I was pretty lucky in my choice of discus strains with some guidance from Liz. (Thanks again)
Now I've decided to get two more and am having a difficult time deciding on strains choices. Pure sky blue, I think it's Blue Diamond, and a nice sunny yellow are appealing. However I want to avoid peppering (pigeon bloods), bars and darkening. Is this a realistic possibility?
Input requested....hint, hint Liz and Barb.
Do you have a pic of 'peppering'....is this a bust up of markings from a stripeless gene??
Hi Pauline, Blue Diamonds will have no peppering, they are not Pigeon Blood based. I think the yellow might, but I am not positive, I have never had yellows. The peppering looks just like pepper sprinkled on the fish Jon. With some it can look almost solid black in some PB based discus. Considered to be a defect. Yes, it is the remains of the former stripes in the fish's history. Peppering can be really bad if the fish is on a dark substrate, the fish tries to blend in for safety. If you feed regular color enchancing foods to the yellow discus it can change it to more of an orange or reddish fish I have heard. They need different foods.
For good blues I can recommend Blue Diamond, Blue Cobalt and Flatchen ( a beautiful blue green color). I have two each of these. Good luck! Pauline I hope to start cone making soon.
Barb
Thanks Barb...here's what I fell in love with: http://bestdiscuscare.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/blue-diamond-discus.jpg
I'll do a bit more research on the yellows. I've seen pictures of what I like but will have to start writing down what they're called and do some more web surfing.
Cone and planters.... :)
Here is a pic of a peppered PB http://www.google.com/imgres?q=peppered+pigeon+blood&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&rlz=1I7GGIH_en&biw=1280&bih=784&tbm=isch&tbnid=P-45OgoVrB6h3M:&imgrefurl=http://www.eheim.com/en_GB/fish-app&docid=yu_g6yfUgXaNpM&imgurl=http://www.eheim.com/resources/img/fish/f244.gif&w=400&h=200&ei=wAUDUd3ZIIagywG9oYHQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=2&vpy=78&dur=1329&hovh=159&hovw=318&tx=121&ty=84&sig=107517995825811787117&page=2&tbnh=130&tbnw=260&start=27&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:49,s:0,i:237
But I've got news for you. Your White Butterfly is a PB as well. I see no peppering on it. The really good ones have almost none.
A good clear yellow is a very difficult color to get in Discus. Most are somewhat orangey and get moreso if they are color fed. The fish will be either PB based or Golden based. If Golden, it will not show pepper. You need to ask questions of the importer.
As far as bars, all non Pigeons with the exception of BDs and some top quality San Merahs will express bars depending on their mood and condition. If they're stressed they will show their bars. If their in breeding mode they may show their bars. It's not considered a fault, although at a show a fish not showing heavy bars is at an advantage over a fish that is expressing them heavily.
The BDs in your picture are top quality fish. They look like show fish.
Maybe this peppering picture will work. http://www.fantasyreef.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=1083
Will a Blue Diamond that's not show quality still have that rich blue color?
Your pic is of a stunted fish. You can tell by the relation of the size of the eye to the size of the body. You can also see that somewhere the line had been outcrossed to a non PB. That's why you see bars AND pepper. Either the breeder didn't do a good job of selection, or the poor fish in a tank with flithy debris holding substrate is stressed. Likely, both.
BDs are all over the map when it comes to depth of color. A light powder blue is considered most desirable. Also, lighting plays a part in how the fish looks in a photo. You're a photographer. You know that.
Tell the person you buy from exactly what you want in a fish. Trust me. They would rather deal with a decerning client than somebody who says, "Send me one of this strain and one of that".
Once again....thanks for the info Liz.
You're welcome, Pauline. I'm sorry that I'm so dang blunt. It's a failing of mine.
One more word of advice. Go for what turns you on, not what is considered desirable by the "experts". The fish are yours. The only person they need to make happy is you.
I'm cool with blunt. All's good. ;)