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>

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>