View Full Version : discus prices
How much do you guys pay for your discus? I am asking this because my lfs is selling them for $50 each(4 inches), a fish store in LA is selling them for $25(4 inches), and I've seen 30(2 inches) of them for $250 on eBay. The guy that sells them on ebay says he can sell different amounts of them, which i think is around $8-$9. i didnt ask him but if you do the math to find out how much is one, thats how much it probably is. I could go for the 30 since they can fit in my 240gal, but i only want like 10 or something.:D
anonapersona
06-23-2004, 5:08 PM
You may be able to find local hobbiest breeders who can sell good fish for $10/inch. They may have better quality at the same price as the LFS or the Ebay seller. You may be able to see the tank and pick the best ones available.
The $25 fish sounds OK, if it is decent quality and has been kept properly. Too often we see stores getting the worst fish of a spawn, the ones just above the ones that got fed to the Oscar for lunch. Or, the fish is placed in wrong water, on central filtration and exposed to too many pathogens all at once.
You might want to pop over to SimplyDiscus or DAAH to see who breeds in your area.
I found the site of the ebay seller http://www.majesticaquatic.com/.
PumaWard
06-23-2004, 7:19 PM
$25 for a 4 inch fish is quite a good price providing that they are healthy. They are nearing adulthood which means that their immune systems are better than the smaller juvenilles (2-3'') which are probably the size of the ones on ebay although those ones may even be smaller. At the size of 4'', you won't have to worry so much about growing them out which can be tricky in a large aquarium.
Personally, if your going to shop online, you might as well buy from a reputable breeder (Discus world, jack waltey, etc), some of which sell on aquabid. On aquabid, you can probably buy adult fish for a decent price...
snakeskinner
06-23-2004, 9:45 PM
I'm not really a discus person but I've seen them anywhere from 12-50 at my local shops. I read that it really depends on the quality, namely the roundness. Perfect discs bring more money than oblong fish. this is what I read, not a researched fact but it sounds plausable. KYle
anonapersona
06-23-2004, 11:12 PM
I see hobbiests with discus for sale in S Cali or N Cali.
Go to SimplyDiscus.com and look at for sale section.
got_nailed
06-24-2004, 2:03 AM
There about $35 each where I’m at. Other wise I would try 2 in my 75 gallon. I know I would need to drop my KH and GH a bit but the fish cost to much.
anonapersona
06-24-2004, 10:55 AM
Originally posted by got_nailed
There about $35 each where I’m at. Other wise I would try 2 in my 75 gallon. I know I would need to drop my KH and GH a bit but the fish cost to much.
Actually, you don't need to adjust KH or GH to keep discus, only to breed discus.
OTOH, you really need to have a group of discus, at minimum 6 -- being cichlids, they will pick on each other and may bully the weakest to death before turning on the next in line. So, like tiger barbs and a few other fish, you need a group to spread the aggression out a bit.
Then, this is complicated by the problem that discus grow very slowly (or not at all) in tanks with gravel and competing fish. They can be slow eaters, often browsing off the bottom. So, in a community tank, they may not get much food, at least not the volume of food that a growing juvenile requires. And that food is high protein and very quickly polluting, requiring large and frequent water changes. And they require high temps.
So, all of that is just to say that discus are not a fish to add to a community tank. You can have a community tank built around the needs of the discus, but you won't be terribly successful if you just add a fish or two to the typical community tank.
(not an expert, but a novice to discus myself, currently raising 23 babies in a barebottom tank)
got_nailed
06-24-2004, 12:47 PM
Well adding 6 discuses would be way to, much for the tank so I guess I will never be adding any to my tank. I did think that I would need to lower my KH and GH since it was as hard as a rock.
I don't keep discus, however I do look at their prices. For two-inch fish I have seen them anywhere from $12 to $30.
I also found another place that the person on ebay sells discus. its at www.aquabid.com and he has a lot more selection and better prices than he did on eBay. Have any of you ever purchased anything from there?
PumaWard
06-24-2004, 8:18 PM
Have any of you ever purchased anything from there?
Yes, i've bought 10 discus, 4 killies, and 4 spike-tailed paradise fish.
Most of the sellers are extremely good, just make sure to do a little feedback check.
I bought the discus from DallasDiscus, they are arrived healthy and happy... and it was a good deal ($110 + free next-day shipping).
125gJoe
06-25-2004, 2:00 AM
Originally posted by NikkO
How much do you guys pay for your discus? ... ...$25 to $40 each is common... Look for round Discus, not oval fish....
We got our 8 Discus from http://www.adiscusdream.com/ ...
Always call a business first if you plan on spending $$...
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL332/715239/1597696/46472364.jpg
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL332/715239/1597696/46472410.jpg