# Blue Diamond Discus Fry



## MELLO

Breeding and raising discus is a challenge for me and now finally I got a pair that I could work on. Both are Blue diamond discus. Male close to 7" and female is a little smaller 6.5". Hope I could grow these fry out like their parents. 
Here's the play by play enjoy!
Courtmanship starts








Male showing off








Female finally laid eggs








Male time to fertilize








Done! Time to clean up and guard the eggs:lol:








48 hours later eggs are good 








Wrigglers








Wrigglers moving around the cone while Mom puts them back to place








Wrigglers first time free swimming(trying to escape away from the cone while Mom and Dad puts them back)








Mom and Dad can't do anything to many of them now its time to do the piggy back ride








3 day old fry


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## MELLO

Video first time free swimming. Click on the pictures to watch videos


Finally the whole family gets along


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## Chappy

That is CRAZY!!!! Okay - lots to say, let me get my thoughts organized....

1st - CONGRATS! The parents are beautiful fish. 
2nd - WOW!  I can't get over how many eggs made it to free swimmers.
3rd - it is SOOOO cool to see the change in color of both parents as the eggs hatch and the wigglers get bigger to make it easier for them to see the parents. That is just so amazing. My cuips do the same thing - they turn deep dark burgundy red as soon as the fry are free swimmers.
4th - in the first video, all I can think of is being pestered by black flies at a picnic  The little guys are buzzing all over the place.
5th - when I die, I want to come back to life as one of your fish  I am certainly not the only one who feels this way - you set the standard for discus keeping. Not only in how meticulously you keep your fish, but also in the care you put into feeding them the highest quality and best foods possible and all that hard work is paying off BIG time. 

Awesome, awesome job, my friend. 200 fish at $100 or so a pop.....


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## Chappy

Forgot to ask if you're going to be handing out cigars


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## MELLO

-N/A- said:


> That is CRAZY!!!! Okay - lots to say, let me get my thoughts organized....
> 
> 1st - CONGRATS! The parents are beautiful fish.
> 2nd - WOW!  I can't get over how many eggs made it to free swimmers.
> 3rd - it is SOOOO cool to see the change in color of both parents as the eggs hatch and the wigglers get bigger to make it easier for them to see the parents. That is just so amazing. My cuips do the same thing - they turn deep dark burgundy red as soon as the fry are free swimmers.
> 4th - in the first video, all I can think of is being pestered by black flies at a picnic  The little guys are buzzing all over the place.
> 5th - when I die, I want to come back to life as one of your fish  I am certainly not the only one who feels this way - you set the standard for discus keeping. Not only in how meticulously you keep your fish, but also in the care you put into feeding them the highest quality and best foods possible and all that hard work is paying off BIG time.
> 
> Awesome, awesome job, my friend. 200 fish at $100 or so a pop.....


Shelley, 
Thanks! More challenge to come now. Raising discus fry is hard. The parents are good they take care of the babies very well. They take turns with the fry. Haven't had a big clutch like these before. Hopefully most of them make it. They are in the 40g breeder you gave me maybe your cuips magic rubbed into them


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## Chappy

MELLO said:


> They are in the 40g breeder you gave me maybe your cuips magic rubbed into them


You mean the 50 gallon breeder tank, right??? 
What was it again - 45.875490234291932435 gallons???? :bigsmile:


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## MELLO

-N/A- said:


> You mean the 50 gallon breeder tank, right???
> What was it again - 45.875490234291932435 gallons???? :bigsmile:


Whatever gallons! But its not a 50g


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## April

Cool..they aren't on top of the water now though are they? 
Don't count your chickens before they hatch! Ok hatched..but out of 100 I'd count on 30 being sellable. If you get 60 to 100 quality fry you will be happy! 
Keep us updated

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.235496,-123.184899


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## josephl

Looks awesome Mello, thanks for sharing. Those are quality blue diamond parents, I think most parent discus darken up when babies are grazing off them but yours are still staying blue, which is awesome

I can lend you my turtle if you need something to do with the culls :bigsmile:


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## MELLO

April said:


> Cool..they aren't on top of the water now though are they?
> Don't count your chickens before they hatch! Ok hatched..but out of 100 I'd count on 30 being sellable. If you get 60 to 100 quality fry you will be happy!
> Keep us updated
> 
> ---
> I am here: Google Maps


April,
Thanks for the advice. I know what your saying not all of them can turn out to be quality discus. I'm only going to raise the good ones. I'll see what I can do its to early to say what could happen with them. So I'm not even going to touch the selling part. If I do sell you know I'm only gonna sell the good ones or sell the lower grade ones for cheap and donate some of the money to BCA.


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## Diztrbd1

Very cool Mello! Congrats! those are some awesome looking parents, look forward to seeing the fry as they develop


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## MELLO

josephl said:


> Looks awesome Mello, thanks for sharing. Those are quality blue diamond parents, I think most parent discus darken up when babies are grazing off them but yours are still staying blue, which is awesome
> 
> I can lend you my turtle if you need something to do with the culls :bigsmile:


Joe,
Thanks! Turtle?? Hahaha! I will remember


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## MELLO

Diztrbd1 said:


> Very cool Mello! Congrats! those are some awesome looking parents, look forward to seeing the fry as they develop


I will keep updating this thread. The last time I had Discus fry I only have them for 30 days and a fellow member scooped them all up. Then I went to my saltwater journey. This time I'm really serious about breeding discus.


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## djamm

Great looking blue diamond parents! Seeing discus like these makes me ponder the idea of trying some...I know I shouldn't...but they look so cool and blue


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## seanyuki

Well done Mello....nice looking parents too....thanks for postings the pics.


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## Richard

Great job Mello, It is great to know there are more and more discus breeders here in town. Thank you for sharing.


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## MELLO

seanyuki said:


> Well done Mello....nice looking parents too....thanks for postings the pics.


Thanks Francis I'm sure your BD's will be breeding soon!


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## GreenGanja

how much you selling them for when you do?


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## MELLO

I wasn't selling these pair(proven pair). I got two pairs of BD's. The ones I'm selling is a mated pair.(still for sale) I'm working on 4 other pairs (different strains) and don't need another pair of Blue diamond breeding for me


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## April

I think he's talking about the babies. It'll be a long while.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275229,-122.835528


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## MELLO

April said:


> I think he's talking about the babies. It'll be a long while.
> 
> ---
> I am here: Google Maps


Opps! sorry miss read that...Thanks Avril! lol.. Not actually thinking of selling, price etc at the moment. Will be focusing on how to keep the fry alive and reach their full potential. April is right it will be a while.. If I do sell I will post it here...


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## petfishloversclub

lots of eggs!we will wait for 30 days to see the frys on sale.


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## zooolara

*Awsome*

Well done Mello,. keep us posted


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## bigfry

Congrats! Great job!

Thanks for pictures & video. Keep posting updates pls.


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## April

Alot more than 30 days, 2 inch..two months. 3 inch. 3 months or so depending on wcs and quality of water. Also high quality food.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275034,-122.835431


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## Chappy

Start taking deposits NOW for pick of the litter  !!!!!


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## MELLO

Some more video updates of my Blue Diamond pair with Fry
BD pair #2 decided to spawn too

BD pair #1 (1 week old fry)


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## bigfry

What do you feed the fry? Live or frozen bbs ...

Fry growing fast, good job.


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## MELLO

I started feeding them baby brine shrimp on day 4. They are still feeding from their parents skin.


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## 2wheelsx2

Wow...you're really have good success. Must be that frozen blackworm diet!


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## MELLO

2wheelsx2 said:


> Wow...you're really have good success. Must be that frozen blackworm diet!


I haven't really fed this guys frozen blackworms yet. I give credit to the parents they are looking after their fry really good...


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## 2wheelsx2

MELLO said:


> I haven't really fed this guys frozen blackworms yet. I give credit to the parents they are looking after their fry really good...


Haha...I meant the parents. They seem in the spawning mood. And yes, the parents appear to be doing a good job.


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## MELLO

Thats what I meant too.  I haven't feed them Frozen black worm.


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## 2wheelsx2

Ah I see. So what foods are you using for conditioning?


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## MELLO

Conditioning? I dont have a specific food. But I usually feed my discus with varieties of food. Flakes consist of (brineshrimp, krill, spriluana and beefheart all mix in one container) frozen brine and mysis shrimp, beefheart, FDBW, FBW and frozen bloodworms for their treat. All depends on my mood what I want throw in the tank. 
When I have wrigglers I only feed the parents bloodworms and sometimes a lil flakes. Easier for me not to messy and dosen't foul the water that match.


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## MELLO

The frozen blackworms we ordered my discus are not really excited about it. They eat it but slowly. I was expecting them to attack it like the live ones. How does your discus liking it?


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## 2wheelsx2

I see. So you feed them all the same stuff all the time. That's pretty much all I do too.  I feed mine Dainichi Cichlid XL Pro, Ultima Krill, NLS Thera A, Ken's soft and moist with krill, mysis shrimp, frozen blackworm, and the odd batch of fdbw and live blackworm.

In the beginning they were not too excited by the frozen worm. It took about 6 or 7 feedings. Now they jump out of the water for it. I have to wipe up the floor around the tank. They like it even more than the live it seems, as they can get more faster. They don't take to the fdbw too well, not much better than the mysis shrimp. Give it a few more tries and see what happens. I bet they take to it. It's saving me a lot of money and time.


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## Chappy

ANOTHER spawning pair of bd's  How the heck did that happen  WOW Hope you've got a couple of shrimp hatcheries going 24/7


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## MELLO

You know it I actually seperated the other pair. I removed the parents now from the fry I'm worried that they might damage the parents skin.


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## Chappy

If you ever saw how badly scratched, scraped and gouged my wilds get and then are healed within a day or two I don't think you'd be too worried about what 200 fry can do to mom and dad  Oh, wait - I get it......."separating mom and dad from the fry" = getting ANOTHER tank  You know the fish room doesn't really need a fridge or stove :bigsmile:


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## MELLO

15 day old fry video update. Seperated from parents and eating flakes.


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## zhasan

Wao!! That is just amazing!! good luck raising the fry!!


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## Chappy

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh - so cute and SOOOO many  Great job


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## April

Very good..but you should get a bit of dryer lint from Shelley or make up some seafood or beef mix . Or talk to April for her different sizes of better than brine baby food.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275075,-122.835484


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## MELLO

April said:


> Very good..but you should get a bit of dryer lint from Shelley or make up some seafood or beef mix . Or talk to April for her different sizes of better than brine baby food.
> 
> Just made Beefheart mix with prawns! What is better than brine?


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## Chappy

MELLO said:


> *What is better than brine?*


21 year old single malt scotch


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## April

My secret baby food. It's
Better
Than brine. Lol.
That's the name

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.285522,-123.128157


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## MELLO

-N/A- said:


> 21 year old single malt scotch


I should give them a lil of that


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## MELLO

April said:


> My secret baby food. It's
> Better
> Than brine. Lol.
> That's the name
> 
> ---
> I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.285522,-123.128157


Ok hook me up! Lol 
I'll grab some off you is it frozen?


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## Chappy

MELLO said:


> Ok hook me up! Lol
> I'll grab some off you is it frozen?


I've got a life-time supply of the stuff in my freezer with your name on it!!! I'll even throw in the altum


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## April

Altum? U have one?

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275098,-122.835561


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## Chappy

April said:


> Altum? U have one?
> 
> ---
> I am here: Google Maps


Yup - it's about 9 inches long and 6 inches across. Oh, and it's been in my freezer for over a year now  Ask Mello - I showed him when he was over picking up the tank. You just never know WHAT I'm going to pull out for show and tell at my place  !!!!


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## MELLO

Thanks Shelley! I'll pick it up when you learn how to pick up your phone  
The altum will stay in your freezer for good. That's the reason your into discus remember...?


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## Chappy

MELLO said:


> Thanks Shelley! I'll pick it up when you learn how to pick up your phone
> The altum will stay in your freezer for good. That's the reason your into discus remember...?


Yeah, yeah, yeah......I have a phone phobia  Look, if you had to spend as much time talking on the phone at work as I do, you'd hate using it too 

I have to do errands tomorrow morning so I'll swing by and drop off a package at your door. Don't worry if you're home or not. In addition to the phone phobia, I'm also anti-social too, remember???!!!! 

I just can't bring myself to throwing that stupid fish out. I think I should thaw it, throw some shellac on it and mount it on a piece of wood  Or I could throw it in the Osaka with a glass float on it ......


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## April

Oooh. That altum! 
I don't
Do phones either!

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275033,-122.835538


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## MELLO

-N/A- said:


> Yeah, yeah, yeah......I have a phone phobia  Look, if you had to spend as much time talking on the phone at work as I do, you'd hate using it too
> 
> I have to do errands tomorrow morning so I'll swing by and drop off a package at your door. Don't worry if you're home or not. In addition to the phone phobia, I'm also anti-social too, remember???!!!!
> 
> I just can't bring myself to throwing that stupid fish out. I think I should thaw it, throw some shellac on it and mount it on a piece of wood  Or I could throw it in the Osaka with a glass float on it ......


Laminate the Altum or put it in a picture frame. That would be a nice remembrance. I'll wait for Ms.FEDEX tommorow for my package if I'm not here just put it in my mailbox thanks!

Yes Shelley you are super anti-social I think the whole BCA community knows about that 
Hey! April atleast you answer my text!


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## clairel

*fry*

Hi Mello,
Congrats on the successful pairs! Beautiful fish. Pristine tanks. Very nice!
Claire


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## MELLO

clairel said:


> Hi Mello,
> Congrats on the successful pairs! Beautiful fish. Pristine tanks. Very nice!
> Claire


Thanks Claire!


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## Chappy

*A m a z i n g*

I have NEVER seen so many little mini-discus EVER! There are well over 200+ fry all in a tank of their own and by the looks of them, they are all looking extremely good. Nice shapes ALREADY. Very, very active little guys and just so cute  You're doing a great job with them, Rommel. Who needs to win a lottery when you have discus that can produce fry like that 

Rommel's adult discus are all just outrageously gorgeous. And they know it - they all have such a "presence" in the tanks.....they look out as if to say: "Hey, what are YOU lookin' at?"!!!!

I also got a chance to see the planted community tank. Looks amazing already and is only going to get better. Seeing Mello's tanks is like going to a fireworks display......a whole lot of "OOOOOOoooohhhhhh's" and "Aaaaaaaahhhhhh's" :bigsmile:

Good to see you again, my friend. Take good care of that awesome family of yours and Happy New Year


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## MELLO

Update: 
Not a good one (hobby wise)all of the fry are gone. I couldn't balance the time to raise them as I'm really busy with my new addition. My focus is turned into the arrival of my newborn which is the most important thing in my life right now. That's the good news. I'm sure once I find the time and learn how to balance it I'll be back and breeding this beautiful fish


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## Chappy

Sorry to hear about the fry, but that pair will be at it again soon enough with likely MORE fry the next time around  And besides, your new addition is much more important than ANY flat fish


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## April

Oh well..no worries..I know the feeling. They are as much work as a newborn.
They will do it again.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275015,-122.835707


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## clairel

*discus fry*

with the exceptional care you take of those beautiful fish, it won't be long before you are knee deep in fry again.
Claire
ps. all the best with the little one.


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## petfishloversclub

please post new video for those frys.if you can count the amount and compair the casualty while they grow up, which is better than counting eggs to anticipate amount of offsprings.


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