40 Breeder Grow Out

[BJK]

Hey!
Thought I'd introduce myself and show you what I've been up to. BJK here, I've been really heavy into reef keeping and some planted tanks over the past 12 years. Recently moved across the country and had to sell all my livestock so I'm going to be venturing into what I think is going to be the most rewarding and challenging corner of aquaria... Discus!

I've been reading all of your posts and learning tons. This site is a wealth of knowledge and I don't think I'd be successful without ink you all.


Current tank: 40 Gallon Breeder

Filtration: hikari sponge filter

Lighting: Finnex 24/7 (I love LEDs... eventually this will be over half of the 125)

Temp: 82-83 Fahrenheit

Diet: 7 am Omega One Frozen, afternoon Brine shrimp flakes, evening frozen beef heart 20 min before the water change.

Water change schedule: 20 gallons tap water daily with water that has been aged for 24 hours and treated with 1 cap of prime.

Fish: 13 Joe Gargas Discus
4 - Fletchman Turqouise
3 - White Spotted Super Red
3- Green Turquoise
3- Super Red

Size when I acquired them at our local club auction was up to 1-2 cm

Now the largest ones are about 4 cm.

Plan is to grow these fish out until they are large enough to safely live in my 125 gallon with sump (former reef tank!)

Pics coming as soon as I can figure out how to upload from my iPad... it keeps saying upload failed

[Akili]

Hi and welcome to SimplyDiscus.Those 13 juveniles are going to outgrow the 40 Gallon Breeder very fast. The photo you want load have to be less than 2MB,you need to resize them.

[Quintin]

Cant wait for pics.never heard or seen a green turq. Those fish should not have been sold so early. Sounds like u bought them very small

[BJK]

Hi and welcome to SimplyDiscus.Those 13 juveniles are going to outgrow the 40 Gallon Breeder very fast. The photo you want load have to be less than 2MB,you need to resize them.

Thanks! I'll resize them tonight and post them up. How big should my fish be before transferring them into the 125? I can do them in batches as I have different sizes in the 40 currently.



Cant wait for pics.never heard or seen a green turq. Those fish should not have been sold so early. Sounds like u bought them very small

I'm excited to see how they color up as the grow! I think where I bought them from typically sells them really young as he thinks they adjust to new water easier? They're doing great so far! Eating machines and really outgoing.

[BJK]

105088

This is under the "full sun" mode on my lights. I'll try to play with the settings to get better pictures. My reds are starting to color up,some this week and are really taking off in the growth department.

[BJK]

105089

[BJK]

105090
Better pic of a red one.

Excuse the food on the bottom, right during a feeding frenzy. They're able to clean all that up in about 10-15 min!

[Dhavalsp]

man, they are tiny....that red (ish) guy with a stress bar on the eye may be an interesting fish...good luck....Keywords: Lots of WCs with aged water!

[warblad79]

I know opinion was never asked but the shape of the fish are very concerning. I hope you realize they are stunted. Don't buy that small size

[BJK]

Why do you say they are stunted?? They have quadrupled in 3 weeks so are growing really well. I bought them really small. I've seen other people who have bought from him and over time had really nice fish after growing them out.

[warblad79]

Football shape, large eyes and matured color. I'm a breeder and I can distinguish whether their stunted or not. I usually cull them when I see some of my fry like that. How old are they now?

[Rapture]

I agree, I got some free discus at 1" and the biggest one is now about 2.5" but they are stunted like yours. Here's my thread if you want to compare. Read some of the replies, there are links to what the babies should be shaped like. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?126010-10-Nickel-sized-babies

[BJK]

I agree, I got some free discus at 1" and the biggest one is now about 2.5" but they are stunted like yours. Here's my thread if you want to compare. Read some of the replies, there are links to what the babies should be shaped like. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?126010-10-Nickel-sized-babies

Well I'm going to stay positive and continue my plan. There has been a steady growth curve so far. I'll keep you posted.

[Rapture]

Here's to hoping yours are younger than when I got mine, which were already a couple months old but only less than an inch long. I would recommend changing more water if you can since you are aging your water, and doing your water change not too long after feeding the beefheart, even if they are kind of picking at it here and there. I added a couple pics from today on my thread if you want to see what kind of growth/shape I've seen in mine after a while of good diet and water changes. Do you happen to know how old yours are?

[Quintin]

Good luck anyway

[BJK]

Here's to hoping yours are younger than when I got mine, which were already a couple months old but only less than an inch long. I would recommend changing more water if you can since you are aging your water, and doing your water change not too long after feeding the beefheart, even if they are kind of picking at it here and there. I added a couple pics from today on my thread if you want to see what kind of growth/shape I've seen in mine after a while of good diet and water changes. Do you happen to know how old yours are?

I emailed the breeder this morning. They were all under 8 weeks when I acquired them. The oldest (largest) are about 11 weeks old max at this point and the others may be a few weeks younger.

[Galvatron]

I emailed the breeder this morning. They were all under 8 weeks when I acquired them. The oldest (largest) are about 11 weeks old max at this point and the others may be a few weeks younger.

They may be a bit stunted. At 11 weeks good growth would have them closer to 6-7 cm.

[warblad79]

These are my Giant Flora exactly @ 8 weeks old sizes between 1.5"-2". Hatch date 8/27/2016...

105104105105105106

[BJK]

Those look great! Where does one measure, mouth to tail or just the body?

[warblad79]

Those look great! Where does one measure, mouth to tail or just the body?

As you can see they don't have colors yet. These are now normal growth rate for healthy fry.

TL - from mouth to tail.

[BJK]

As you can see they don't have colors yet. These are now normal growth rate for healthy fry.

TL - from mouth to tail.

Well I was definitely measuring wrong. The 3 biggest and oldest which are at tops 11 weeks old measured in at 6+ cm mouth to tail. Didn't measure correctly at all before!

[warblad79]

If were you, I would just cull all the stunted ones. There's no point of continuing because stunting are irreversible.They will stay small and will not reach its full potential.

[Rapture]

I'd personally keep them all if you're going for a learning experience, since they tend to do better in higher numbers. There can be a learning curve when growing out tiny discus, and you can learn what works for you and what doesn't as far as diet, temp water changes, etc.... however, it is a lot of work for discus that likely won't have great shape and size as adults.

[BJK]

I'd personally keep them all if you're going for a learning experience, since they tend to do better in higher numbers. There can be a learning curve when growing out tiny discus, and you can learn what works for you and what doesn't as far as diet, temp water changes, etc.... however, it is a lot of work for discus that likely won't have great shape and size as adults.

Thanks for your support! That is my thought completely. I'm not going to be the next grand champion with this group, but if I learn how to grow them out that'll be worth it. I doubt very many were extremely successful on their first batch of juveniles.

[Phillydubs]

There is really no right or wrong answer here

Mr warblad breeds nice fish and is trying to give you the true breeder perspective.

However if you want to learn and are willing to invest your time in fish that you know will
Be sub par than that's totally your call

[PAR23]

However if you want to learn and are willing to invest your time in fish that you know will
Be sub par than that's totally your call

+ 1. Keep up with WC and good food and a few might just surprise you.

[BJK]

Thanks Pete! I've increased W/C to 60% daily. I'll take some more pics this weekend of everyone.