How does a Discus stun its growth?

[tgirl6868]

This is one topic I haven't read yet. How does a Discus stun its growth. Or how do you stun its growth? Is it by over feeding or not feeding it anough?

[Carol_Roberts]

Discus are stunted because they fail to grow at a normal rate. Usually they do not eat enough or can not utilize the food they eat due to parasites or illness.

[tgirl6868]

Thanks Carol for the reply

[Ardan]

Hi,
Also sometimes they become stunted because of their environment, such as too small of tank, overcrowding or poor water quality.

hth

[tgirl6868]

Thank you Ardan for the reply. My reason for the question is because in the Discus books they tell you to watch out for Discus that are stunned in growth when you are buying them and I wanted to know how that really happened. In the books they don't explain how they get that way. They don't say how and why it happens.

><))):>
Thank you,
Tamara

[Nightowl]

Hi Tamara, I have found that in groups of young discus you sometimes get one or two true runts out of 12-15 fish. But often you get 1 or 2 bullies that take control of the food and there is always a few in the bunch that don't get enough to eat. If they go too long this way, they do not reach their size potential and end up stunted. I know a breeder whose customers usually buy the largest fry from a batch, so this solves the problem for him. A few new bullies then appear and they are usually the biggest and the next to be sold. There are other factors too, as were mentioned previously.....I just wanted to give you another scenario good luck, J.T.

[tgirl6868]

T.J thank for the reply.... i just wanted to know also when buying fish and what to look out for :) thank you

[Nightowl]

Always look for round young fish with small eyes....and no sunken or pinched in look in the head region. I like to look at fish in this order: health first, shape second, color/variety third. Sometimes people see a color they want and don't look beyond that. Its easy to be impulsive when shopping for discus!
good luck, J.T.

[cobalt]

what happens is that the fish has lower energetic levels due to what is bothering the fish. the fisg allocates energetic resources into healing and survival and not into growth. hence it is most important to heal your fish pronto!
also there is a rare ocurance that the fish ids born with a genetic defect that the receptor for GNRH so it cannot grow.
Cobalt :D