How to choose a "A" Grade Discus?

[Traveller]

How do i choose a "A" Grade Discus... Can anyone give me some tips ?? err... and also how do i identify a "A" grade leapord snakeskin?

Starting from the head. the ten commandments.
1. no parrot beak.
2. no holes on the head.
3. clear eyes and small compared to body size.
4. no flare gills. closer the better.
5. fins are high, and smooth. avoid ragged and saw tooth fins.
6. round body.
7. good color. avoid full color fish under 2".
8. bars are straight and vertical.
9. straight spine.
10. bagging for food with black feces.
optional: they are free.
Jimmy.

[Carol_Roberts]

Thank you JimmyL, that's good advice. I've added a link to this thread in the Beginners Information Index

Hi Jimmy,

what would a flare gill look like or better yet what does it indicate?

thanks

alex

[rich]

And how does a parrot-beaked discus look? And one with "hole in the head" as well? I've heard these mentioned before but I can only guess as to what they're supposed to look like.

Rich

Hi All: Took me a while to find some of my LFS rescues. This one is Parrot Beaks with saw tooth fins. Mainly caused by mal-nutrition when the nose cartilage was dissolved due to Hex. Saw tooth or ragged fins caused by irregular growth. They are reversible. Live food and deworming will cure them.

Holes in the head caused by Hex.

I don't have flare gill. I usually cull them at the first sight. Here is a bended spine.

For large eyes. This little one is 9 months old. Born last year on July. Only 2" long. A little girl wants me to bring her back to health. I still have this one. Eating like a horse now. Most of the fins has grew back. i don't think she will grow more than 4".

Make sure they don't swim up side down. She can do it with ease and able to negotiate bends and cracks without any problems. She can laid eggs on the under side of a leaf. No male is able to fertilize her eggs so far.
Jimmy.

[rich]

Thanks so much JimmyL for the information and for taking the time and effort to put up those pictures. I really appreciate it.

Rich

[Traveller]

Thanks Jimmy for all ur tips and help!!!! But can i ask u to teach me how to choose a good leapord snakeskin ? i've heard from others that the closer the spots the better ... Is that true?? ;D

[gary1218]

Traveller,

If these are the first discus you are buying I would buy from a VERY reputable breeder and leave it up to him/her to pick the discus for you. Even with good advice from Jimmy they will still do a better job at picking them than you will.

If you can happen to be there when they're picking them out and explainng why they're picking some and rejecting others that would be a GREAT learning experience for you.

GARY

[TnMark]

Jimmy, thanks!!! The pictures really bring it all together. This is the kind of good info inexperienced wannabes like me need. Thanks again!

thanks :)

alex