Newly acquired Wild Discus are very shy!?

[Heiko Bleher]

Dear Phil,
thank you for the "honour" , I appreciate that very much, only remember, that when I am in the jungle (very, very often - my preferred place) I am not posting so much... So be aware of that...

About your questions (I hope to resolve all such questions, for all times - at least what I believe - in my volume II - as I did with wilds in volume I):

(1) For a 200 litre tank, 6 semi-adult; 4 adult ones.

(2) Wild each one for itself (brown and blue can go together, but green only with green and Heckel discus only with Heckel discus). You can add Hemigrammus bleheri (rummy-nose) and Otocinclus no problem, also Geophagus, Biotodoma, Mesonauta.
Domestic discus keep by them selfs.

(3) How low is the pH, depending on species and if wild, and if domestic; and should I stick to just one variety of wild (see 2)

(4) Life expectancy of wild discus up to to 10 years (normally 7-; chances of spawning after 1 year is normally possible, sometimes earlier, latest after 18 month is my experience. If you get an young adult (from last season, born February-March and you get it fresh import of such a fish during January-March, and you do it all right, they might spawn right aways, as that is their time they spawn in nature and naturally have an inner clock that works very well with wilds).

You are welcome,

Heiko
www.aquapress-bleher.com

[Toshika]

Hi Heiko,
Then for my case what do since i have different breeds together in a tank? Yes, my domestic discus is a female and i intend to breed them. She laid some eggs my tank last week but ate it up after 1 day and i gues the male is not mature yet...

[Heiko Bleher]

Hi Phil,

you can alway try and leave it as it it. If the first eggs are eaten, that is not problem, this can happen several times (even up to 10 times is normal), until the discus have really acclimatized and feel secure in their environment. They even do that in nature.

best regards

Heiko Bleher

[AngelAddick]

Heiko,
Thank you very much for your replies. I was borrowing Toshika's thread to ask you the questions but your answers are very helpful, thank you.

I am aware you spend a lot of time in the jungle and rivers. I hope one day to be able to take part in one of your expeditions, there are many hobbyists here in Singapore and Malaysia who dream of going to collect fish in the Amazons. It is a dream!

Good luck and stay safe!

Phil

[Toshika]

Hi Heiko,
guess are probably moving from country to country again...like you said in your discuspassion,late again....haha..anyway i finished reading your 10 lessons and found them very helpful. Problem is that i have already mixed the different types of species together. I want to encourage you that what you are doing is indeed very helpful to people like us without experience and knowledge of wild fishes. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.

[Heiko Bleher]

Hi Toshika,

just returned for a few days. Thank you for your nice comments and I am always very happy when I can be helpful.
I was raised this way, my grandfather and mother, both doing the same, never looked for the money, but first to be helpful... I learned it all from them and hope to still do it for along time and pass this message one.

Thanks again, and all the best

Heiko