To be a discus fish breeder can be described as high calling. The reality is, at one time past that it was thought just about impossible to reproduce these stunning freshwater animals. But that has changed. Discus fish breeders are spreading rapidly.
The thing you need to raise your own personal discus is instruction. Needless to say you will also need to have the right gear. The setup is important once you learn the course of action.
Discus have gained a reputation for being very difficult, and perhaps they are without a doubt. However, the know-how about general requirements for healthy aquariums has come a long way from the state of ignorance that once existed.
So, step one on your route to breeding discus fish. You must be able to keep your tank healthy.
The next move is to find some discus who actually 'pair up'. If you are in a rush, you can buy a matched pair, but this is fairly expensive. It is much less expensive to have your own fish who were purchased as juveniles become a couple. There is no prescribed way to encourage this. It takes a bit of luck, but if you have enough fish, it should not take too much luck. A good number of discus fish in your aquarium is six. This will probably result in at least one pair.
**Aquarium Setup for Discus Fish Breeding
After you have a matched pair of fish, they may start to protect part of the tank as 'their territory'. This is the first sign of planning to spawn.
Since this species of fish typically lays their eggs on a vertical surface, you will need to bring in an object into your tank. Most vertical objects will be adequate.
Then, separate the mother and father from the others. This can be done by moving the other fish to a separate tank until the fish hatch. Another tactic for separating the happy couple is to put a divider into the tank so that other fish can not get to the 'nursery'. This is usually a piece of glass or Plexiglas perfectly cut to block off a section of your tank.
**The Offspring
After the eggs have been laid and fertilized, they will hatch in about two days. Observing the interaction of fry (newly hatched fish are called fry) and parents is fascinating. The parents provide food for their young in the form of a secretion through their skin. The young fry eat the special food from the sides of their parents.
After about five days you can start introducing newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry willcontinue to eat both foods for several weeks. Then you can move the fry to a separate tank to continue their growth.
Your discus fish breeding will not stop with one hatch of fry. Your couple will lay new eggs about every week for up to twelve weeks.
**Aquarium Care for Breeding Fish
All that remains is to keep your newborns healthy. They are usually separated into a separate 'Fry Aquarium' after about three weeks when they can survive without their parents.
A Fry Aquarium is best kept without substrate or plants. This is so that you can keep the tank clean. Do a water replacement once a day, replacing about 15% of the water. Young fry are more susceptible to parasites and disease.
You should continue to feed the fry up to six times a day. Use a combination of brine shrimp and other protein-rich food, such as bits of fresh worms. As they get older, you can start introducing good quality dried flakes.
As you can see, discus fish breeders are busy folks. Make sure this is what you want before you make the commitment. Most discus fish owners are NOT breeders. They prefer to get their fish from reputable discus fish breeders.
As you can imagine, discus fish breeders are quite a rare breed. The successful ones need to be commended for their hard work and dedication.
If you wish to be listed among them, start with the necessary knowledge about breeding discus fish. The rest will come naturally.
Visit www.livediscusfish.com.
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