Discus Presentation. Frank Caruana 2012

Transcription

1 Discus Presentation Frank Caruana 2012

2 Feeding Tips The food quantity and the feeding times has to be according to the age of the discus Feed the discus three times a day Vary the food as much as possible. Include blood worms, beef heart, flakes, and bits. The amount of food they eat within 5-10 minutes is optimal and the smaller fish till 8 cm must show a full stomach

3 Feeding Tips Do not to feed food in frozen condition because it may lead to inflammations in the bowel Choose the quantity put in the refrigerator over night Feed at two or three points to give the weaker fish a good chance of getting to the food.

4 Pairing Discus The best way is to buy as many as you can afford (Or a breeding pair but very expensive) Let them grow up together Eventually pairs will form It is best to breed them when they are about a year old if not older especially the male might not yet be fertile.

5 Breeding Discus Once they have paired I leave them in the big tank at first They will choose a corner and protect it. I prefer to leave them lay eggs there for a few times.

6 Breeding Discus At first the eggs or fry will get eaten. But it is a learning process for the parents Once I am sure they are bonded I remove them to another tank

7 Breeding Tank Preferably breeding tank is small I use one around 50cm long and around 50cm deep. Tank has to be bare bottom, no gravel I use a sponge filter slow flow of water

8 Breeding Tank Add a breeding cone / Or piece of bogwood Does not mean discus will lay on them! The sides and back of tank has to be white They can lay the eggs on the glass of tank Does not really matter as eggs will still hatch

9 Breeding Tank The small tank is important so that young fry can easily find the parents Once the fry become free swimming I lower the water level Parents have less space to move around I prefer to leave the light on or a low light at night

10 Breeding Ritual Discus start cleaning up a spot Female will have a tube coming down First the female will lay a row of eggs Than the male will fertilise Usually egg laying is done early evening If you see them lay eggs do not disturb

11 Breeding Ritual If eggs are fertilised they will hatch after 48 hours, depending on temperature. After 5 days they will become free swimming. Once fry are free swimming they will try to find the parents Some never do and are lost and die If the parents do not darken in colour it means that they are not producing mucus to feed the fry

12 Breeding Ritual After a few days start feeding the fry artemia This will help them to grow better and quicker Also gives the parents a rest Important to feed the parents well. Blood worms

13 Breeding Ritual Some times the female lays a second batch of eggs Where they have a small amount of fry, usually fry get eaten I have been lucky though sometimes the female will keep both batches of fry Even though different size both will survive

14 Breeding of Discus Light coloured discus are more difficult to raise fry Baby discus follow dark colours and sometimes cannot find the parents U can use metalated blue to darken the water This will make the parents look darker and may help

15 Artificial raising of discus Receipe 1 hard boiled egg yolk. 1 teaspoon of unflavoured gelatin. 1oz. boiling water. In a bowl mash the egg yolk with a fork. Disolve the gelatin in the ounce of hot water. Then mix with the egg yolk in the bowl. When well mixed strain through a small fine strainer into a 4" square plastic dish. Let it cool and then cover it and place it in the refrigerator. It will turn out like rubber about a quarter inch thick. To use I cut out a piece abpout 1/2" square and place it in a shot glass. Pour some hot water from the tap into the glass and then pour it out right away. Mash the now wet and warm piece to mush with your finger. Rub it onto the rim of the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to set

16 Artificial raising of Discus Mash the egg yolk. Disolve the gelatin inhot water. Then mix with the egg yolk in the bowl. Strain through a small fine strainer into a 4" square plastic dish. Let it cool and place it in the refrigerator. Cut out a piece about 1/2" square and place it in a shot glass. Pour some hot water and then pour it out right away. Mash the now wet and warm piece to mush with your finger. Rub it onto the rim of the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to set