how i set up my tank and what do i need to help my pair of discus breed?????

Question

i all ready have a pair what would u suggest MAGICMAN???

Answer 1

Here's a link to the rest of Gary P's cut and paste job from a web site.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/aquariums/102612

The main thing you need to remember is that you can't force fish to breed on demand. Man, would that ever be nice! I just lost a batch of Chocolate Gourami fry before they got out of mom's mouth so I would love to be able to get them to breed again tonight lol.

I would suggest you really read up on discus breeding. Read websites sure, but grabbing a few discus breeding books isn't a bad idea either. Maybe Gary P can give you a few links. They are well known for thier demanding nature and that is even more true when you are trying to get them to spawn. You really need a very mature and very stable tank of a low pH and low hardness. You can read 10 sources and find 10 different number for exactly what that pH and hardness should be, but I thing as long as it's about 2-3 Dgh hardness and a pH between 6.8- 6.4 or so you'll be fine. Honestly, I don't think the exact numbers are as important as stability. Keep those water factors stable and even. Ditto temperature and ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Stable and clean is the way to go in my opinion.

Big tank and big filter. Give them the largest tank you can and certainly not below a 55 gallon. I think a 70-90 would be even better as the larger the tank, the easier it is to keep stable. A big filter ( flow rate wise) is also a good idea for the same reason. Yes, you are talking about a tank and system that would easily support 6-8 adult discus, but that's the point, over done to the point there is no strain on the system.

Feeding often and feeding well is a big part of conditioning any fish to breed I think. Feed as many different foods as they will take. Balance the diet as well as possible using vegetables or frozen "green" varieties as well.

Keep the lighting on the low side. Maybe about 1-2 watts per gallon. Mine just seemed to do better that way and I have read that in a few books but who knows.

These are just a few general ideas that worked for me on discus specifically and breeding fish in general. Read up as much as possible and try different ideas when after several months it seems not to be going anywhere for you. As an old fish breeder once told me, if it's not working, change something. So don't give up on them, patience is required.

Hope that helps some, feel free to drop me an email if I can help.

MM

Answer 2

Magicman who cares about him,
There are two main species of Discus - the Common Discus and the Heckle Discus. Both species are from the Amazon River and its primary tributaries. Within the two main species, there are a total of five subspecies. Some of the subspecies are Red Phoenix, Blue Turquoise, and Pigeon Blood.

Discus thrive in a Amazonian environment, and do best in soft water. In order to create this environment, you can add live plants. This will help keep the CO2 and Oxygen levels in check. Bogwood and other river wood is also helpful. If you are intending to breed Discus, they must have a bare-bottom tank. .It is best to keep them alone or with other Discus as they are very shy and docile by nature. Due to their special water requirement, this is another reason for not housing other fish with Discus.

Discus can start to reproduce at around 10 months of age but it is very difficult to determine their gender. The only sure way to tell is by looking at their breeding tubes (when they are in the mating mood). If they are not in the mood, you can do an unscientific evaluation by observing their behavior in the tank. The male is the aggressor and Discus will pair off. If you see two of them hanging out together, watch them and see if its aggression or courting. This is still no guarantee because females can lay eggs without having a male in the tank. I guess the best way to ensure you have a male and female is to buy about 6 Discus and hope the odds are in your favor!

If you do notice a pair of Discus starting the mating ritual, it is best to isolate them from the others in the tank. You can put them in their own tank or use a fine-screen tank divider. This is to ensure the others don't kill the babies.

Discus usually lay their eggs in the evening and if you ever get the chance to watch them make sure you do because it is very fascinating. .The female will find a suitable spot, take a few runs at it and then the male will come in behind and fertilize the eggs. In three days time, the eggs will develop into wrigglers