Shan's First Discus Journey

[Shan_Evolved]

I can see the infatuation with the 5" is justified just by looking at your tank pics. Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your experience with 4". I think I might be in the same boat. I'm glad hans spoke to you a lot, he seemed too busy for me too often but that's probably because I was being annoying Lol.

Your example makes perfect sense to me. I guess they do grow big and fast when you do everything right. Might need my 125 sooner than later

[Johnny95132]

I do recommend you stay with the 55 gallon vs the 125 for grow outs since it's much easier to do large water changes on a small tank vs a larger one. During a water change, you have to factor in time for the water to drain out and to refill the tank. The 125 will take twice the amount of time to drain and twice the amount to refill vs the 55 since the 125 contains 2x the volume. Therefore, the entire waterchange process will take 2x longer on the 125 vs the 55. Unless you have the time to attend to the tank during the water change, I'd stick with the 55 for intensive growouts.

[Iminit]

Lol Liz pissed was his word I just repeated it.

[seanyuki]

In your opinion 14 4 ins discus in a 55 gallons is not over crowded.

I do recommend you stay with the 55 gallon vs the 125 for grow outs since it's much easier to do large water changes on a small tank vs a larger one. During a water change, you have to factor in time for the water to drain out and to refill the tank. The 125 will take twice the amount of time to drain and twice the amount to refill vs the 55 since the 125 contains 2x the volume. Therefore, the entire waterchange process will take 2x longer on the 125 vs the 55. Unless you have the time to attend to the tank during the water change, I'd stick with the 55 for intensive growouts.

[Iminit]

Yeah I understand it’s easier for water changing but that many 4” discus you’d need to change the water twice a day to keep up. I recently had 8 in a 75 growing out and 4 others in a 45. All at the 4+ size. At every water change there was a slime build up on the glass. Now with all in a 125 I’m not getting that build up anymore. So I’d say bigger is better.
Shan check Craigslist,OfferUp and Facebook marketplace for tanks. By me there are plenty. Try for an acrylic. Tank weighs Less than a third the weight.

[Acerrato]

Oh trust me- in the beginning, I did everything wrong. I never did things perfectly (and I still don’t)! The only thing I did right in the beginning was the 50% water changes daily. Aside from that, I did everything completely backwards wrong for several months before I found my groove. I constantly panicked over everything thinking my fish were getting sick and gonna die.... they were just fine- there was absolutely nothing wrong with them. Lmao. If you go back through my tank journal, you’ll see a little bit of it. I was mostly messaging different people on Facebook for help. They couldn’t help me really because all of these “problems” I thought I was having weren’t really problems at all. Every new behavior I saw from the fish freaked me out so I’d make impulsive decisions to change substrate or filtration thinking that it would fix my “problem”... all of the panicking was from a lack of experience on my part. I was messaging Hans almost daily with the same questions over and over again. Eventually he got slower to respond to me because there just was no helping me at that point- I wasn’t taking his advice. That’s why you should give yourself some credit- you seem to be doing the right things with your fish!

Shout out to Hans, Cary, Tammy, Tom (coralbandit), Tom (Iminit), Pat, Francis for putting up with my BS a year ago.... you guys have the patience of Saints! I’m sure I’m forgetting someone...

I can see the infatuation with the 5" is justified just by looking at your tank pics. Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your experience with 4". I think I might be in the same boat. I'm glad hans spoke to you a lot, he seemed too busy for me too often but that's probably because I was being annoying Lol.

Your example makes perfect sense to me. I guess they do grow big and fast when you do everything right. Might need my 125 sooner than later

[Discus-Hans]

I'm glad hans spoke to you a lot, he seemed too busy for me too often but that's probably because I was being annoying Lol.

I was sitting in the badroom with my phone, did a quick count do you know since December 1 you send me 35 text messages (some even in more parts, just counted those as 1) I replied 31 times. Name me one "Discus seller" that you can text on his cell phone and get a reply as fast as you get from me.

[danotaylor]

That's a bunch of msg's Shan, lol!

I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ Hans, but Dennis from DDF texts back quick, and he even initiates texts to me as well Pretty sure from others testimony about Kenny that he does the same...and Chicago Discus. All you guys seem to be accessible & take really good care of your customers...

[Shan_Evolved]

I was sitting in the badroom with my phone, did a quick count do you know since December 1 you send me 35 text messages (some even in more parts, just counted those as 1) I replied 31 times. Name me one "Discus seller" that you can text on his cell phone and get a reply as fast as you get from me.

I don't wanna compare you to anyone Hans. And most of those texts literally involve setting up the sale, not helping me further regarding good stock. Just $$

You're getting to the point where I'm starting to really lose my patience. Despite being nice, kind, and very patient with you, the bottom line is that you never tried to accommodate giving me assurance or a picture of the discus before sending despite asking for it multiple times. I understand I was being picky but I made it clear to you that I was being picky - I'll own up to that. But that doesn't change that you wouldn't acknowledge that you would try and get me a better batch. Even saying that you'll try and pick the nicest shaped ones for me would have sufficed but all you've said multiple times is you're very busy and talked about shipping. You answered a few questions regarding size and age like you would any other customer, but I tried to be more than you're typical customer. I showed you I was a discus enthusiast who was working very hard to grow big healthy discus, and I stressed how important good stock was to me. Oh and I think my wallet thrown in your direction the past two years also speaks for this sentiment.

For me to ask for 4" discus and have all 3 be under 4" felt like you didn't care. Was asking for quality confirmation of the 3 discus too much? Maybe, but that's what I wanted and I've come to you spending hundreds of dollars at a time and even paid in advance for this batch. Hell, I even offered to pay a month before your batch arrived just to secure better shaped discus.

But what? You don't acknowledge my concerns until I share my experience.. And on top of that you wanna say "I'm done" and publicly share your anger towards me?

And please don't act like you messaging back 31 times is such a feat when most of my messages are longer while most of yours are generic one liners or sentences that don't even answer some of my worries or only deal with getting the business transaction completed.

"pisses me off"

[two utes]

Shan.
Im very sorry to hear about your disappointment with your last purchase, but i really do think that they have a lot of potential.
My advise to you is to concentrate on growing out this group the very best you can, and enjoy the journey.....isn't that why you're here in the first place?
If you put in as much effort with daily water changes and feeding as you do on here justifying yourself, i really do think that you will accomplish your goals.
I'm not taking sides, but do you really think you deserve better product than anyone else? I for one run a business, and try and give ALL my customers the very best service that i can offer, and with what i have available.

By the way....l like your signature, but i really don't think that you're an 'Amateur Discuskeeper.

Merry Christmas

[Shan_Evolved]

Thank you Joe Z. I'm sure they will grow big and to me they are already beautiful. I'm not annoyed nor that disappointed in the discus at the discus at all, just offended in Han's behavior to my post sharing an experience. This is a forum to share experiences bad or good, and my confusion/displeasure I felt when initially receiving them I feel is normal. I am inexperienced and don't know what a "4 inch" discus should look or be like. And from people's insights I have now learned that 4 inches doesn't mean they are actually 4 inches or more, but rather 3.5" or more. That's fine. At least the discus will grow well despite my inexperience regarding quality stock.

I was learning. I still am learning.

Just offended at his quick to judge pissed off attitude and accusations that engrave our relationship into the ground.

As far as deserving a better product than anyone else, no I don't believe anyone is entitled to it, but at the same time if you have a customer who returns and returns, a better line of communication and assurances regarding preferences is good business practice.


That being said, I'd like to move on and wish Hans and everyone else a merry christmas and hope you all spend lots of time with your loved ones.

Now I gotta do a water change~

[fljones3]

+1

Shan.
Im very sorry to hear about your disappointment with your last purchase, but i really do think that they have a lot of potential.
My advise to you is to concentrate on growing out this group the very best you can, and enjoy the journey.....isn't that why you're here in the first place?
If you put in as much effort with daily water changes and feeding as you do on here justifying yourself, i really do think that you will accomplish your goals.
I'm not taking sides, but do you really think you deserve better product than anyone else? I for one run a business, and try and give ALL my customers the very best service that i can offer, and with what i have available.

By the way....l like your signature, but i really don't think that you're an 'Amateur Discuskeeper.

Merry Christmas

[fljones3]

Merry Christmas Shan!

That being said, I'd like to move on and wish Hans and everyone else a merry christmas and hope you all spend lots of time with your loved ones.

[tacks]

Merry Christmas Shan Ed

[danotaylor]

Merry Christmas Shan!