Mike's Moments
(December '95)

Well, I think I have done it again. Do you want to hear the latest? Do you remember my discus that were spawning like rabbits? I might have found out what the problem is. Remember, what most discus do is eat the eggs . . . but noooo not mine; these fish are guarding the eggs like people guard gold.

So I couldn't think what the problem could be because I had gotten an R/O unit just prior to my first spawning so the water was ok . . . well let's talk to an expert. He asks how my water is . . . you know discus will spawn in most any water but the eggs won't hatch if it's too hard. Nah . . . I bought an R/O unit and am running about 20-30 ppm hardness. When was the last time you really checked the hardness? Nah . . . I really think there is a problem with the male . . . isn't that always the case ; ) ! Mike . . . WHEN DID YOU LAST CHECK THE WATER!?! OK . . . just a minute! What does it mean if straight R/O water has 60 ppm hardness? The membrane of the R/O unit has been blown out . . . that's the problem with all of those spawns you have lost . . . you were cutting it 50/50 with tap water and the R/O is running 60 ppm and tap is 115 ppm . . . too hard for discus eggs. Oh, I see, you mean you're supposed to test the water more than once. Why should I assume that everything is going just fine! OK . . . new R/O unit bought and now let's see those eggs come . . . .

By the way, have you been watching the latest ads in the monthly magazines . . . Buy an R/O unit to take all the bad stuff out of the water so the fish like it . . . but . . . too much is taken out sooooo you have to buy another product, "R/O Right" by Kent to put some of the bad stuff back in . . . so does that make the bad stuff good stuff? Or does that mean we weren't taking out the bad stuff, but really taking out good stuff? I think I am confused. Any way, Kent also puts out a product called "Discus Element" . . . to be added weekly. I wonder if that is good stuff or bad stuff? I thought is this another bunch of stuff to put in over the original stuff called R/O Right? Or does this stuff replace the old stuff . . . R/O Right? No seriously, I was a little confused so I called Kent to find out about the 2 items.

I really got the boss . . . and all of the people at Kent were super. Actually it sounded as though it might have been the only call they had gotten all week . . . one of them asked me to lunch . . . I think one of them wanted to know how the weather was . . . no really, they were great people and answered all of my questions.

1) R/O Right is the product that is added to essentially "pure" water to put some of the salts that are needed back into the straight R/O water . . . instructions are on the bottle to produce that hardness you want . . . assuming you check it more than once every 17 years.
2) Discus Elements is a product that is meant to be added to straight tap water that contains some of the salts that discus need that might not be in your tap water . . . not to be used in conjunction with R/O Right.

Thank you Kent people . . . I'll make that lunch date sometime . . . .

Do you remember I was going to spawn the Blue Gularis as my next fish keeping episode . . . I've spent 3 bamillion $'s on that fish in the last 30 years only to get not egg ONE. This time I will succeed . . . I got a trio of young fish and I was just as proud as discus guarding my eggs until I found out that my young trio of gularis were ALL THREE MALES . . . now that's normally good but remember, I want EGGS . . . EGGS. Now do you understand my luck with this fish? Does anyone need male Blue Gularis . . . actually does anyone have three or more females? Actually I'll settle for one female . . . a picture of a female!

A million kudos to Earl Fisher for the talk on killiefish. A really informative talk and one that for me at least was far too short. It is really nifty to see and hear of the new methods that are being used on some of the fish that have been kept the longest in the hobby. It really should give EVERYONE the idea that new methods are found every day to keep those old fish . . . try out those ideas . . . the "old" masters will thank you some day! . . . female blue gularis . . . yo!