Trying to buy a Discus

[BillT]

Here are a couple of possible alternatives:

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If you decide to kill him, you might be able to get his sperm and use it for artificial fertilization.

A simple approach would be (and it probably would take practice):

Let female lay eggs (so you have some eggs to fertilize).
Kill male, remove testes.
Mash up testes (sperm will be in the juice).
Take what the eggs are on out of the water (but still wet).
Drip testis juice over the eggs.
After a couple of minutes, return eggs to water.


Timing would be the big problem:
The time between the laying of the eggs and putting sperm on it should be as short as possible.
Maybe up to a minute or two. Can be longer if you put them on ice.

You can also ice the testis juice (or but it in the refrigerator) to prolong its life (probably to a couple of hours).

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A non-lethal alternative would be to knock out the male (MS222 or clove oil (a less good but cheaper and more available chemical)).
Gently squeeze out sperm (by pressing on it belly and stroke the abdominal area from the front to the back) and collect it in something like a capillary tube (small diameter glass tube that will suck up water by capillary action).
Sometimes you can't get sperm out, so don't press too hard.
Use the sperm as the testis juice. Can also prolong lifetime with cold.

This technique kind of takes a touch in small fish like zebrafish, but I have found it relatively easy with larger fish.
Cutting out testes is not difficult if you know how to gut a fish. You just have to learn what the testis looks like.

[Mugwump]

Let's hope he gets it right....

[wsantia1]

I hope he gets it right too, Liz. Don't slap him on the concrete though. I will give him refuge here.

[LizStreithorst]

So far so good.  Only 7 white eggs this morning.

[Mugwump]

So far so good.  Only 7 white eggs this morning.

...good for him...

[wsantia1]

So far so good.  Only 7 white eggs this morning.

...good for him...

That's great Liz.

[LizStreithorst]

At least I know that he's fertile.  Wigglers this morning.  Only around 30.  If they all make it to free swimming it will be enough to keep them from spawning again. 

Willie, If you'd like to give a different Discus refuge I have another, better quality male of the same strain that is sterile from the virus.  He is such an excellent quality fish and has been through so much, that I can't bring myself to slap him on the concrete.  You can have him for the cost of shipping if you want him. 

[LizStreithorst]

The pair is doing well.  They moved the wigglers from the cone to the side of the tank which is painted blue.  They were easy to count there.  Their are 36 of them.  Should be enough for them to raise.  The Mom is an older fish and no longer lays down a ton of eggs.  I think that dad has a low libido.  Perhaps raising a spawn will give him a bit more "want to".

[Mugwump]

The pair is doing well.  They moved the wigglers from the cone to the side of the tank which is painted blue.  They were easy to count there.  Their are 36 of them.  Should be enough for them to raise.  The Mom is an older fish and no longer lays down a ton of eggs.  I think that dad has a low libido.  Perhaps raising a spawn will give him a bit more "want to".

...or maybe he just doesn't like older chicks??....

[LizStreithorst]

The pair is doing well.  They moved the wigglers from the cone to the side of the tank which is painted blue.  They were easy to count there.  Their are 36 of them.  Should be enough for them to raise.  The Mom is an older fish and no longer lays down a ton of eggs.  I think that dad has a low libido.  Perhaps raising a spawn will give him a bit more "want to".

...or maybe he just doesn't like older chicks??....

If that's the case he's just slam stupid.

[Mugwump]

The pair is doing well.  They moved the wigglers from the cone to the side of the tank which is painted blue.  They were easy to count there.  Their are 36 of them.  Should be enough for them to raise.  The Mom is an older fish and no longer lays down a ton of eggs.  I think that dad has a low libido.  Perhaps raising a spawn will give him a bit more "want to".

...or maybe he just doesn't like older chicks??....

If that's the case he's just slam stupid.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.......

[LizStreithorst]

It looks like 12 to 15 of 36 attached.  I have hope but not great hope.  If this spawn doesn't work the next one will have a better chance.  This is the male's first time and first timers are often stupid.