local breeders and a newbie question

[Diver Doug]

Hi All,

this is my first post to this forum, though i have enjoyed reading many of the posts in the past.

My first question is : are there any local breeders in the Brisbane area ? I'm looking at setting up my 4ft tank (48x18x15) soon and would like to get some juveniles. The strain isn't that important at the moment, as i'd like to first start small and simple (relatively speaking), though I would definitely like to have a go at breeding in the future

question two : with my tank above, how many could I realistically keep in it ? I will of course be putting plants and driftwood, though not to the point of crowding them.

Any advice for a newbie would be most appreciated !

regards,


Diver Doug

[TomNS]

doug,

As no-one has replied there used to be a breeder in Brisbane who had an ad in the trading post - just search for Discus in Brisbane and see how you go, I have had a few long chats with her but never managed to get around to purchasing fish off her - will be doing that soon

Hope that helps
Tom

[Merrilyn]

Hello Doug, and a very warm welcome to the forum.

There are several good breeders in the Brisban area. One that comes to mind is 'mistakesrcrucial'. His fish are top quality and very healthy. Send him a PM. I'm sure he'll be able to help you out with some juveniles. He's on the Sunshine Coast, but well worth the drive.

Your tank holds 212 litres, and the rule of thumb is one adult discus per 40 litres. That would allow you to comfortably keep 5 adult discus or maybe 10 juveniles, but plan on moving some of the fish as they become adults.

Discus love clean water, as you no doubt know, if you've been reading this forum for long :P and regular waterchanges are essential for the health and growth of juvenile discus.

We suggest starting off with a bare bottom tank, with perhaps some plants on driftwood, or in pots. Juveniles need heavy feeding, and very clean water. Once you see the amount of waste these fish produce, you'll appreciate the need for regular tank cleaning. After a few months, when your juveniles have gained some size,you may feel you'd like to progress to a planted tank with a gravel substrate, and that's fine too. Just keep up with your tank maintenance.

Good luck with your first venture into discus, and please do post some photos once you have your babies settled in their new home.