Pat's Challenger Growout Thread

[Second Hand Pat]

Indication of color and foreheads rounding up.

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[RogueDiscus]

Looking good Pat. I'm so proud of all my little grandkids

[Second Hand Pat]

Looking good Pat. I'm so proud of all my little grandkids

Thanks Steve, I am enjoying your "grandkids"
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Before the storm...nice clean tank.



During the storm! They are eating lightly grind up FDBWs. Grind just enough to break the cubes apart. I tried cutting a cube into 4 pieces but the worms still seem too long plus places all the fry in one place allowing the larger ones to hog the cube. The way I am feeding in the video lets everyone eat.

[Maxx24]

Great images! I don't know how you do it... just trying to get them in focus is hard enough but your pictures are awesome..! I can't believe these little ones are already showing color..

[xKevinx]

Great pictures! They are looking really nice

[Second Hand Pat]

Great images! I don't know how you do it... just trying to get them in focus is hard enough but your pictures are awesome..! I can't believe these little ones are already showing color..

Thanks Max, a camera with a remote flash is a great starting point. I am loving the start of color in these guys.

Great pictures! They are looking really nice

Thank you Kevin

[Maxx24]

I have a nikon d750....and can take nice portraits of people with off camera flash but still I imagine with these little ones must take a lot of patience and skill.. I just started growing out some dime size discus.. I'll have to try to take similar quality photos.

[Second Hand Pat]

I have a nikon d750....and can take nice portraits of people with off camera flash but still I imagine with these little ones must take a lot of patience and skill.. I just started growing out some dime size discus.. I'll have to try to take similar quality photos.

Hi Max, learn how to program your speedlight and you might need a light source over the fish so the camera can focus. Do you have a zoom lens?
Pat

[Maxx24]

I do .. 24-120mm but I might have a macro lens too.. I'll have to look for it and give it a shot tonight..

[jeep]

Your use of photography skills really brings out the color. It helps us all know what to expect down the road!

[Paul Sabucchi]

Those lovely looking fish definitely pop with Pat's pin-sharp photography

[Second Hand Pat]

I do .. 24-120mm but I might have a macro lens too.. I'll have to look for it and give it a shot tonight..

Max, the 24-120 will work fine. That is what I am using for the photos. Get your fish use to having a light on over the tank so the camera can focus and start playing. You might want to start with a SS of 400 (change the Flash-sync speed to 250*), small aperture around 13 or so and ISO 100.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Your use of photography skills really brings out the color. It helps us all know what to expect down the road!

Thanks Brian, I am excited for the future will bring with the color on these little guys.

Those lovely looking fish definitely pop with Pat's pin-sharp photography

Thank you Paul
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Since I have not raised a lot of fry I am not shy about taking moves from the playbooks of the other contestants. Yesterday I went to PetSmart and bought a couple prepackaged frozen BH cubes. More experienced contestants have mentioned feeding BH really helps to add size to the fry so let's give it a try. I have already introduced the fry to BH and one cube feeds the group nicely.

To get it small enough to eat I run the cube over a very fine grader when the cube is frozen. That works like a champ
Pat