Discus: Have wigglers now what?

Bderick67

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Any advice from discus breeders would be great. Two of my discus have paired and been laying eggs for a month, but the eggs would always disappear after a couple days. I had this happen last Dec./Jan. but had to move them. Anyhow tjis morning I discover I had wigglers. They are in a 85g tank with 8 other discus. They have moved the batch to a couple differnet spots on the driftwood which is in there, and are keeping the others away.

So, any advise would be great, I did not do W/C or cleaning today in fear of losing the fry. After this batch provisions will be made for the other discus to live in.

Sorry I've got no pics yet the fry are on the wrong side of the driftwood, so can't get a shot.
 

Dread

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I've never personally bred Discus (although I would love to ASAP) I've talked to many breeders, including Jack Watley. It's pretty much just like caring for other fry. Discus are VERY good parents, and will take care of the babies for a very very long time. The parents secrete a mucus (which I think was recently looked at and found to actually be flesh) that the fry pick at and eat after they become free swimming with no yolk sac. To aid in the process, if you want, feed live baby brine shrimp you've hatched, and Hikari First Bites have worked great for me so far with my fry. Do large water changes DAILY if possible (50%+), and if it's not possible, do the largest changes you can as frequently as you can. Alot of people also reccomend feeding dicus fry ground beefheart once they grow a bit. If you have a pet shop near you, run in and check for aquarium magazines. There's a new one out (I totally forgot which) that is a "Cichlid Special Issue," and there's a big article on breeding discus and the care of the fry, you may want to check it out.

Obviously if your Discus are breeding, you know how to keep them, so that doesn't need to be touched upon.
 

Bderick67

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Bderick67

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Well the wigglers have survived the night and are now about 31 hours old. Anyone on how long before they are free swimming?
 

Dread

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I'd figure 3-4 days.
 

kurtr12

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Put the breeding pair in a separate tank, or odds are that the other discus will eat the fry. If you can't do another tank, make a divider.
 

Bderick67

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Well the male is fending off all who come near, even the mother, most of the time. The wigglers are now about 55 hours old.:) I'm just gonna let things run there course. After this batch I'll get better arangements for the breeding pair.

How soon after free swimming should the fry be removed from the parents?
 

Nabbig2

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Bderick67;1047105; said:
Well the male is fending off all who come near, even the mother, most of the time. The wigglers are now about 55 hours old.:) I'm just gonna let things run there course. After this batch I'll get better arangements for the breeding pair.

How soon after free swimming should the fry be removed from the parents?
I haven't bred discus fish either, but maybe wait a week or so? Remember, they feed of the "mucus" that the parents create on their skin. After that, the fry should be alone, and you can feed them what ever they eat. Good luck man, I'd love to see them grow up.
 

milkman407

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Yep.. everything the people above stated is true.

Make sure to remove them after they are done eating the milk off there parents. I've heared discus produce a hormone that stop smaller discus from growing ( doubt this is true though )
 

Bderick67

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milkman407;1047205; said:
Yep.. everything the people above stated is true.

Make sure to remove them after they are done eating the milk off there parents. I've heared discus produce a hormone that stop smaller discus from growing ( doubt this is true though )
Ya I read that also. It was in TFH magazine in the "Ask Jack" column. "Jack" being Jack Wattley, so I would believe it is true.

By the way I have posted pics in the photo lounge;
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84583
 
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