Pat's Challenger Growout Thread

[warblad79]

Looking at your fish with a critical eye can be very useful at times. One of my larger SS, same fish in the two pictures below. See any imperfections? I know at least one.

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Attachment 120374

Imperfection.JPG

[Second Hand Pat]

Disclaimer; This is a guess Pat, and a guess is all it is as I have no experience judging discus features.
The last spiny dorsal ray is a little blunted/rounded leaving a dip in the transition to the soft dorsal rays??

That is the one I found Danny also.

Imperfection.JPG

Good catch Bryan, I missed that one.

[Pices]

I said I wasn’t going to check my discus, but of course I did only to find my favorite has that dip! Oh the pain! Is it genetic or was it something I did? Now it stands out like a sore thumb from across the room and I envision that talk that goes, “Its not you, it’s me. My feelings have changed....”. Ha ha
Patty

[Second Hand Pat]

I said I wasn’t going to check my discus, but of course I did only to find my favorite has that dip! Oh the pain! Is it genetic or was it something I did? Now it stands out like a sore thumb from across the room and I envision that talk that goes, “Its not you, it’s me. My feelings have changed....”. Ha ha
Patty

LOL Patty, your discus are still the beautiful fish you fell in love with. If they do not meet some man made standard it doesn't really manner. Remember they are beautiful, healthy and yours.

The point of my post is for awareness with the other contestants when it comes time to select their best fish.
Pat

[Pices]

No worries Pat. I’m actually glad to know this and it’s not like I’m going to cull him or anything
Patty

[PorcelainChina59]

Pat,

Could you go over the finer points that make a great discus and some of the points that make a substandard discus (there are no bad discus right ) Thanks.

[Second Hand Pat]

Pat,

Could you go over the finer points that make a great discus and some of the points that make a substandard discus (there are no bad discus right ) Thanks.

Hi Patti, my easy answer is I like a discus which looks good (to me) with no defects and is active, eats well and healthy. However when folks talk about quality in discus then everyone wants a show quality fish. For the purpose of this challenge everyone will need to pick their best fish. The best I can do is to point to the NADA scoring criteria http://www.discusnada.org/2018NADAdi...es-and-awards/ (half way down the page) and the NADA Show winners from 2018 http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...Discus-Winners. Please note that I do not know what exact criteria will be used for this challenge.
Pat

[PorcelainChina59]

Hi Patti, my easy answer is I like a discus which looks good (to me) with no defects and is active, eats well and healthy. However when folks talk about quality in discus then everyone wants a show quality fish. For the purpose of this challenge everyone will need to pick their best fish. The best I can do is to point to the NADA scoring criteria http://www.discusnada.org/2018NADAdi...es-and-awards/ (half way down the page) and the NADA Show winners from 2018 http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...Discus-Winners. Please note that I do not know what exact criteria will be used for this challenge.
Pat

thank you so much. I should've thought of NADA page...duh....but I agree with your criteria. As for this challenge, I think weekly documentation as well as grow out size and shape is some of the criteria stated in the challenge sticky...but nothing specific. I think the reason for the challenge should be the ruling criteria, which I believe is to teach others and documation of your findings so others can follow your lead. Me personally, I think it's a wonderful idea so that the actual process is filmed, written up and discussed. What a wonderful thing to have on the site for all of us.

[danotaylor]

Me personally, I think it's a wonderful idea so that the actual process is filmed, written up and discussed. What a wonderful thing to have on the site for all of us.

+1

[Second Hand Pat]

Right on Patti
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

These guys are getting big. The smaller turk decided to try and catch up size wise with the larger turk and it is almost there. Still doing two WCs a day, feeding BH, BH flake, FDBWs and the D50 with baby. Next week is the three month point and I will catch and measure the largest of the fish. I already know the size, should be about three inches.

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Really like the way this one is shaping up.

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[danotaylor]

Awesome Pat, just beautiful looking fish. Nice job

[Mando]

In for sizes! Great thread, Pat!

[Second Hand Pat]

Awesome Pat, just beautiful looking fish. Nice job

Thank you Danny

In for sizes! Great thread, Pat!

Thank you Mando, sizewise I think these guys will be in the middle of the pack. We shall see next week.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

While finishing off a meal of FDBWs the fish went into hunting/grazing mode. They like to graze of the black foam divider I have in the tank. When the fish graze on the black divider or on top of the sponges their color goes dark to blend in with their surrounding. I tried to capture that in this video.