How do you tell...

bunker_1

bunker_1

Large Fish
#1
Mar 24, 2008
584
0
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Cincinnati
#1
.... if you have a pair? I know that they will seperate for the group, but I only have 2 adults and 5 fry (1.5"). So, if the adults are staying side by side traveling the tank and rarely leave each others side, is that a pair? I would think it is, but the odds of buying 2 fish from 2 breeders and them pairing up in 3 days seems very low. They seem to rub each others bellys and sides very gently. I would love some help.
 

C

Cichlid-Man

MFT Staff
#2
Jul 9, 2003
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Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#2
This is a video of my pair dancing, minorly at least. Its not the best example but it is an example. Sorry i put music on there because i didn't just want a running water background :p. Staying together is a sign, but also look for some dancing. It could be like they just want to stay together being that they are the only 2 adults.

Mainly look for them extending pectoral fins when the other comes around, or "bowing" to each other.
YouTube - Discus Pair

You never know, sometimes when put through stress then settled in a tank things happen. I have to ask, any pictures? ;)
 

bunker_1

bunker_1

Large Fish
#3
Mar 24, 2008
584
0
0
Cincinnati
#3
Great video. They had some similar motions. But they were never on oppisite sides of the tank, so maybe they are just hanging out.
I have been slammed, so no pics yet. I am hoping to get some this week, but I have to set up some more tanks, and get the basement cleaned for family coming in.. They are not the prettiest ones I have ever seen. They are very spotted, probably why I got them so cheap.
 

bunker_1

bunker_1

Large Fish
#4
Mar 24, 2008
584
0
0
Cincinnati
#4
I saw sex organs last night. So that is a pair right? I am running my tail off trying to get a few more tanks up and running. I was at least thinking ahead and had some extra sponge filters running in other tanks, so there should not be a cycle issue. Two of my discus fry have gotten really dark. That's a sign of stress right? Is it from the pairs? My water tests perfect. They are eating and swiming, just dark.
 

Big Vine

Big Vine

Elite Fish
#5
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
9
0
47
Florida
#5
bunker_1 said:
I saw sex organs last night.
Click to expand...
I'm only gonna quote it here...
Folks who 'know' my sense of humor---really they haven't even hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to that (unless they've been fortunate enough to catch me in chat)---will be able to use their imagination to figure out what my response would be in an uncensored environment... So many directions I could go with that one... So tempting...

Sorry...that was probably entirely unnecessary of me to point out.
BV :p
 

C

Cichlid-Man

MFT Staff
#7
Jul 9, 2003
8,866
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38
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Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#7
I laughed lol.

Seeing the tubes is a good sign, but you must tell the difference between the 2 tubes! Thats more of a tricky part because a lot of times they arn't extended all the way. The more pointy will be the male if i remember correctly (makes sense really if you think about all other animals in nature).

I'm not sure how accurate it is but every proven female i have seems to do most of everything. They dance more then my males, and they are much more aggressive then my males. Thats the way i have been able to tell male from female more accurately, however this might not be true for everyone's fish. Just seems to be a common factor in my tanks.
 

C

Cichlid-Man

MFT Staff
#11
Jul 9, 2003
8,866
14
38
37
Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#11
Awesome man! You're doing better then me at this point. I've had like 2 pairs or hopeful pairs lay eggs but havn't done it again for a while. Now you know which is a female. ;)

Did the male make a pass too?

Have any water readings by chance? Just wondering whats in the water up there. ;)
 

bunker_1

bunker_1

Large Fish
#12
Mar 24, 2008
584
0
0
Cincinnati
#12
LOL. I was too freaked out to take any measurements. I had a few variables. There were three discus in that tank because those two never closed the deal. I did a 33% w/c last night and this time put 1/2 R/O and half tap. The female started cleaning the pot instantly. I didn't know who she was pairing up with so I left all three in the tank until I got home from work. The aggression was insane! I pulled the loner and put him with the juvies I bought. About an hour later there were eggs on the pot!!!

I know my tap ph is 8.0-8.2, the R/O is 6.2. The ph after the water change with the R/O was 7.4-7.6
I will send you home with some of my water when you come up for the ACA, lol
 

bunker_1

bunker_1

Large Fish
#16
Mar 24, 2008
584
0
0
Cincinnati
#16
None of the eggs made it. They kept fanning them for 24 hours after they had all turned white. I am taking that as a sign that they are good parents. They finally cleaned them off the pot last night. I am taking it out and scrubing it down this mornig. I am also installing a water softner early this afternoon. The first 3-4 W/C's will be 1/3 tap hard, 1/3 tap soft and 1/3 ro. So I don't screw with the fish too bad. I hope that the soft water makes the difference.
 

Lotus

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#17
Aug 26, 2003
15,115
13
38
Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#17
I wouldn't bother with the water softener, just bump up your percentage of RO water. Water softeners usually use sodium ions to replace carbonate ions. Your hardness is more important than pH for the discus eggs.

You'll want a GH of 3 to 6 for the eggs.
 

bunker_1

bunker_1

Large Fish
#20
Mar 24, 2008
584
0
0
Cincinnati
#20
Lotus said:
I wouldn't bother with the water softener, just bump up your percentage of RO water. Water softeners usually use sodium ions to replace carbonate ions. Your hardness is more important than pH for the discus eggs.

You'll want a GH of 3 to 6 for the eggs.
Click to expand...
I need the water softner for the house. Having it for the fish is just an added bonus. My test kit does not have a hardness test, but I did get some strips. My water before the softner was off the charts 180+, with the water softner it is 30. I am guessing that the 3-6 is 30-60 on my test since the only reading under 30 is 0. My ph is also 8.4-8.6. My ro does not drop the hardness hardly at all, or it does but the water was so hard that it drops it to 180ish.
Like you said, the hardness is more important for discus eggs, so I need to use the softner. But I am going to introduce it slowly. My goal is to being doing water changes with the ro and soft tap only by Christmas.
 

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