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| FAQs on Discus Reproduction/Breeding
Related Articles:
Plants + Discus = Wow!
by Alesia Benedict,
Planted Aquariums:
Plants and Discus: What They Need To Thrive
By Alesia Benedict,
Discus Divas, Glitz,
Glam and Lots of Demands
by Alesia Benedict,
Juraparoids,
Neotropical Cichlids,
African Cichlids, Dwarf South American
Cichlids,
Asian Cichlids,
Cichlid Fishes in General,
Related FAQs: Discus 1,
Discus 2,
Discus
Identification, Discus Selection,
Discus Compatibility,
Discus Behavior,
Discus Systems,
Discus Feeding,
Discus Disease,
Cichlids of the World,
Cichlid Systems,
Cichlid Identification,
Cichlid Behavior,
Cichlid Compatibility, Cichlid Selection,
Cichlid Feeding,
Cichlid Disease, Cichlid
Reproduction,
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Brandon R. Foster pic of his Discus spawning.
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Discus/Uaru-related question 8/5/09
Hi,
<Hello Gregg.>
Is it possible for a male Discus to fertilize the eggs of a Uaru?
<No.>
I have a Uaru who laid eggs a couple of days ago, and one of my five
Discus was right there beside her almost the entire time, which made me
wonder what it was he was doing. Can any species of fish fertilize the
eggs of another? If so, what would the offspring turn out to be?
<There won't be any offspring.>
Gregg
<These are my favourite questions! Short and sweet! Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Discus/Uaru-related question 8/6/09
That's what I thought. Thank you for confirming that. : )
<No problems. Enjoy your fish! Neale.>
Discus fry not eating 7/2/09
Dear crew,
<Hello,>
A quick question about our discus fry, they are 3 weeks old and were
removed from the parents a week ago, last night we found 5 dead doing
our daily water change, (FYI, rio 300ltr, 25-50% water change a day
(heated), temp 28c, water param.s e.g.. nitrate, nitrite and ammonia all
nil, ph 6.5, gravel bottom, 1 piece of planted bogwood, external lac
filter with sponge over intake.)
<I see; nothing here sounds problematic, though water temperature is on
the cool side for Discus.>
These fry are a lot less active than previous batches and do not seem to
be feeding, we have been using Liquifry, washed baby brine shrimp eggs
(as we are having difficulty hatching Artemia eggs), and small pieces of
algae wafer at night.
<May simply be a weak "batch". In which case, unless you're desperate to
raise this batch, you could let nature take its course, and leave the
healthiest (hungriest) to survive. Discus will spawn every couple of
months, so there will be more where these come from! That said, live
foods are usually taken more immediately than other types of food, so
it's worth persisting with the Artemia nauplii, or at least, try
grabbing some algae from a fish-free pond so the fry can peck away
themselves. There's a risk of introducing potential egg and immobile fry
predators, such as Flatworms and Snails, so be careful with the latter
approach.>
Recently it does not seem to be being consumed and fish are looking more
lethargic by the day, hiding under sponge in corner.
<Hiding is often a sign of underlying problems: too much noise, too much
light, varying water quality/chemistry, etc.>
Not coming out when food is put in the tank! have u got any ideas of
what we can do to encourage our babies to eat? any help welcome, do you
think raising the temp will help?
<Worth a shot.>
any other food stuffs to tempt them with? try to "shoo" the babies to
the food? (tried before but can be a bit of a disruption!) please help
us!
Thanks for your time and look forward to hearing your thoughts.
<Do make sure you don't "pull" the fry too soon; letting them feed on
the mucous of their parents does seem to be helpful with Symphysodon
spp; I'd leave the fry with the parents a good couple of weeks
post-hatching before pulling them to another tank.>
JoJo and Harriotte
<Cheers, Neale.>
Symphysodon (repro) 11/07/08
I have what seems to be a pair of discus. Last night one was laying eggs, but
the other ate them. Do discus lay eggs when their not mature fish. Do you
know of any books on discus breeding thanks. Darby
<Darby, there are many, many books on Symphysodon spp., and most will have
sections on breeding. What you are describing is common with Discus and there is
no quick fix. Some aquarists leave the parents to "get things right" by
themselves, which might happen after a few attempts. This is especially the case
with young, immature fish. But other times pairs simply never learn. Inbreeding
has a lot to do with it, and if your pair is some sort of fancy (i.e., not
wild-type) Discus, then you may have some stupid fish that will never learn.
Remember, in selecting for non-natural colours (bright reds and so on) humans
are making choices over which fish mate, not the fish themselves. So they do not
get to make the intelligent choice of choosing a partner able to breed
successfully. Often times the humans interfere with breeding process, rearing
the young manually, or employing various tricks to stop "bad behaviour" being a
problem. All this means that the genes for intelligence and good breeding
behaviour are not selected for, while genes for colours that appeal to the
fishkeeper are selected for instead. Long term, you end up with animals that may
have brighter colours and longer fins, but are dumb as posts and have no idea
how to rear their young. You'll find this trend in many fish, not just Discus,
and captive-bred fancy Angelfish are now so stupid that they are virtually
impossible to breed in the natural way. Anyway, one of my personal favourite
fish breeding books is "A Fishkeeper's Guide to Fish Breeding by Chris Andrews".
It covers Discus as well as all the basics; if you have never bred fish before,
it's an essential read. Cheers, Neale.>
Question- Carbon Stunting Fish
06/15/08
A discus breeder I know, who appears quite knowledgeable, told me that activated
carbon in filters stunts the growth of fish. Is there any truth to this?
< I have never seen any scientific documentation validating this claim. If this
breeder set up six tanks of baby discus with activated carbon in their filters
and then set up an additional six tanks of baby discus without activated carbon,
then raised them together with all the other factors being the same, then we can
compare both the tanks to see if the carbon made a difference. Carbon removes
organics from the water. A good example would be tannins from driftwood. What
does affect fish grow is nitrogenous wastes. If the filter is not cleaned then
the organics in the filter begin to decompose and these waste products inhibit
the grow of fish. This is why water changes are so heavily stressed in raising
baby fish.-Chuck>
Why do discus keep on eating
their babies? 2-12-08
Hello Crew,
<Angelina>
Your website has been very helpful, which I thank you for, but I cannot find an
answer for my problem. The problem is my 2 discus always mate and the discus
babies always hatch. The moment they become free swimming the parents eat all of
them, without hesitation. Also, the fry never feed off their parents side. The
tank is a 33 gallon, which is planted and includes 6 Corys and 2 other discus
<This is the reason>
who always are hiding in the corner.
<Avoiding the wrath of the paired Symphysodon>
The nitrite is 0 and the nitrate is 80.
<Yikes! Too high... I'd be reading on WWM re lowering NO3, doing more frequent,
larger pre-made water changes if nothing else>
I would move the breeding pair into a 29 gallon breeding tank to breed but I'm
afraid they will stop being a pair. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
<I would move the spawning pair into this tank... and their favorite spawning
medium... whatever they've been laying the eggs on. Cheers, Bob Fenner>
Breeding Discus – 04/29/07
My sister has recently acquired a fish tank with 3 discus fish and
an assortment of other fish. She has just told me the discus have laid eggs.
Help! She doesn't know what to do. Should she leave them to it/ remove the
eggs and the fish to another tank she hasn't got a clue.
<Sometimes in a new tank, with new water, cichlids like your discus get
excited about the new environment and spawn. They usually lay the adhesive
eggs on a vertical surface. They will guard the eggs for three days and then
the fry will become free swimming in another three days at 80F. Discus fry
are unique, in that the fry need to eat the slime off the parents for
awhile. Keep the parents well fed and the tank clean and you will have
discus babies. If the parents are not well fed, then they could eat the fry
at any time.-Chuck>
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On a side note, I have managed to get my Discus to breed
thanks to you guys and a lot of hard work. I am sending a success
picture for you guys to check out.
<Cool photo! Thank you for sharing. Is always good to hear success
stories!> <<Thanks for sending this along Brandon. Will place with
credit to you. BobF>>
Thank you so much for your help.
<You're welcome my friend! -Mich>
Brandon R. Foster. |
Discus actually let the eggs hatch this time. 3/5/07
Hello Mich,
<Hey Brandon!>
Good news. My Discus are not lesbians after all (they laid numerous clutches of
eggs to no avail. I thought there was a lack of gametes involved. I guess they
were just practicing.)
<Heee!>
Yesterday morning I awoke to find twenty something fry in the tank. Today they
are swimming around the parents eating that wonderful mucus that they make.
<Mmm...Yum?
I tried to get a picture, but that is a bit like nailing Jell-O to the wall.
<Have tried, is hard. Ok well actually, not nailing, but sticking it to the
ceiling...can be done.>
I will try to get some when they get a little bigger. I am ecstatic, and had to
tell someone!
<Congrats! I'm very happy for you! Only another fish geek would understand!>
Mich
Brandon
Re: Discus actually let the eggs hatch this time. 3/6/07
Hello Mich,
<Hey Brandon!>
<<Hello again Mich.>>
Good news. My Discus are not lesbians after all (they laid numerous clutches of
eggs to no avail. I thought there was a lack of gametes involved. I guess they
were just practicing.)
<Heee!>
<<Not any more. Then daggum Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma group that I put in
the tank to cycle it many moons ago, decided to eat the fry. I took the five
black hearted (no pun intended) buggers to a fish store today and gave them
away.>>
Yesterday morning I awoke to find twenty something fry in the tank. Today they
are swimming around the parents eating that wonderful mucus that they make.
<Mmm...Yum?>
I tried to get a picture, but that is a bit like nailing Jell-O to the wall.
<Have tried, is hard. Ok well actually, not nailing, but sticking it to the
ceiling...can be done.>
I will try to get some when they get a little bigger. I am ecstatic, and had to
tell someone!
<Congrats! I'm very happy for you! Only another fish geek would understand!>
<<However, on the upside, it looks like they are making another nest.>>
Mich
Brandon
<<Brandon>>
My discus laid eggs...now what? 10/1/06
Hi I have a 45 gall tank with 2 4-5in discus that was set up in April, 2006.
Today they laid eggs on the Visi therm heater. What do I do now?
<Mmmm... prepare to care for them... wait/see if they hatch out>
will the heater kill the eggs? should i get another heater and unplug the one
with the eggs on it?
<I would, yes>
I know these are eggs, they are brown and the fish are rubbing against the
heater both of them) and rarely leave the eggs alone.
what should i do? if i end up with many discus where do i sell them?
thanks
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/discusreprofaqs.htm
and the linked files above. I would invest in one or two "complete" Discus
books... more modern ones that touch on commercial possibilities. Bob Fenner>
Re: my discus laid eggs...now what? 10/2/06
Hi I wasn't able to buy another heater (too expensive), but I would be
really upset if these eggs don't hatch.
<First batches... generally are a "no go"... and you may have two females... not
fertile>
If they don't will my pair lay eggs again?
<Likely so>
and the heater I'm assuming is only as hot as the water, so would that really
kill them?
<Mmm, the area next to the element gets very hot... Bob Fenner>
thanks again
Discus farm... RMF NOT a directory 9/25/06
Hello,
I have a 88000 sq ft. land at a prominent place on National Highway 4 in India.
I want to set up a discus farm. I'm an amateur in the field but am looking
forward to seek guidance from experienced person like you.
I have read a bit about Lo Wing Yat the discus breeder from Hong Kong. I have
plans to visit Hong Kong in the coming months as you have been making
your purchases from him I would like to visit him.
Please provide me with his address and contact number.
Also I'm looking for financial partner from any part of the world for the
project.
I hope to receive your guidance and kind co operation.
Thank you,
With Best Regards,
S. D. Desai
<http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=PCTA,PCTA:2006-31,PCTA:en&q=Lo+Wing+Yat+the+discus+breeder+from+Hong+Kong
BobF>
Getting New Discus
Hi, I am Brijesh from India and am planning to make a discus aquarium for
myself. I am very afraid because I have heard that discus die soon. Is it true
that they are delicate?
< Discus can be less tolerant of poor aquarium maintenance than many other
fish.>
I do regular water changes once a week. Which types of discus do you recommend
to start with?
< There are really only two types. Wild and aquarium bred strains. The aquarium
bred strains can be easier to keep if they are properly raised. Your choice is
simply a matter of personal taste.>
I am planning to buy a 24x12x12 inches tank for it without any gravel. I am
getting the fish from a dealer who has agreed to quarantine it for me for a week
is it enough?
< I would recommend at least a two week quarantine period. Longer if the fish
develop any problems.>
I am sure that if the discus is healthy I will be able to take care of it. I am
getting these babes from Bangalore which is 400km from my place. Is it safe?
Will they catch any diseases due to stress?
< Shipping fish always puts a strain on them. If you are getting your fish from
a professional breeder then they will know how to ship them in a way to minimize
the stress. Many discus have been "hormoned" to give the young color so they can
be easily sold. These fish soon lose their color in the aquarium and become
difficult to breed later on. As the person you are buying the fish from if they
have been hormoned. I would stay away from these fish if they have.-Chuck>
Discus breeding help
Hello all , I am in need of some advice concerning a recent and first
spawning of a pair of one year old red turquoise and a orange turquoise,
they have both been attentive at watching their eggs but are they are
all unfertilized and now quite fungused it has been four days now and
they continue to guard the eggs although one more vigilant then the
other, I have observed one of them getting a mouthful of food and
spitting it at the eggs several times as if to say “eat you little
eggs”?? my question is how long should I let them watch over these
unfertilized eggs, should I remove the cone and remove the eggs and
replace in
the tank and let them try again? Or will they eventually give up and
clean/eat the eggs? Could it be I have a pair of lesbians or just a
inexperienced male? They are in there own tank with a sponge
filter, daily water changes with /RO water with electro right and
discus essentials and proper PH 6.5 any info
would be appreciated. Thank you for your time: Alex Petrovics
<Hi Alex, if the eggs are not fertilized I would remove them, all they
will do is foul your water. It is not uncommon for a pairs first spawn
to be unsuccessful, I would not worry too much just yet. Best Regards,
Gage>
Discus breeding
I need some help (it is actually good help). Tonight I discovered I have a
spawning pair of discus.
<Congratulations! Discus are said to be some of the hardest freshwater fish to
breed. Many experts are afraid to try their hand at it, so you must be doing
something right!>
So here are my questions. First, the eggs are brownish in color. Is this
normal?
<Typically the eggs should be dark like that... perhaps the eggs are fertilized.
If the eggs were white then it would show that they are not fertile. Which seems
to be the case with many discus, it is not uncommon for a pairs first spawn to
be unsuccessful. But don't give up hope yet. chances are that the eggs are
fertilized. Be sure to look at our discus FAQ area on the site and see if there
is something there that can be of assistance.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/discusfaqs.htm
Also you should look at some of the discus forums online:
http://forums.aquariumhobbyist.com/forum.php?catid=21
they are very knowledgeable folks there.>
They are guarding and fanning the eggs.
<Even if they aren't fertilized the parents will still fan the eggs until they
are removed from the tank. So, the act that they are fanning them doesn't mean
that they are fertile.>
Second, what is the normal gestation period before hatching?
< it's typically around 4-6 days depending on the water temp.>
and how long should the fry be allowed to feed off of the parents slime.
<typically they feed on the skin mucus during the first few days after that they
start searching for other food sources.>
Third, should I continue with my weekly water changes?
<I would continue to do so, but be very cautious. Possibly cut the percent of
water change down while after the fry have hatched. But with the eggs, it's
good to have fresh clean water in there.>
and last what size tank should I rear the fry in if I get that far and what
should I feed them?
<to be honest, not entirely sure my friend had her's in 20 gallon long
tanks. I'm sure that the folks at the discus boards would know.>
What are some good books on breeding discus?
<two of the best books I've read so far are
Discus Fish -- by Thomas A. Giovanetti
The Discus : An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Fish by Mic Hargrove >
Thanks in advance for any input or advice.
<Hope that helps and hope your discus do breed. -Magnus>
Discus breeding space
I have two discus I believe to be paired in a 55 gal tank. I perform water
changes a few times a week. I use DI water and discus trace and a little Amazon
extract as source water. I am running a wet dry with about 5 gallons of water
and have a bag of peat in there as well.
<The water seems fine for discus. They actually only require neutral clean water
to be maintained. I would try a 50% water change to simulate the rainy season in
the Amazon. Keep the temperature up at 82 degrees. If that does not get them
interested then I would start to look at the diet. Try feeding them small
earthworms. You may have to cut them up with a razor blade. Washed black worms
may be substituted instead but they may carry diseases with them so they should
be used with caution. You might try frozen foods too. Small quantities at first
and then larger amounts later if they like them.>
My problem is that it seems as if the fish spend too much time cruising the
whole tank instead of spending time on each other and getting busy. I have been
told that they may have too much territory to think about and guard to breed. Is
this true?
< This does not make any sense since they come from fairly large river systems
in South America>
If so, can I put a egg crate divider in the tank and add about 7 juvenile
discus to the other side of the tank.
< Try my suggestions above. You may not have a pair after all. Some of the best
experts have trouble sometimes telling discus apart. If you really want to get a
pair, then try six small fish and grow them up. You have at least a 90% chance
of getting a pair. Probably 2 pair. -Chuck>
Discus Breeding Space
Hey, thanks for the advice. I feed them bloodworms exclusively. I have tried to
get them to accept other foods by fasting them and then offering brine and mysis
as well.
< The addition of shrimp is a good idea to add minerals to their diet. They will
probably get slightly better color too.>
They wouldn't eat it as far as could tell, but the may have snacked on it a
little when I wasn't watching, as they seemed fine for about ten days until I
got more bloodworms for them.
<This is what I meant by imprinting fish with a particular diet. As you can see
it is sometimes difficult to get them weaned on to anything else. Sometimes the
addition of other "dither" fish can stimulate their feeding behavior. The
addition of this fish can trigger the feeding response and at least get them to
try something else.>
I was doing water changes more frequently with water slightly cooler than the
82-84 degree water in the tank to simulate rainy season. This hasn't worked yet.
I will try larger water changes in hope of stimulating a spawn. If not, it may
be that they are just good buddies and not a pair.
< You might try adding some more discus to the tank. They match up with one of
the originals.-Chuck> Thanks again!
Help!! I have a terribly egg laden turquoise discus
Help!! I have a terribly egg laden turquoise discus that refuses to drop her
eggs. She looks so bloated and uncomfortable. I am not able to remove her to a
separate tank at this time. Is there anything that I can do to help her. I don't
expect to have any babies until I can afford a separate 75 gallon just for my
discus. Right now they are in with clowns (Botias) and panda Cory cats, which by
the way produced a baby. Go figure. Any help would be much appreciated. Sheryl
< If you are sure that you have a pair of discus and she is indeed egg laden
then their really isn't too much you can do. On the other had if she is not
eating and not paired off with a male then I would suspect that she is suffering
from an internal bacterial infection and is very sick. I would recommend that
she be placed in a hospital tank and treated with Metronidazole.-Chuck>
My discus - Follow-up
Thanks for your answer on my discus. But in the same tank with the discus I
have clown loaches and panda Cory cats. I know I can put Epsom salt in with both
discus and clown loaches, but would it harm panda Cory cats???
< They really don't like it, but can tolerate it to some degree.>
My discus has probably overeaten - I'm sure she doesn't have an infection
because of the way she is acting - fantastic color, fins in perfect position,
she is still eating and being bossy in the tank. Thanks again - Sheryl
< Overfeeding discus can be very detrimental to their long term health. I always
recommend feeding fish no more food then they can eat in a couple of minutes
each day. With discus though I do feed them twice a day.-Chuck>
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