Hi all!!!

[brewmaster15]

We have gotten a lot of requests for section for people new to discus. A place where they could ask questions, and get more one on one help in getting started.

Use this section to start learning about discus, you will never be ridiculed here, and you may post any of your pictures here, to share the pictures of your fish, pets, or collections. Pictures here will not critisized. Please note though that photos posted in other sections of this forum, can be evaluated as to shape and form as generally accepted by Discus hobbyists and breeders.


Please feel free to use this section for those questions that you may feel are too basic for the rest of the board. Here the only dumb question is the one not asked!!!

Take care,
al

[bikhu]

So... no dumb questions huh? That almost sounds like a challenge and if anyone can come up wioth a dumb qestion I can.. Without even trying. Truth is that when I read some of the threads although they are fascinating I feel like an intellectual cull! (how'd you like the use of that word? Got it from you guys) I am not much of a physical scientist... psych and counselling major! So please forgive if I ask really inane things. Realize the questions are born out of my fascination and infatuation with these beautiful creatures.
My question today is in regards to fish shape. Is it possible for a young fish to change shape? I read the thread about "Perfect Discus" and must admit that I am a sucker for color. I have one fish that seemed to be a little on the oval side when I got him but was already showing gorgeous turquoise and deep maroon at about 3 inches. It seems to me that he has gotten rounder.. Is this "just my 'magination"? :-\
Thanks in advance for the input
peter

[Carol_Roberts]

Generally round baby discus stay round and long baby discus stay long.
Carol

[Smokey]

Pete:
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... I thinks ya needs to see a doctor. Perhaps your mind is playing tricks on you .... lol
Actually, you may be observing the dorsal fin developing.

What do you think ???

Smokey
( halluctions are in the mind)

Excellent idea for the new topic. I have the feeling that beginners are being intimidated by the regular posters asking advance breeding and medicated questions and afraid to participate in our forum. This is a place where both beginners and so called experts can ask simple questions that they don't know or never know. IMO. I'm still learning after all these years. There's no expert in discus.
Jimmy.

[Anna Piranha]

Hi Peter,
I was also a psych major and counselor, so we can definitely discuss behavior and cognitive issues as they relate to fish. The topics are endless – overcrowding and how it relates to choice of a mate (you know female/female pairs are not unheard of in fish tanks and prison populations ), depression and anxiety in fishes diagnosed with gill flukes, and of course, spawning and parenting issues. Like I said, the list is endless ;D

Anna

[brewmaster15]

Hi Anna,
Funny you should mention that about overcrowding and prisons. It has been well documented in many species of birds that as the populations increase, same sex matings increase as well.. This I believe was first studied in seagulls.

-al

[bikhu]

Hi Anna and Al,
Funny you both should mention prisons etc... Did I happen to mention that I work in a correctional facility. And yes ... same sex mating can be a pproblem but we probably would need to start a new thread for that... more for the Malawi Cichlid forum I think!
By the way... Yeah I am prone to hallucinations but it probably is the more pronounced development and coloration of the dorsal fin that I am witnessing. Nonetheless a beautiful fish who is getting beautifuller! Yeah I know that's not a word)

[roclement]

hello bikhu,

I am by no means an expert on discus, I got into the hobby February of last year, re-egnating a flame from my childhood!
What I did notice is this, my first fish were bought from a LFS, I did not know any better, they were very small aournd 2", and had, IMO, a decent shape. Out of a tank with about 15 fish from the same parents I chose one and brought it home.

The one in my house developed nicely, is growing, round in shape and extremely colorfull, the ones that remained at the fish shop either died or became horrific, fotball like fish, that don't even resemble discus, eventually they all died!

Now...I am not suggesting that my fish became better than his genetic potential, but he is reaching it in full, just like any other living creature, humans included, the way you raise your fish will have a definite influence in their outcome as a developed adult.

Follow he advice on this forum and I am sure that you will be able to make your fish reach their full potential! Mine are!!!

Good luck and ask often! Rodrigo 8)

[law15]

Hi,
I would like to ask about feeding juvenile discus for maximum growth and color, since I'm sure we all want that! I have 8 discus in a 110G planted tank. I got the fish from a local breeder in Nov. and they seem to be doing well, Now they are about 4 inches (about doubled in size) with 1 runt. Thanks to this site, I do daily WC's and weekly big changes. I have been feeding 4 X day. Hikari BW in the AM, then pellets and flakes@ mid-day, and then back to BW's. On the weekends I have been getting some blackworms, which they love. I also tried mysis shrimp, which they rejected. Any suggestion's?
LAW ??? 8)

[brewmaster15]

Hi law,
What brand of mysis did you try? There are fresh water mysis and salt water mysis. Mine will only eat the fresh water..mysis relicta.


Mine also won't touch hikari mysis, which are small and I think may be saltwater mysis( don't quote me on it)

-al

[law15]

al
Thanks for the advice. I checked the freezer and they are San Francisco Bay brand, reccomended for all SALTWATER fish. It just says "mysis shrimp"- no subspecies. I'll keep an eye out for the relicta. I guess I was really trying to find out how and what everyone is feeding thier discus.
LAW

[dm]

I usually give mine live blackworms in the morning and use different types of flake and pellets after I get home from work and again later in the evening.

[chicki]

Brewmaster 15, could you tell me the color or type of discus that is your avatar? Thats exactly what I would love to have! (but I could never do the amount of WC it takes)

[brewmaster15]

Hi Chicki,
Thats a red Turquoise that I got at a LFS 2 years ago. It was one of the few that I was ever able to save from a LFS tank. that fish went for months without eating., got to the point where I tubed medicine and food into it to get it toeat as it was very emaciated.

Its one of my favorite fish and one that I have gotten a lot of good comments on!
Take care,
al