Growing Juvies (need advice)

[Iminit]

Yes I’m very happy with his fish and I recommend them to all. I do believe his are stronger than most. If you can do the water changes they will grow big. Than you can cut down on the changes. My checkerboards looked just like yours. I’ll put up a picture of my flachen ss later.

[Vinni Smith]

I like this guy's approach and outlook on this whole issue/argument.
And he says it all in a very nice way.

[chevyvega927]

I like this guy's approach and outlook on this whole issue/argument.
And he says it all in a very nice way.

That was awesome dude!

[Michael A]

The frequency of water changes depend on your aquarium sizes with respect to the amount of fish that inhabits it. If you want to do less water changes, buy fewer discus with bigger water volume. Also siphon your aquarium 5 mins after feeding to not foul the water.

[smsimcik]

The frequency of water changes depend on your aquarium sizes with respect to the amount of fish that inhabits it. If you want to do less water changes, buy fewer discus with bigger water volume. Also siphon your aquarium 5 mins after feeding to not foul the water.

Also, only keep adult discus in a planted community tank, not juvies.

[Willie]

I like this guy's approach and outlook on this whole issue/argument. And he says it all in a very nice way...

It is a nice video, but very few people have a setup like this.

1. He has a huge tank that can handle many fish and fewer water changes, where as most people are managing 55 - 75 gal tanks.
2. He buys adult fish, high quality ones by the looks of it. You couldn't do this starting with smaller discus.
3. He has the financial resources to make up for mistakes, which he freely admits to at the beginning of the talk. The island setup combines the best features of barebottom and planted tanks and probably comes from a lot of trial and error ($$$).

Certainly not his responsibility to account for all the different scenarios out there, but most arguments about how to raise discus depend on everyone's unique tank set ups. His easy does it approach works for him, but possibly not for many others.

[sunsetopal]

Tom~ I have SERIOUS Discus Envy!!!

Jealous too.

[RickyB]

I like this guy's approach and outlook on this whole issue/argument.
And he says it all in a very nice way.

Excellent video Vinni, thanks. I'm a relative newbie to discus, but not fishkeeping, I've kept and bred Malawi African Cichlids for over 30 years. I appreciate the comments made by everyone who sincerely cares about this beautiful fish. However, I take umbrage with some people who say that if you don't do things a certain way (large daily water changes, feed beef heart, barebottom tank etc) that you will raise "crappy" fish. I think the gentleman in the video makes some pertinent points, perhaps I don't want the 8" fish but my fish will grow to a healthy 6". The important thing for some hobbyists is to enjoy the hobby and not be a slave to water changes, and the anxiety that you are doing something wrong if you're changing the water every other day as the OP said.

There are many factors that are to be considered if you are going to make absolute statements (e.g. size of tank, fish load, temperature, tankmates, etc). I've come to learn that some things are irrefutable when it comes to discus keeping:
1. Frequent water changes (yes, i consider changing 50% every other day frequent FOR ME)
2. Source and quality of the new fish
3. Quarantine new fish
4. Warm temperature
5. A good test kit and aged or conditioned water
Everything else I consider opinion (and there may be validity to that opinion, just not absolute gospel).

Good luck to the OP, take in as much information as you can, learn, and armed with that knowledge, then YOU decide what will work for you.

[Gregkarr09]

Here is a 3 month update, thank you to everyone for all the great advice. I continued to do large water changes every 2 to 3 days about 80% of the water. All the fish are doing well I bought them all around 3 to 4 inches and now I have my biggest ones pushing 5 maybe even 5.5' can you see a difference?
IMG_7233.jpg
IMG_7230.jpg

The original pics when are got them are below

IMG_6837.jpg
IMG_6852.jpg

[seanyuki]

rotated

IMG_6837.jpg

IMG_6852.jpg

[pablos]

I love snake skin the most. They look gorgeous

[Shan_Evolved]

Wow they look amazing. Is the one on the top right a white leopard?

[Iminit]

Greg your discus look great. I can see the red guy grew but it tough for the others. It’s just the way the pics were taken. Close up for the first time pics and further back for the new pics. But they look great! Congrats!
Shan I’m thinking that’s a red leopard.

[Gregkarr09]

No White Leopards just snakeskins and the yellow and white is a golden pigeon. Thanks for the kind words

[Gregkarr09]

Thanks for the kind words Iminit. yea they all definitely grew I knew the pics wouldn't show correctly either. Either way I'm stoked with the results.