South American bio-type... any suggestions?

[Omega]

the young discus will require more care. they should be fed several times per day for optimal growth 3-4 but 4-5 is better. this means you will need to be up on the water changes.

Hello Star Rider, I appreciate your response!

I keep up on water changes. I have a python and very pure soft tap water. My Malawi cichlids get two 30% water changes per week. As for feeding, they’re only fed once a day. I can manage up to three feedings a day, so could an automatic feeder be a viable option for when I'm not home?

if you get discus..get them from a breeder. the quality of discus from a breeder (reputable) is far superior to what you will find in a LFS.

Cool. All my Malawi’s are from a local breeder. Thumbs up to quality non-hybrid breeders!

with a 90 tho you might seriously consider discus a school of 8 would look nice. is the tank going to be planted?

Yes it will eventually be heavily planted. Plants (except for marine macro algae in sumps, if that counts) are something I’m not very experienced with but it should be fun.

dithers ..go with cardinals..I have kept cardinals with angels with success..but you need to get small angels and large cardinals..the angels in a 90 would grow pretty fast as well as the discus..typically in a planted tank you may see the discus grow to over 6" both discus and angels do well with rams and bn's.
they will also do fine with cory's.

Excellent. That will probably be what I stock. I greatly appreciate your time and your advice. I promise to post pics.

If you think of any other advice for me, please please feel free to let me know at anytime!

 

[Omega]

My Rift Lake cichlid breeder friend (www.riftzoneaquatics.com) will also have access soon the following fish:

SOUTH AMERICA

PICTUS CATS PIMELODUS PICTUS - WILD
ROCKETTAIL LORICARIA PLANEOLORICARIA CRYPTODON - WILD
HYSTRIX STINGRAY POTAMOTRYGON HYSTRIX - WILD
MARBLED PIRANHA PRISTOBRYCON MACULIPINNIS - WILD
NIGER CATS PSEUDODORAS NIGER - WILD
BRAZILIAN ANGELFISH PTEROPHILLUM SCALARE HUGE - WILD
SERRASALMUS STRIOLATUS - WILD
MANACAPURA BLUES SYMPHYSODON HARALDI "Rio Manacapura" - WILD
PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE ON WILD CAUGHT DISCUS , VARIETIES SEASONAL
MARBLED HATCHET FISH CARNEGIELLA STRIGATA - WILD
RED BELLY PACU COLOSSOMA MACROPOMUM - WILD
CORYDORAS LOXOZONUS - WILD
SPOT MOUTH PIKES CRENICICHLA CELIDOCHULUS - WILD
CRENICICHLA SCOTTI - WILD
GEOPHAGUS BROKOPONDO - WILD
PARAGUAY BUSHYNOSE PLECO ANCISTRUS TEMINICKI - WILD
ALBINO BRISTLENOSE ANCISTRUS SP. ALBINO
UNDESCRIBED FROM URUGUAY ANSCISTRUS SP.- WILD
BLACK FIN SHARKS ARIUS JORDANI - WILD
GEOPHAGUS IPORANGENSIS
THREADFIN GEOPHAGUS ACARICHTHYS HECKELII - WILD
PANAMANIAN BLUE ACARA AEQUIDENS COERULEOPUNCTATUS - WILD
AEQUIDENS TETRAMERUS - WILD
SPOTTED PIKE CHARACINS BOULENGERELLA MACULATA - WILD
HIGH FIN BROCHUS BROCHUS MULTIRADIATUS - WILD
CLOWN PLECOS PECKOLTIA VITTATUS - WILD
BALZANI GYMNOGEOPHAGUS BALZANI
GYMNOGEOPHAGUS SP. SARANDI - WILD
2M 5F GYMNOGEOPHAGUS LABIATUS "TRES CRUCES" - WILD
GYMNOGEOPHAGUS LABIATUS "BLUE YERBALITO" - F1
SAILFIN PLECO GLYPTOERICHTHYS GIBBICEPS
ALBINO SAILFIN PLECO GLYPTOERICHTHYS GIBBICEPS
RHINO PLECOS GLYPTOPERICHTHYS SCROPHUS
RHINO PLECOS GLYPTOPERICHTHYS SCROPHUS
GLOWLIGHT TETRA HEMIGRAMMUS ERYTHROZONUS
ORANGE SHOULDER SEVERUMS HEROS SP. CORBATA WILD
PARROT CICHLIDS (REAL ONES!) HOPLARCHUS PSITTICUS - F1
PLECOS HYPOSTOMUS PLECOSTOMUS
LARGE MOUTH BRISTLENOSE L034 ANCISTRUS RANUNCULUS - WILD
BUTTERFLY PLECOS L052 DEKEYSERIA SP. - WILD
ROYAL PLECO L190 PANAQUE SP. NIGROLINEATUS - WILD
GREEN PHANTOM PLECO L200 HYPOSTOMUS SP. - WILD
KROBIA GUIANENSIS - WILD
BLACK BARRED SILVER DOLLARS MYLEUS SCHOMBURGKI - WILD
GUYANA SILVER DOLLARS METYNNIS HYPSAUCHEN - WILD
SPOTTED SILVER DOLLAR METYNNIS LIPPINCOTTIANUS - WILD
CARDINAL TETRAS PARACHIERODON AXELRODI XL - WILD

 

[curviceps]

I'd go for some apistogramma or other dwarf cichlids... small, pretty and they show real cichlid behaviour nevertheless - ie territorial and great to watch when spawning and leading their fry around

there are so many species to go for!

check out these pics:

http://images.google.com.au/images?...G=Google+Search&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

 

[Star_Rider]

in terms of hybrid discus..this I find is not the case..many breeders refine the line and colors but they are all still discus. many are generations away from wild(as evident of their colors)
breeders cull the discus and anything not worthy are generally eliminated from the line.

fish that are kept have good lines(barring) color and finnage. these most often are reserved to maintain the line(AA) or better.

they sell the A's..these are available as well as sometimes AA's I got a cross of two color morphs.. these were sold as B stock since the fish were not carrying the bred color lines. and were an experiment by the breeder who had some spare AA's..he was very upfront about this and since i was cutting my teeth on discus did not want to spend a bunch of money to see if I could successfully raise discus.

4 cobalt reds for $50..and these fish are extremely healthy. I now have blood parrots and red/white diamonds..

you wil enjoy discus ..they have a great personality and have fast become one of my favorite cichlids..and they are bautiful fish.

 

[Omega]

you wil enjoy discus ..they have a great personality and have fast become one of my favorite cichlids..and they are bautiful fish.

Thanks.

Do you have any pics?

 

[Star_Rider]

while I can raise fish no problem..my ability to take their pictures..suck...LOL
the pics are always blurred:huh: