A 3$ discus -> 450 WC later...

Hi guys,

I would like to share one of my little guy's (I guess) journey.

He was my 2nd batch of discus, after my first not so successful batch (duh).
With a lot of Simply reading and endless WC, how would a 3 us$ turn out to be?
(I live in Bangkok. That's the price of 2" +- so so quality discus juvies)

Their main food = BH, brine shrimps, fairy shrimps, krills, Tetra colorbits, Hikari pellets

I bought him along with 6 others siblings in the beginning of Jun 2018.
Same as many new parents, I didn't take enough kids photo, cause I was busy changing diapers (WC).

But his crop looked kind of like this;
(It's not the EXACT batch, I took these photos days later,
but the same shop, same size & price)

Attachment 124624
Attachment 124625


I kept them in a 30 gal.
I did WC twice a day, morning and evening. After 100+- WC (about 2 months later),
they kinda look like this.
(Sorry for exceptionally bad photo)

Attachment 124626

At this point, 2 of 7 died mysteriously.
(No significant,obvious symptom. Found out dead in the morning.)


In the middle of Oct 2018 (4.5 months later. So, maybe 250+- WC?)
I moved him into 120 gal with other adults.
I WC this tank every 2 days.

Attachment 124627
Attachment 124628
Attachment 124629


This is earlier in mid Jan 2019 (300+- WC later)

Attachment 124630



Mar 2019 (350+- WC)
at this point, I think he stopped growing length wise, but still getting thicker.

Attachment 124631
Attachment 124632


This is last week (Aug 2019. So a year and 2 months, 450+- WC?)

Attachment 124633

I think even after he stopped growing, his pattern kept changing constantly.
He was a golden-turned-orange CKB with thick bold edge, now becoming thinner line CKB.
Very interesting.

Also, this is today, since people use this term a lot, so I was just like, well, heck it.

Discus vs Dinner plate

Attachment 124634

It was an impulse action (scoop & shoot). So under prepared lol.

This is the plate size.

Attachment 124635

He was a bit cramped in the middle, so maybe 6.25-6.5"?



Anyway, all in all, that was my and his journey for this 1.2 year.
This was my first batch that I grew out from this small size (<2").

Thanks to all you guys for all good info.

Great journey Cyrus. You did a fabulous job raising a nice thick adult discus. For a $3 USD fish he turned out great. Nice pattern...a little weak under the chin, but all in all a nice fish, especially for the price. Thanks for documenting and sharing your journey!

Just goes to show that genetics is only part of the equation. You should be proud of a job well done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by danotaylor

Great journey Cyrus. You did a fabulous job raising a nice thick adult discus. For a $3 USD fish he turned out great. Nice pattern...a little weak under the chin, but all in all a nice fish, especially for the price. Thanks for documenting and sharing your journey!

---

Dano, "weak chin" meaning that the body line from the mouth downward indents?

Yes. It's actually a very common fault even seen to a lesser degree in the best Discus. It's not something to obsesses about in an otherwise good fish.

Yes, what Liz said mate. I learned the term here on SD from Liz, Pat & Brian. If you see the royal yellow in my avatar it is a beautiful round fish with great color, but a weak chin also. To me the other features of the fish made up for it's chin...heck, I have a strong chin (double) lol, I wish mine were a little weaker haha..
Here's a better angle of my royal yellow
Attachment 124649

Daniel and Liz, thank you for your replies and kind words.

I bought some bigger and more beautiful (genetically rare etc.) discus before,
but man, I really love the ones I raise up from young. Totally different feeling.

I believe such feeling (rewarding?) would be much stronger when you raise them from eggs (pairing & breeding)
But it’s one deep rabbit hole I don’t want to jump in lol.

You're welcome Cyrus. I forgot to say, I really love the dinner plate shot! The white plate, strong red color with the white patterns looks really tasty, I mean amazing :p Cheers mate!

The power of water changes cannot be underestimated. Raising discus is really very simple if you just do this one thing...

Congratulations, Willie

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by danotaylor

You're welcome Cyrus. I forgot to say, I really love the dinner plate shot! The white plate, strong red color with the white patterns looks really tasty, I mean amazing :p Cheers mate!

---

I know right? ;)
It kinda bugged me that I heard so many times of "dinner plate size discus", but have never seen one actual photo, thus... lol
(mine is not at all the dinner plate size tho.)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Willie

The power of water changes cannot be underestimated. Raising discus is really very simple if you just do this one thing...

Congratulations, Willie

---

Thank you Willie.

Yes, I agree that it's simple,,, but not physically easy in my opinion. :D

It might even be a difficult concept to cope with, especially if you came from other simpler fish
that WC twice a month is more than enough.