Problems with growing out 2.5" discus

[CammieTime]

I am interested to know what is normal for growing out 2.5" discus. Exactly one month ago I received 7 new 2.5" discus that I want to grow out. They were all the same size when I bought them. They are in a 30 gallon BB tank w/ sponge filters and I have them at 86 degrees and they get a 100% water change every day. I feed them 3 to 4 times a day. For the most part they all seem healthy and swim around alot but....

As of today, two of the seven are twice as big as the rest and eat the most, three eat a little, but are picky and have grown very little, and two hardly eat at all and get stressed easily and often sit alone and stare off into the corners of the tank, well on their way to riding the short bus.

So my question is this: is this normal? From this group of seven, it looks like 2 will become very nice big fish, one or two more might be OK in size, and the rest will either be very small or be in fish heaven in a year. It's just weird how two are thriving, a few are doing sort of okay, and two are a mess.

I thought that they would all grow big together, but this is certainly not happening. All fish have food available, the big ones cannot hog the food as I put in multiple pieces so they can't bully the others away.

Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong?

[Jhhnn]

I'd guess hexamita or worms, with some more affected than others, by degrees...

It's not unusual for discus size to spread a little as they grow, even among fish from the same brood. The behavior you describe is not normal. Young fish should tear it up at feeding time, the usual reason that some grow faster is that they get larger portions...

Might want to repost in the disease/sickness section after filling out the questionaire. Other people know better how to deal with this problem- I haven't had that experience.

[Rod]

Agree with Jhhnn. Most likely hex problems. Move the strong ones out, it is doubtful the others will recover until you do so.

[CammieTime]

It's not hex, I know that much. I think it has to do with my water.

[darkknight87]

I don't know. It seems to me if it had something to do with your water..your bigger two wouldnt be doing as well, while Hex and other parasites afect the weaker ones first..I had problems with that in the past two..I had a group of six and two of them ended up not growing as much do to worms and other problems..and are now stunted..staying at about three inches while the other is closer to four.

[rickztahone]

It's not hex, I know that much. I think it has to do with my water.

if it were your water most likely all of them would be showing same symptoms. please fill out the disease questionnaire in the disease section to better help you with your problem.

[Rod]

It's not hex, I know that much.

Well i'm glad its not hex. Pity really because its pretty easy to cure if you catch it early enough.

What you described is classic hex symptoms, but since it is definately not hex, i can only hope you find the real problem before you ruin your discus.

[CammieTime]

if it were your water most likely all of them would be showing same symptoms.

I am confused, how can they get hex if they are in pristine water conditions? They were all the same size when I bought them, how come two are just fine and growing huge and the others are smaller?

Also, the small ones did eat (not as much as the big ones), before I treated for Ich last week. The ich is gone but now the small ones won't eat at all.

[William Palumbo]

Hex is something that most fish can carry, but only shows itself when the fish are stressed. You may have received them with hex. Fish that are not eating, or eating poorly, and lagging behind in growth, is usually from disease and/or parasites... is not from the water. Your fish are sick. Do yourself and your Discus a favor, and listen to the advice given to you from the previous posts. Lots of knowledge there. You asked and were told what the problem is. Act on it...Bill

[MostlyDiscus]

I think Rod is correct here. Hex is easy to treat and with 100percent water changes they should still have a shot at growing some more.

[darkknight87]

Im not sure I agree with that last statement. In my experiance with Hex water changes aren't enough to treat it. It may help to prevent the problem, and to keep it from getting worse, but fish with parasies have to be treated.

I am also confused about your water quality. You said that everything was pristine, but that you have also had Ick? Ive never had a discus catch Ick because my tank water is always between 84-88 which you almost never see ick appear.
More than likely since almost all discus carry some parasites..if your small ones stopped eating after they had ick, that more than likely lowered their immune system substaintially so that the parasites spread.

[frenchie100]

I agree with Bill too. If the above are telling you they think it is hex, you have a good chance that it is.

darknight87- I think what Ed was trying to say is that the fish need to be treated and THEN if you give them 100%WC you might have a chance of them growing some more. But I could have interpreted that wrong too, LOL :o.

Worms is definitely another posibility as previously mentioned but I would do a good metro treatment first.

Good luck,
Julie :)

[darkknight87]

Yeah Julie..I think you are right, I just misread that