Re: [APD] CO2 and pH control

["David Grim" <grim1214 at bellsouth_net>]

Liz wrote:
>
The tanks aren't bare bottomed or sterile -- they are planted tanks.  The
idea that you have to have a bare bottom tank to keep and breed discus is
being challenged by a lot of people, despite Jack Whatley disparaging the
idea every other month.
>

Never said you did. In reference to "sterile" I mean no decorations or
substrate, usually just an air driven sponge filter, a heater, a spawning
substrate, and the breeding pair, nothing else. But someone who has discus
in a planted tank and they happen to lay eggs is a hobbyist who has discus
that layed eggs, whether the fry make it or not. I have had that happen with
discus in my planted tanks as well, and I do not consider myself a breeder.
Discus can and do spawn in planted tanks easily and readily. They make a
nice display. I have five 6-7" red turquoise in a heavily planted 120 gallon
tank right now.  Rearing the fry is really the challenge. A planted tank is
not conducive to growing out large numbers of discus fry for many reasons.
Predation by other fish, cleanliness vs. the large amounts of food you need
to feed, fry friendly filter intakes, are all reasons not to raise the
babies in a planted tank.

You will not find anyone breeding discus on any scale doing it in planted
tanks. Look on the web and all you will see at the commercial fish farms or
even small time breeders is bare bottom tanks. Folks using bare bottom tanks
for breeding discus do it because this setup has shown the best quantity
survival rate for the babies. Easier to keep clean, easier to monitor the
parents and the fry, easier to catch the parents and the fry.

Regards,
Dave


_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants