strains vs water hardness

[shamsoo]

why different strains needs different water hardness for breeding
thanks

[discus_nw]

Discus are maintained in different water conditions all over the world. They come from soft, acidic water, as you know. Some discus do well in not their natural optimal conditions, some not as well, even though the live. I believe that any discus doing well in parameters other than soft acidic water, would do better if in their evolutionary water parameters. If discus were meant to live in harder, slightly alkaline water, they would have evolved in Central America, not Amazonia.

Now, why will some strains in these "new" parameters not spawn, while others do? Perhaps it's closely linked to its genetics. Maybe they just haven't adapted as well. Just a thought.

[shamsoo]

thanks. lets see some more opinions

[Willie]

Domesticated discus will spawn under most water conditions. Some people spawn in RO water. I spawn in tap water. A friend of mine in West St. Paul just reported spawning tangerines in his hard tap water, pH 7.8, 660 uSi -- and got 250 wrigglers.

In my experience, Heckels are not happy until pH drops below 5.5 and will not spawn until GH gets below 1.0.

Willie