A Blessing or a Curse...

[BrianNY]

or, "what's new in the fish life of BrianNY".

I've a friend who had a spectacular discus hatchery here on Long Island. A while back he informed me he was moving to northern WI (which seems like an odd place to breed discus), because he wanted a more rural life and he could reduce his expenses (taxes alone on LI are ridiculous).

He asked me to do him a favor. He only wanted to keep his best breeding pairs and would I care for them until his new hatchery in WI was completed. In the deal I was going to get lots of equipment as I didn't have the tanks to house all of the fish he wanted to keep. So...prior to his move he began dropping off tanks, stands, filters and of course his prize discus. Fifteen pair to be exact. Hey, I was happy to help him out as I knew he just couldn't cart them there with the moving van and I was getting some 1st rate stuff. I would have done it for nothing, but it still seemed like a win/win.

The plan was he was going to fly back to NY, spend a few days here, pack up his fish and air freight them home when his new hatchery was completed by early October. A few weeks ago he told me construction was slower than expected (we all know how that can happen), and he didn't want to fly the fish during the winter months. Would I keep them until spring? Because I'm his friend and because he'd always been so helpful to me I said sure. Besides, what was I going to do, throw them out? Well anyway I began to think something wasn't right.

Today I got an email from him. He told me he was quitting the discus breeding business for a while. He was glad his best fish had a good home and I should start breeding them because he was giving them to me. 8O

 

[robertmarda]

I'd count it a blessing if you like the fish unless you can't afford to keep them.

 

[madasafish]

Holy lord! You get to keep those beauties? Lucky dog. No curse.

 

[Sara]

A curse?!? No way!

Congrats on your brand new big-time discus op!!!

I'll be expecting patented BrianNY discus babies at my door any day now

 

[QTOFFER]

Brian, I'd call it a blessing for the fish involved, as well as a blessing for the aquarists who would become your customers, should you decide to seriously get into the discus breeding business!

So, how many total gallons do you have now? And how long does it take to maintain it all?

 

[BrianNY]

You've hit the nail on the head QTOFFER. ATM it takes me just under an hour a day to take care of the following:

125 gal - 12 discus, 65 gal - 8 discus, 55 gal - 11 discus, 50 gal - 7 juveniles,
(4) 29 gal - 1 pair each.

This doesn't include my 125 & 55 gal planted tanks and my (2) 20 gal pleco tanks.

My electric bill is up $75 a month and I'm flying live worms in from California monthly. As something temporary I can live with it, but if I expand...... 8O . Be that is it may, I'm already fantasizing about the fishroom to be built. And you guys thought you had MTS. *LOL*

 

[TankGirl]

OMG, Brian, this is phenomenal! I can't think of a better chap for this to happen to

Secretly, or not so secretly, it is something you were dreaming of, but maybe had hesitation for this or that reason, and now the opportunity has fallen into your lap and I know you will step up to the plate handily. It is scary and exciting at the same time, and to me that means it is worth putting effort into. Haven't I told you we would all be keeping the special BrianNY brand of discus one day?

Like everyone said to me when I told them I was having twins, "Better you than me!"

 

[Menagerie]

Oh my!!! I wondered if things were going to work out this way! Well, they better start breeding and paying for themselves!!

 

[rubysoho]

wow, I wish I could visit your place just to see all those tanks and all those discus!!! I love those fish and if I had the time and money, I'd have one or two of my own. Congrats

 

[nfeagle5]

That sounds amazing
If you can sucessfully breed maybe 25-30 fish you will be able to pay off any debt you have accummulated with these fish.
BTW what is the average selling price for Discus?

 

[rubysoho]

my LFS sells little ones (about two inches long) for 39.99 here in north carolina

 

[webmoose]

The Discus Midas Touch! I hope it works out for you. Might have to start advertising some of the adults... 8O

Mooose

 

[BrianNY]

Better me than you TG? I sure wish you lived closer. I'm going to need an apprentice. LOL

And rubysoho, anyone visiting LI is welcome to come over and see my fish.

As far as price - It depends on the size and strain of the discus. I imagine I could get over $50 each for snowwhite butterflies or leopard snakeskins around 2". Looks like I'll be burning up the phone line to Wisconsin. I'm going to need lots of help.

 

[webmoose]

When I read your post Brian I imagined the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" With the buckets of water for water changes!!!

Mooose

 

[kenor33]

that is awesome BrianNY you are the best man for the job and I will personally set up a Discus tank in the future If I get a chance to get some of those one-of-kind BrianNY Discus babies in the future

 

[BrianNY]

The people on this forum are just the nicest. Thanks

 

[cdawson]

I'd count it a blessing if you like the fish unless you can't afford to keep them.

he sure will if he gets them all to keep breeding!


CHA-CHING!

 

[BrianNY]

Here's an update........Or, OMG I need more tanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frank told me he could turn the discus spawns on and off at will. To induce spawning he would mix RO and tap water until he got a reading of just under 100 microsiemens. To shut the spawning off he would do his water changes with straight tap water. Well my water must be quite different because this doesn't work for me.

My dilemma is that I now have several pairs spawning in the same tank and the stress levels and aggression towards the poor discus that aren't spawning are incredible. I have no more tank space to keep giving pairs their own tank . I'm still months away from starting my fishroom. $$$$ Yet, I can't bear to part with ANY of these fish.

Apparently my tap water (at times), is low enough in TDS to induce spawning but still too high to raise any hatches. That's a good thing as I'm not ready to start raising the fry now anyway.

Here's some "bad" pics of what's going on at either end of my 75 gallon tank!

 

[rubysoho]

what aboubt putting up divides in tanks with spawning discus, or putting all males into one tank and all females in another (don't know how that would work with aggression, etc...)??

 

[MarkLehr]

You can ship some of them to attn: Mark Lehr, Taylorsville KY!