Faran Posted May 12, 2007 Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 Half a lifetime ago I was told a "breeders secret" by a discus breeder in California. He told me that the key to killing off the bacteria in the tank was to use hydrochloric acid to drop the pH to 3.5 or 4, which disturbs the fish but doesn't kill them, as long as you fix the PH and seed the tank with beneficial bacteria again. I ended up purchasing a dozen 3cm babies from him that day for $30 (total), and managed to raise 4 of them to adulthood before I gave my tanks and fish to my best friend when I joined the Marines. Last year I ran into a discus breeder who told me about using the same technique. Personally, I was shocked to hear that people were still doing this. I still wonder if it's a humane or ethical thing to do. Can we discus whether or not you as a fish owner/breeder find this a proper thing to do? Personally, I've seen MANY advances in the keeping of fish in the last 20 years. I don't see any reason to do something like this to your fish when so many antibiotics and medicines are available, unless you're too stingy or lazy to find out the actual problem and medicate it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 12, 2007 Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 Personally I am against the use of antibiotics and medicines as well. Since I have no idea if your "breeders secret" heard half a lifetime ago, has any relevance to breeders today so can't comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted May 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 As mentioned, I ran into a discus breeder in Auckland last year that uses the same technique, even now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted May 12, 2007 Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 The worming substances that are discussed on this site appear very haphazard as well, sometimes reading that it has cured the problem by killing the fish!! Yeah right!! So I don't see much difference to what ever is used in the tank. Too much salt can also have the same result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 12, 2007 Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 I think its all just as bad as the rest.. If it killed the fish or was bad for them you would hope the breeders wouldn't do it.. As Alan pointed out alot of the other accepted methods can be just as bad, so yeah who knows you've got to get rid of the parasites and greeblies somehow.. Unfortunately some of them are just out for the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 I would imagine that it would probably be similar to the natural habitat of discus at sometimes of the year for the pH. I can't see there being much issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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