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Discus master
08-20-2010, 10:51 AM
Ok most of you know when I post a question I end up with a short ook and a ton of questions. Taking that into consideration I am going to try and paraphrase this and make it short as possible.

Going to the same breeder I bought my 6 discus for my 55 gallon tank about 3 months ago and they were roughly 2 - 2.5 inches and now all but two of them are around the 4.5 inch range I would say.

One is a stunted runt that is definately at the bottom of the pecking order and there is one rite above him (s far as I can tell) in the order who was growing really well and now seems to be slowing down to the point where I could almost call him runt number two, not stunted but turning out to be a runt.

So I made an appointment with my breeder to go down for my birthday which is in Oct but wife is leeting me go next month sometime intead to buy two sub-adults around the same size of the 4 that have grown out very nicely (the snake skin has to do some catching up) but he was the smallest at one point and now is growing very well one of the more dominant ones in the tank and in fact when I feed them by hand he is the first to gobble up the food he was younger than all of them from the start so he still eats very vivasiously or whatever.

So would it be ok to do this and replace the runt/stunted fish now? would they all be big enough at that point I would not have to worry about one of the other ones turning out to be the runt? or should I leave the runt in there just to be sure he stays at the bottom and so that someone else does not take his place?

Finaly what do I do with the sunted one and the runt I have a 55 gallon so the most I like to keep in there is 6 even though the seventh one would be a small one I have no other fish in the tank except for two loaches and a cory cat.

I have a cmmunity tank 30 gallon I keep at 82f dont ask me why just always have and the fish are fine with it I have had them for about 9 months now at that temp culd I put the stunted and the runt in there? what should I do guys?

Bottom line is I want 6 nice big discus, have no way to grow juvi out rite now and I have a pool filter sand substrate of about 1/4 inch deep some driftwood java fern java moss and some hornwort with up right branches that looks like a root system of sorts, trust me still plenty of room for them to swinm plenty of room just eye balling it I think I could have 7 in there seeing how the one seems to have stoped growing and the other is stunted I hate to cull them and I would rather put the two in the community tank if it would n=have no ill efect on their health and if it would be a better option than killing them? if there going to suffer in the community tank I would rather "get rid" of them if you know what I mean?

so when can I go to two or just three feedings a day since the bigger ones have slowed down since they were small juvis they ate like you would not believe but they are slowing down they forage slower and they do eat its just not like it was the snake skin still is hitting it hard for now I am sure he will slow down to and savor his food the other fish are actually tasting their food for the first time instead of just swolling it is this normal? when does this usaly happen? do my fish seem to be on track or could somethng else be going on here??

Lastly and I mean it this time lol my wife has came out of the blue and told me if i am still into discus (and I hope and intend to be) in 3 years she wants me to get rid of the 30 gallon the 14 gallon and the 55 gallon and she said I could just get an 100 gallon or maybe a little bigger if I push for it and then thats it she said dosent want to hear any more about fish and fish tanks so thats good news I never thought she would go for it but for her to come out and say it she must be in a good mood or see how happy it makes me keeps me home and out of trouble or she building up to ask for something her self or its a guilt gift, lol seriously I had plenty of sleepless night for getting the 55 gallon becuase I could not wait and so forth dude I got the 55 with stand a ton of extras on C list for 55$ so she culd not b***h to much. I am trying to find out away to get her to let me keep the 55 or 30 though what if I end up with a breeding pair it be choas in the 100+ gallon? or what if I need a hosp tank or qt tank you definatley need one of those so I should keep the 55 for a breeder and the 30 for a hosp tank sje said no fing way you can keep the 14 gallon for a hosp tank I said what I may be able to put one discus inti for treatment but that be abut it I need to keep at least the 30 gallon rite guys? maye I can store the 55 at my parents see she dont care about the tank and the little bit of money I could make by selling it she just doesnt want a house full of fish tanks I can understand that but you need a hosp/qt tank and maybe even a breeding tank or heck I could have made a wet dry trickel out of the 30 or 55. but thats down the line just wnated to share this with you guys and this would be a dream tank 100+ gallons and she said it has to be brand new she wants the works canopy stand the whole nine I said I am going to have to buy new lighting more heating more filtration my cascade is rated for a 100 gallon but still that would not be enough I would still want a second filtration device and I think if it is a 100 gallon I would keep 8 adults in it if I have 6 now hopfully soon I can buy two more this way theres room for drift wood some low light plants and like a dozen or so rummy noses or something but still I will always want bigger and bigger and she said all this is fine with her she wants it to look very very nice if its to be a living room pice you know? so thats why she says its cool the tank I have now is old the stand is in good shape hard real wood and so forth no canopy but its all old and worn she wants me to get somthing pretty for her to look like if its my one and only tank I say I would want maybe even a 125 or 150?? hat you guys think espcially the top half the bottom half was more thinking out loud so to speak but please feel free to coment on it if you want to lol lol Im not going to be able to sleep now for the next 3 years why tell me now if I gotta wait that long??? I can wear her down though I will have it in the next year mark my words I will kiss her a** spoil her more than usuall and be xtra xtra nice help with laundry and so frth get as many brownee points as I can

Oh as always thank you thank you in advance for all your help and advice and keep it comming plz thaanks guys for reall.

Discus master
08-20-2010, 10:54 AM
OMG I worte a freaking book anyway man I knew I would I just can not help my self, please feel free to skim read ok guys/girls and I am sorry for all the wrtting so much for you all to respond to, I am very sorry for that just hit the key points if you will please. and if you want pics of current set up I have the ltest ones I have to take from camera to put on pc to up load to phot buckett so it may take me till this evening to do that as I am at work rite now, ha ha yup they pay me to be on SD a lot shhhh shhh dont tell on me lol:angel:

Jennie
08-20-2010, 10:58 AM
LOL DM, Go get a bigger discus, re-house or re-home the 2 small ones and here is a chart of measurements on tank sizes to help you detrmine what is best in your space.
http://www.thekrib.com/TankHardware/size-chart.html

Discus master
08-20-2010, 03:24 PM
LOL DM, Go get a bigger discus, re-house or re-home the 2 small ones and here is a chart of measurements on tank sizes to help you detrmine what is best in your space.
http://www.thekrib.com/TankHardware/size-chart.html

Thanks for the chart I already saved it honestly i like the foot print of the 120 instead of the 100 I like the 48 inch tanks for some reason and it the same length as mine now but a ton wider and a few inches taller as well. But if I tell my wife look this 100 gallon is going to take up another foot this way and that it will only come out and go up instead of take up more wall space in terms of length. If I approach from this angle I may be able to squeez her for the larger one besides I would like it a bit wider anyways and it would give me a nice wide stand to work with, heck I could build it out from the wall make it a=part of the room decor.

Now what do you think though about everything else I was saying in the begining of my post in terms of the agression, pecking order, when I can add more and slowing down some on their food intake? I know I aksed a lot i hope some others can chime in as well theres enough questions here for every one on the forum to be kept busy, ha ha I do thank you for helpin it means a lot thanks again and please keep it coming every one I am thirsty for the knowledge and I just keep learning and wanting to know more

Jennie
08-20-2010, 04:22 PM
well I've now got my almost 3" juvies in with the bigger ones of 4 1/2 to 6 inch, everyone gets along just fine. The little guys just butt right in and shove the big ones out of the way. Of course this isn't a permanent situation of housing but for now, they are doing great. I think it's suggested that 4" you can slow down on the food intake. I'm not an expert on whether or not you are on track for growth, so that will be up to others to answer.
Did I miss anything?

Jhhnn
08-20-2010, 11:57 PM
Don't back off on the food at 4"- it's like feeding teenagers when they get to that size. It takes enormous amounts of food to get them to 6" or so...