wgtaylor
01-04-2010, 03:20 PM
Well the holidays are over, all the big meals, full stomach and sleepy evenings should be subsiding and time to get back to
these discus. I did somehow manage to keep up with daily water changes on the contest discus.
Well, they all have remained healthy however there is a little difference in size and I have one that is quite pale in color and is
smaller than the others. It is eating ok and seems normal in all behavior so will accept it as just being different than the others
unless it shows signs of any problems. It could be just the submissive one in the group and I always spread the food to insure
it gets it's share.
The water parameters have stayed the same, 65 microseimens, 30 parts per million, ph 6.5 with 0 nitrites and 0 ammonia.
The nitrates remain about 5 ppm with 80% daily water changes. All sides, bottom of tank, air lines and any surfaces in the tank are wiped down every other day.
I am feeding beefheart/shrimp 50/50 mix once per day now and flake and pellets for three feedings per day.
Again, no vitamins, supplements or minerals are added to the food or water.
I don't know if soft or hard water is better for raising discus but sure it needs to be kept clean through water change or sufficient filtration.
Amazon water is extremely soft much like the water some of us have in the Pacific Northwest so I have been trying to find if there
are limits to mineral intake for discus affecting their health and growth. I read an article in the American Medical Association
that we as humans get essentially no mineral or vitamin benefits from the water we drink and almost all from the food we eat and debatable
about supplements we ingest.
Throughout this contest I have added no vitamins, minerals, supplements or color enhancers to the food or water.
I figured with my extreme soft water and plain foods it might show some apparent slow growth but have not noticed as much difference as I would have expected.
I have grown out discus in hard water also and feel as long as we provide stable clean water it makes little difference to the discus except when spawning.
Well here is a quick pic of my Albino cross contest discus at 33 weeks in their 80 gallon tank at our home. :)
Bill
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll50/wgtaylor/Contest%20Second%20Half/week33.jpg
these discus. I did somehow manage to keep up with daily water changes on the contest discus.
Well, they all have remained healthy however there is a little difference in size and I have one that is quite pale in color and is
smaller than the others. It is eating ok and seems normal in all behavior so will accept it as just being different than the others
unless it shows signs of any problems. It could be just the submissive one in the group and I always spread the food to insure
it gets it's share.
The water parameters have stayed the same, 65 microseimens, 30 parts per million, ph 6.5 with 0 nitrites and 0 ammonia.
The nitrates remain about 5 ppm with 80% daily water changes. All sides, bottom of tank, air lines and any surfaces in the tank are wiped down every other day.
I am feeding beefheart/shrimp 50/50 mix once per day now and flake and pellets for three feedings per day.
Again, no vitamins, supplements or minerals are added to the food or water.
I don't know if soft or hard water is better for raising discus but sure it needs to be kept clean through water change or sufficient filtration.
Amazon water is extremely soft much like the water some of us have in the Pacific Northwest so I have been trying to find if there
are limits to mineral intake for discus affecting their health and growth. I read an article in the American Medical Association
that we as humans get essentially no mineral or vitamin benefits from the water we drink and almost all from the food we eat and debatable
about supplements we ingest.
Throughout this contest I have added no vitamins, minerals, supplements or color enhancers to the food or water.
I figured with my extreme soft water and plain foods it might show some apparent slow growth but have not noticed as much difference as I would have expected.
I have grown out discus in hard water also and feel as long as we provide stable clean water it makes little difference to the discus except when spawning.
Well here is a quick pic of my Albino cross contest discus at 33 weeks in their 80 gallon tank at our home. :)
Bill
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll50/wgtaylor/Contest%20Second%20Half/week33.jpg