driftwood instead of many smaller pieces like I have now. Well see what the universe provides me when I go on my next canoe trip this spring! ;)

That would look nice too, especially when the red lotus grow around it. Makes me want to set my planted tank back up!.....as a matter of fact that's just what I'll start tomorrow!

[Cuchulainn]

That would look nice too, especially when the red lotus grow around it. Makes me want to set my planted tank back up!.....as a matter of fact that's just what I'll start tomorrow!

Being the start of the weekend...its a perfect tyme to start uP yet another tank! ;)
That red lotus grows like a bad weed. There's four in the tank, two more I've given away-all from the same bulb. All under low light about 23" from lamp to substrate

[Cuchulainn]

Here's pics of some of the other Discus tank inhabitants:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TYYOm8vm52I/AAAAAAAAAXI/MCNxIX2AjqA/s576/SNC00438.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TYYPhqib4uI/AAAAAAAAAXM/KHoWoQ39fgk/s800/fisheees%20and%20stuff%20018.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_0Y_b-kAwRBY/TWaFxmv_eOI/AAAAAAAAANY/vrAtBm0ge_4/s576/SNC00353.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

Cuchulainn, Those are south american puffers in your first picture? Interesting choice for a discus tank. How are they getting on with your discus?

[Cuchulainn]

Yep Pat, they are indeed S.A. puffs. They were the original inhabitants of the tank. My intent was to move them when I finally got the discus. Introducing the discus with the puffs-expecting the worst, became quite apparent that the discus reign. The puffers definitely veer out of the way for the oncoming discus. They have no damage to their fins whatsoever, but of course will be monitoring this for any changes. I also have a few adult guppies in the tank that constantly breed. The puffers love to eat the fry and keep on top of population control, and will eat any of the Neocaridina wild species shrimp they can get there beak around. During feeding tymes the puffers and discus come up to the glass like puppies, swimming between each other without aggression. The puffers give the right of way to the discus everytyme when it comes to food. Like I said, I will of course be watching closely for any changes as the fish grow. Contrary to popular belief Colomesus Asellus arn't the little diablos like some of their cousins. Of course I understand your concerns, they were not so different I'm sure than mine own ;)

[Second Hand Pat]

I actually think they are kind of neat and you obviously are keep abreast of any issues. They are a complex little fish...lots of interesting behaviors?

[Cuchulainn]

Mos def interesting behaviors, especially in groups. The sometymes necessary puffer dentistry is alot less fun though, I was a bit of a nervous wreck the first go round!

[Second Hand Pat]

Their teeth keep growing? Lots of snails help with that? Nervous wreck?...how come. I obviously do NOT know much about these guys.

Do you have to file the teeth?

[Cuchulainn]

Yes from what I've read their teeth continue to grow kinda like a beaver needing wood, the puffs need something to keep their beak trimmed otherwise they start to look like a gnarled snaggletooth! ;) the snails help alot, but still have had to perform the trimming on two of the three. The third slightly larger one does not seem to need the trimming. Perhaps the other two will learn from his behaviors. One can only hope, as they like to mirror each others movements thru out the tank.
Nervous...well mostly because of there size and not wanting to hurt them as I hold them in my hand, just below the water line so the water doesn't distort my view. Those beaks are small and the gum lines the same color. I trim with there very own pair of stainless nail clippers.;) Quick and simple after doing it the first tyme. The puffs don't even seem to mind terribly.