Wilds and normal discus

[carolines100]

Hope the title makes sense
. I have 4 blue Turks and 4 pigeon bloods at the mo fully grown iam upgrading my set up and looking to add 4 more .
I was thinking 4 wilds so question being as this been a success for anyone as I haven't seen wilds with normal before....
Thanks Martin

 

[decoy50]

Some people have done it successfully but it is not recommended. Its the same as mixing discus from two different breeders - they might carry pathogens that your current fish have no immunity for & you can get sick fish.

 

[moneygetter1]

If by "normal" you mean domestic or locally bred, tank bred vs wilds or Imports , I personally would not mix the two. You risk exposing either to pathogens their immune systems might not be equipped to handle. They both could be perfectly healthy yet could be deadly to one another. That's not to say it can't be done or has never been done cause I assure you there will be some who have 'raised cats & dogs to eat from the same bowl'!! I'm saying why risk it?? A dedicated tank for your future 'wilds' sounds like the way to go. JMPO "T"

 

[WarrendaFish]

Agreed. I kept wilds and domestics together. It was successful for about a year and then one night while I was at work, tragedy struck lost over a grand in fish. Still don't know the cause. Anyway. I would keep them separate.


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[ryansmith83]

What is this mystery pathogen that will occur if you mix wilds and domestics?

OP, if you quarantine your fish properly and both groups are healthy, this should be possible. I mix wild cichlids with tank-bred cichlids all the time. Discus are no different. They do fall prey to pathogens more easily than some cichlids, but if you follow strict quarantine procedures then it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

WarrandaFish, I'm sorry for your loss, but what "tragedy" struck? Surely after a year together the fish didn't suddenly come down with some mystery ailment that killed them in a matter of hours?

 

[neutrino]

What is this mystery pathogen that will occur if you mix wilds and domestics?

OP, if you quarantine your fish properly and both groups are healthy, this should be possible. I mix wild cichlids with tank-bred cichlids all the time. Discus are no different. They do fall prey to pathogens more easily than some cichlids, but if you follow strict quarantine procedures then it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

Personally, I agree. And my past experience keeping discus also agrees with this. That said, and to be objective about the information that's out there, not mixing discus from different sources or not mixing wild and domestic discus is common advice, including some respected sources like Heiko Bleher (example) or Stendker's German web site (here-- or here).

But, for example, in the Bleher article, he suggests a fairly wide variety of other fish (including various cichlids) to keep with discus and these include angelfish. And how many thousands of hobbyists are keeping their discus with all manner of other tankmates without a problem. Certainly, cross species infection is just as possible as same species/different source infection, it certainly is with nearly any other fish. Yet how many thousands of hobbyists keep discus with a variety of tankmates or how many are blissfully ignorant of the advice not to mix discus from different sources and never have issues?

So, imo there are two sides to this and you'd have to weigh it out for yourself. Really, there are divided schools of thought about a lot of things regarding discus, including water, tank setup, tankmates, feeding, filtration, etc... can make things confusing. But also imo (and experience) healthy discus is more about first getting healthy fish from good sources, then keeping them in healthy conditions (good water, good redox, good nutrition and sensible feeding practices, etc.) than some of the restrictive ideas out there about what you can keep them with.

...just my opinion

 

[MKD]

Agree with those 2 above posts. But not that many people doing this because they either like wild or domestic 'cause once you get deep into it, you'll see there are lots more things you want to do like breeding and like certain pattens or strains. IMO, it's very hard from the start cause of QT and / or treat to make sure safe to mix them up. on top of that, you have to make sure wild ones adapt to domestic water paremeter or vs and it's better if you get them same size.

 

[WarrendaFish]

What is this mystery pathogen that will occur if you mix wilds and domestics?

OP, if you quarantine your fish properly and both groups are healthy, this should be possible. I mix wild cichlids with tank-bred cichlids all the time. Discus are no different. They do fall prey to pathogens more easily than some cichlids, but if you follow strict quarantine procedures then it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

WarrandaFish, I'm sorry for your loss, but what "tragedy" struck? Surely after a year together the fish didn't suddenly come down with some mystery ailment that killed them in a matter of hours?

I agree with strict quarantine procedures, especially with wild caught specimens. But still after my experience I wouldn't suggest it.

My tragedy, which I was at work for so did not witness it. Which my gf refers to as the "Discus Holocaust" and was my only savior during the event.

Before I left for work I noticed a single discus hovering on the substrate vertically. But touching the gravel... So I checked the parameters. They were perfect
Ph 7
Am 0
nitrates 0
nitrites 0

Tank was heavily planted, 120 Tall. Consistent water changes, etc. Have been keeping discus for many years. Apparently, while I was at work the fish began attempting to get out of he tank. Hurdling themselves at the cover. Almost like an electric current was running through the water. Or some alien contaminant had entered. My gf frantically calling me at work. I got her to move a lot of fish into a 55 discus tank in another room. But the damage was done.... Rushed home to a mess... Only a few fish survived. I lost discus, plecos, rams, a bunch of expensive fish...
















Sigh.....


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[moneygetter1]

BEAUTIFUL fish & I'm sorry for your loss. I can't imagine the pain & helplessness of being away for such a traumatic event. Thank the stars for a great GF. That being said, I'm hesitant to blame that particular event on mixing domestics & imports. A year is a long time to live together in the same tank w/ no problems. No, I think something electrical might have been your villain based on your descriptions. Severe chemical poisoning is also a possibility.
Like I said above, I'm not saying it can't be done. Obviously there are some who have had success. A dedicated 'wild' tank seems best to me. OP - risk vs reward! Roll the dice. "T"

 

[WarrendaFish]

I Appreciate your comments thank you. I am also not blaming the death on the mix of wilds and domestic. I completely agree with your conclusion as well. I thoroughly checked all the heaters and tested the water numerous times, had it tested by "the fish dr" as well. I couldn't find any source for such a loss..
Btw you should check out the fish dr George Goulart at
aqualifecentral.com

Especially if you're local. Providence RI and surrounding areas. Knows his stuff. Been top of the hobby for like 40 years...

Anyway. The choice is always in your hands. The color combination of the wilds and domestics is very beautiful. And they don't segregate from one another. They did mix really well for a fair amount of time. Either way a thorough quarantine is strongly recommended either way.


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