Discus Gang Updates

No, my little discus was bought from Pets Warehouse just before they moved the Copiague store. They were selling as much stock as possible before the move. I had no idea he would look so good when he grew. I got him [think he's a Pidgeon Blood] for $14. He's the centerpiece of my 55 gallon. I never bought from Han's, i was planning to when i go to a bigger tank. Your analysis seems reasonable but disappointing as i like to get fish when small and see them flourish as they grow. Edit to ask do you think this trait would be recognized when there small [2.5-3"] if you knew to look for it?

 

Thing is you’d have to see them. Here’s the first 6 I got from Hans and the second 8

of all in the first pic the one in the front came out the best

 

I'm shocked, i've never heard anything but glowing reviews about Han's. Hard to believe it's seems to be all of them. It will be some time before i can upgrade looks like i have some research to do.

 

Again it’s his small discus. Like you I do enjoy growing them out. It was fun. But since buying his ive now bought bigger discus. Yes more money but less work . Hans 4+” discus are usually great! Of the 14 I’ve bought only one died. And you’ve got to understand in the end you get what you pay for. In the end they all cost the same. Hans is probably the only one who sells small discus other than local pet stores. He’s survivablity is why we buy them.
But I now recommend bigger discus.

 

Your logic sounds really solid. Plus price is important but far from the top priority. Healthy, beautiful fish would be # 1 for me. I just like seeing them go from small nice-looking discus to beautiful showstoppers. I'm old school so i'm more accustomed to the days when discus were wild caught and the bigger ones were very picky about feeding and the younger were easier to adapt to tank life. The 4" discus are sounding like the way to go. I just love some of the strains Han's sells, especially the German Wonder discus.

 

One of my Hans German Wonder ;

 

Wow that's a beautiful fish.

 

No, my little discus was bought from Pets Warehouse just before they moved the Copiague store. They were selling as much stock as possible before the move. I had no idea he would look so good when he grew. I got him [think he's a Pidgeon Blood] for $14. He's the centerpiece of my 55 gallon. I never bought from Han's, i was planning to when i go to a bigger tank. Your analysis seems reasonable but disappointing as i like to get fish when small and see them flourish as they grow. Edit to ask do you think this trait would be recognized when there small [2.5-3"] if you knew to look for it?

Yes, I agree. It’s disheartening to hear that the worst ones are picked out of the pack to be sold. Hoping the ones I got grow out to be nice and healthy. I feel like I got them on a pretty good diet with the vitamins and different varieties of food. My previous mistake with the ones that dies was feeding only Sally’s beef heart so I don’t think they were able to build up a proper immune system. I’ve attached a few pics, let me know what you guys think. Also, not sure if you can notice that stomach bulge but is that from overeating? I’m hoping it’ll go away as they get older. The bigger ones don’t seem to have it and they’re on the same food and schedule.

 

These guys are from Wattleys? Funny they look like Hans.

 

They’re from Hans. These guys are from Wattley, I think they’ve reached their max growth.

 

Yes, I agree. It’s disheartening to hear that the worst ones are picked out of the pack to be sold. Hoping the ones I got grow out to be nice and healthy. I feel like I got them on a pretty good diet with the vitamins and different varieties of food. My previous mistake with the ones that dies was feeding only Sally’s beef heart so I don’t think they were able to build up a proper immune system. I’ve attached a few pics, let me know what you guys think. Also, not sure if you can notice that stomach bulge but is that from overeating? I’m hoping it’ll go away as they get older. The bigger ones don’t seem to have it and they’re on the same food and schedule.

I don't know, in the third pic the blue one [sorry i don't know the strains] seems to have a more 'rounded' look from the top fin to the mouth. The orange/yellow in front of him seems to be almost a straight line from his top fin to his mouth. 86ss would probably have a more reliable opinion as he's seen this in person. I'm undecided.

 

Well I did ask if they were Hans.
TheK79 yeah there Hans. The pigeons are allready showing lots of peppering. The one with the stripes I bought as a silver pigeon but when fully grown was a dark angel. (It was 3yrs old and just died). My advice is change water daily at 50% a day till around 4”. Get yourself a second tank. If any stop eating move into the second tank. I found at about a month from getting them I started have problems with not eating. When moved all but 1 started eating again. Some say it’s hormones. Sure seemed like it to me. First the wonders stopped eating than the white leapords. Of those 4 only one grew to 5”. Of the other 3 1 died 1 maybe 3” and the other 4”. The other 4 2 hit 6” 2 5”. That was my second group from Hans. I bought 8 at 2.5”. Pictures earlier on this page.
Jim on the other site there’s a good thread Shan’s journal. He’s bought all Hans discus.

 

Anyone here feed live black worms to their discus? What has your experience been so far? I seen so many different opinions where people swear by them and others tell you stay away. I recently started and have noticed a extremely positive behavior change in my discus.

 

I haven’t this time around. Did years ago and they were bad than. Was said they carried all sorts of bad bacteria,parisites. Discus used to turn black and die. Things are different now. All of that could have just been cross contamination from the stores putting all the discus in one tank. I see Cary Strong and Stu both feed live black worms and many others on the Facebook sites. One guys growing his own culture. I know this the discus got huge eating them back when I used them. I havnt read any bad results yet so go for it and if you can let me know how it goes. When you get them rinse them in cold water to get whatever’s in there that doesn’t belong out. Used to find leaches with them. Back than I also used to add vitamin liquid vitamins to the water they were in.

Where did you get yours? Local pet store or mail order?

 

I haven’t this time around. Did years ago and they were bad than. Was said they carried all sorts of bad bacteria,parisites. Discus used to turn black and die. Things are different now. All of that could have just been cross contamination from the stores putting all the discus in one tank. I see Cary Strong and Stu both feed live black worms and many others on the Facebook sites. One guys growing his own culture. I know this the discus got huge eating them back when I used them. I havnt read any bad results yet so go for it and if you can let me know how it goes. When you get them rinse them in cold water to get whatever’s in there that doesn’t belong out. Used to find leaches with them. Back than I also used to add vitamin liquid vitamins to the water they were in.

Where did you get yours? Local pet store or mail order?

I bought them from my LFS. I wonder how long it took for the fish to get sick. I’ve been feeding them for about a week now and it’s a once a day thing, usually in the morning. I started to culture the black worms also, found a few videos on YouTube and seems pretty easy, I’m dropping in spriluna shrimp with some dry foods that contain all the vitamins so that should gut load the worms properly. Since I started, I’ve noticed a difference in their behavior also, less aggressive, less frightened and definitely more active throughout the day. I also figured it’s better for my tank as the worms don’t decay and if they do the plants can use them up as natural nutrients. Once my culture starts going, I’m thinking of only feeding black worms and spriluna shrimp and getting rid the of beef heart.

 

I rarely feed beefheart. Maybe once a week. Instead of the live blackworms I feed the freeze dried black worms (fdbw). It does get expensive though. I also feed sera discus granules and a flake mixture. They eat it all.