DISCUS FISH BREEDING - Simple Ways to Breed Your Fish

Photo  by g_aquarian 

Simple Ways to Breed Your Fish

The most fascinating fish you can keep is the Discus. Well, of course, this is just my opinion. These beautiful creatures are very expensive and can cost in the hundreds of dollars for a single fish. I myself find this to be a crazy price tag on Discus and I would never recommend anyone pay over 70 dollars for a single adult. In Michigan, this is where I have my aquarium shop. The going rate on Discus is about 45 dollars for a juvenile and around 70 dollars, on the high end for an adult. With the high price of Discus, I want to give you some secrets which will save you money on your fish because when you do these tips correctly you may never have to purchase another Discus again.

The Next Step

Keeping a Discus aquarium is a blast, however, there is more to the hobby. Even know I love caring for my discus, breeding them is the next level of the hobby. This is fun and is also a great way to save money at the expense of the fish. Breeding discus can be difficult, however, with some proper guidance, it can be a really easy experience. When you care for discus you know how expensive the fish can be. This is why breeding is extremely popular among discus enthusiasts. The Discus is great breeders and in some instances, they will breed in your main tank without even knowing it. This ends up being a nice surprise, so pay close attention if you think this happened. You will see fry swimming around in a few weeks.

Time to Get Started

I want to show you some different ways to start your Discus fish breeding process. I will show the easy and expensive option and also the less expensive method to use. The easy option is to purchase a breeding pair. When purchasing a breeding pair let your dealer know what you are interested in. They will give you some options and pricing information to get you started. Dealers and people who don’t mind spending money prefer this route due to the fact, you can have the fish start mating in a couple of days. The only drawback is this method is very costly. Mating pairs are expensive costing between 200 and 300 dollars for the pair.

You will want to use this next option to save some money on your breeding costs. With this option, you purchase a group of at least 6 discus juveniles. In this method, you are hoping the sexes of the fish will be different. This is not a hundred per cent guaranteed. I can say though this method has never failed me when setting up new tanks and I sue it all the time. I would definitely recommend this option for someone who is just starting to set up their new aquarium.

The Mom The Dad

With some time, in your main tank, you will start to notice who the mating pair is going to be. Discus like to establish a territory within your aquarium. When you see two fish defending it against their other tank mates they are getting ready to breed. Keep an eye on this because these two fish will become mom and dad. Now it’s time to move them both into the breeding tank. A breeding tank is a tank separate from the main tank where you keep your fish. When breeding discus fish it is advised to have at least a 20-gallon tank for the two fish.

We Need To Set Up the Breeding Tank

You want to keep your discus stress free during the tank exchange. Use the water from your main tank to fill the “Discus fish breeding tank”. This will maintain the pH level your fish are used too. Remember to leave the bottom of the breeding tank clear. You do not want to have any rocks or gravel on the bottom of the tank. There is a reason for doing this step. You want to make it as easy as possible to remove leftover food and debris. The only decor which is necessary is a vertical surface for their eggs. “Aquarium Discus Fish” lay their eggs like angelfish do.

Both of these types of fish prefer to lay their eggs using a vertical surface. You will have many options of vertical surfaces. Most people go the easy route and use either a plant such as a Java Fern. What I like to do is use a ceramic pot flipped upside down. When you think your tank looks a little bare I advise to put a potted plant in a corner to give your discus some shelter. All though this is not necessary, remember this tip if your fish feel stressed. Another key in the discus fish breeding process is filtration. I use a sponge filter for the biological load plus I like to use small power filter as well and put a little bag of peat moss in the back to keep the pH level in check.

The Easiest And Most Important Discus Fish Breeding Tip

Keep in mind the Discus fish breeding tank is a usually a lot smaller than your original tank. it is crucial you remember this fact. Check the breeding tank regularly for ammonia spikes and water temperature. Check the water every day and clean the waste out of it every day. This practice is very imperative when breeding discus fish. Discus are very particular about their water conditions when they breed. When your water quality is poor the fish will not even attempt to mate.

Author: Stephen David Jones - Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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DISCUS FISH As Hobby

Photo by Jessa B.C. 

Just as dogs make great companions, discus fish make a great show. Breeding discus as a hobby has become so popular that aquariums all over the world have become the home of this king of the exotic species. For some breeders, discus as a hobby means an immense satisfaction particularly when one manages to get some baby discus too. It is truly rewarding to see that what started with discus as a hobby has turned into a lifetime experience and a true friendship. What is so special about discus as a hobby? Apart from the great beauty of these fish, the discus is unique in their social and loving behavior.

Those who breed discus as a hobby will be more than surprised to notice that the discus show signs of connection to the environment outside the tank. For instance breeding discus as a hobby implies spending lots of time around the tank, cleaning, feeding or simply watching the discus. They are said to recognize the owner in time and they can get as close to you as to eat out of your hand. When breeding discus as a hobby, some owners have noticed that the discus will watch you move around the room or even react to TV noise.

Apart from such social behavior, discus enjoys silence and a close community with other fellows from the same species. If you take discus as a hobby, you may want to take into consideration that they prefer living in close communities that is together with several other members. The dominant discus would be the first to couple, followed by the others if proper conditions are met. Even if you breed discus as a hobby you may still have to separate the couples in a different tank allowing them to raise their fry.

For everyone who takes discus as a hobby, it is important that all the proper living conditions are kept under constant observation. You should not use for instance a too powerful lamp for your discus; as a hobby, you’d like to keep them in the spotlight, but this warms the water above the accepted level and reduces the oxygen quantity. There is a short step to take between breeding discus as a hobby and breeding them at a professional level, after all, discus requires the same attention no matter your devotion. Even if you take discus as a hobby, you still have to pay attention to their needs all the time! Refer to  Discus Fish As Hobby for more information.

Article Source: Discus Fish As Hobby  - Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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Tank Requirements For DISCUS FISH

For Discus fish, there is 2 consideration in tanks - tank depth and volume. Because of their size and swimming habits, a minimum of 18" is needed for tank depth, the deeper the better. Regarding volume, a good rule of thumb is that each adult discus will need 10 gallons of water. Larger tanks will also give more stable water conditions, and take into account other considerations the minimum size for a discus show tank should be no less than 55 gallons.  

Photo by puliarf

It is also advisable to use a rectangular tank.  Not only are they cheaper, but are more efficient, because they maximize surface area.  Surface area is the most important factor in buying a tank.  Why?  Because it is only at the surface of the tank that gas exchange occurs.  (Oxygen in, Carbon dioxide out.)  Assuming you have a seventy-five-gallon show tank, and its biological filter is working as required, up to twenty young fish 3 inches in size, or 6 or 8 fully adult discus can comfortably inhabit the tank. An outside filter may be added to large tanks to increase basic aeration and biological filtration needs.

Keep in mind that when young discus fish are small, they grow fast and become quite large in a short period of time if fed well and water quality is maintained. If your tank is too small they will not be happy and it will quickly stunt their growth. Juvenile discus should not be kept in overly large tanks. Being a social fish, Discus tend to become very skittish in large tanks. In our hatchery, we place 6 Discus up to 1.5" in a 29-gallon tank. They will be moved to larger tanks when they get to 2.5", and show possible signs of "pairing off".   Always try to buy the largest tank you can afford for discus fish.

If breeding Discus is a consideration, later on, tanks can be down sized to twenty gallons per pair. At our hatchery, 29-gallon rectangular glass tanks are utilized for every breeding pair.

A bare bottomed tank with at 2 ½ gallons of water per inch of fish, a couple of sponge filters and a canister filter with activated carbon in it is used to begin the process. This is maintained at 6.6 - 6.8 PH, and the temperature is set at 82 to 84 degrees F.  We make 50% water changes weekly, and some breeders will go as high as 95%. Optimal results would be achieved with a 15% water change daily.  Because Discus produce slime on their body, and it is shed regularly, it coats the inner surface of the tank and promotes bacterial growth. A safe bet is to wipe down every discus tank every week.  There are commercial sponges and brushes available to do this chore.

Because Discus are large fish, they require clean water and proper filtration.  The tank must be "cycled" and tested for nitrates/nitrites before placement of Discus in the tank.  Our policy is to use fish such as some of the more common cichlids to "cycle" the tank.  A good rule of thumb here is to wait at least 4 weeks before attempting to place Discus with the "cycling" fish.  If you are active in the aquarist community, a friend might possibly loan you some "cycling fish" to begin your project, and the "cycles" can be returned to their owner upon completion of the cycle.

Discus prefers soft water, due to the constant rainfall and run-off in their natural habitat. We are more concerned, however, with cleanliness.  It is much better to have a high quality of hygiene in the tank than it is having optimal water conditions, though we strive for both.  Discus will adapt to most conditions, including PH up to 7.8 and 350-ppm micro siemens of hardness, but cannot survive in constantly changing water conditions or dirty water.

by Alden Smith Alden Smith is a published author and has been marketing on the internet for 7 years.  His website, King Discus, is an active gathering place for discus breeders and lovers of discus fish. Article Directory: EzineArticles

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The Basic Do’s and Don’ts in DISCUS FISH Breeding

Having a fish tank at your home not only increases the aesthetics and the ambience of your home, it also provides you an avenue to relieve stress. Many homeowners which have aquariums in their houses swear to the fact that aquariums provides them with a sense of calmness, but of course, the fish inside the tank does a lot to make this happen. And one of the most sought after tropical freshwater fish today is the discus fish.

Photo by GIALIAT

A lot of discus fish owners today have seen the great potential in making money of their pets. First off, you have to realize that the discus fish is not just like your ordinary goldfish, they can be quite costly and selling their fry has the possibility of making them money. You too can be able to venture in this, providing you know what you are doing.

Some would say that breeding discus fish can be very difficult, well, if you make the most common, and sometimes most obvious mistakes, then you may just end up spending more and just plainly waste your time. To help you get started, here are a few do’s and don’ts in discus fish breeding.

The Do’s

Do buy a big tank if your existing aquarium is small. For a pair of discus fish, a 27 gallon tank will suffice, but if you have more pairs, then you should get a bigger one, 75 gallons will do the trick for 3 to 4 pairs of discus fish.

Do give your discus fish an area in the tank for them to spawn. Discus fish lay their eggs in a flat vertical surface area at the bottom of the tank. Some use certain plants while some say that an overturned pot will do.

Do vary the diet of your discus fish. When your fish are breeding, a varied diet is important to boost their reproductive system upping their chances of spawning. Aside from the pellets and granules, you can also feed the breeders bloodworms and brine, fresh or frozen as discus fish are carnivorous fishes.

Do keep their habitat livable. This means maintaining the temperature and the pH level of their water. Discus fish tend to get stressed when the water experiences an abrupt change or if its dirty.

The Don’ts

Don’t allow your tank water to get dirty and filled with food debris at the bottom. Any debris left can cause bacteria to develop and make your fish ill. This then will hamper the breeding process.

Don’t overfeed your discus fish. Just give them the recommended amount of food. Adult discus fish should only be fed twice a day.

Don’t be in a rush. Be patient. Breeding fishes doesn’t happen overnight, just keep on trying.

And lastly, don’t forget the obvious; you will need a female and a male discus fish. Try to learn how to spot the gender of your discus fish, this way, if you want to start if with just a pair, you will be able to see if they are indeed of the opposite sex.

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