Discus that get too big?

[White Worm]

Is it just me or do discus start to actually lose that attractive round characteristic as they reach "jumbo" or exceed 7"? I know everyone likes to grow large healthy discus but some I have seen lately start to get "long" in the body. I think I would rather have a round 6-7" discus than a 8-9" elongated discus. They don't quite make the football look but the head area tends to extend outward. I'd like to think that size isn't everything...:o

[Kal-El]

I think it depends on the genetics of the discus. If you check out this thread you'll see monster size discus that are round.

Link (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?104491-Show-us-your-monster-size-Discus-Fish&highlight=)

[Larry Bugg]

I haven't seen it that way. Round at 6" = round at 7" or 8".

Don't believe I've ever seen a 9" discus.

[Skip]

I haven't seen it that way. Round at 6" = round at 7" or 8".

Don't believe I've ever seen a 9" discus.

Then u missed toni post awhile back.. she one pushing 9.5 with a ruler on it

[John_Nicholson]

You can get poor shape regardless of size. I see a lot of 5 inch fish posted here with poor shape. It might be more noticible in big fish but the shape is often the same.

-john

[terps]

Is it just me or do discus start to actually lose that attractive round characteristic as they reach "jumbo" or exceed 7"? I know everyone likes to grow large healthy discus but some I have seen lately start to get "long" in the body. I think I would rather have a round 6-7" discus than a 8-9" elongated discus. They don't quite make the football look but the head area tends to extend outward. I'd like to think that size isn't everything...:o

That's the unfortunate trade off with Jumbos. You get the large size, but almost always get the undesirable, elongated shape.

[strawberryblonde]

That's the unfortunate trade off with Jumbos. You get the large size, but almost always get the undesirable, elongated shape.

I don't agree with that at all. Of all my jumbo's I only have one who is football shaped, and he's been that way from the day I got him at 4".

All my others are, or have been, nicely rounded. I won't post pics (again), but you can check out my older posts and my homestead section to see the shapes of my jumbo's if you're still not convinced. =)

[White Worm]

I guess maybe the fish had the shape to begin with and gets more pronounced when they reach "jumbo" size. I'm not talking about footballs but just the head section extending out of pretty round fish otherwise. Obviously both VERY nice discus but which would you rather have? 6-7" on the left or 8-9" on the right?
8074580746

[Allwin]

Toni - forgot to mention in ur previous thread, your MR is of perfect round shaped and way pretty.


I don't agree with that at all. Of all my jumbo's I only have one who is football shaped, and he's been that way from the day I got him at 4".

All my others are, or have been, nicely rounded. I won't post pics (again), but you can check out my older posts and my homestead section to see the shapes of my jumbo's if you're still not convinced. =)

[White Worm]

Maybe there is also the difference between a high body and a regular discus in addition to genetics?

[John_Nicholson]

When you get to NADA I bet you see some big and round fish...LOL.

-john

[White Worm]

Can't wait. I went years ago to the one in Sacramento. This one should be awesome. I plan to be ready for some more discus around Jan but I'm sure I will be ready to expand again by summer.

[Rudustin]

Here is a picture of two Jumbos I got from Hans very recently. I love their shape and perhaps they are not show quality but I still think they are round.http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w615/Rudustin/get-attachmentaspx_zps5c18c7e7.jpg (http://s1332.photobucket.com/user/Rudustin/media/get-attachmentaspx_zps5c18c7e7.jpg.html)

[Rudustin]

If I remember correctly Hans told me they are close to two years old. This is one of a pair of BD's I also got from Hans and it is not quite the size as the jumbos but it is very big and I think it is very round and still under two years old. http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w615/Rudustin/get-attachmentaspx_zps9175d217.jpg (http://s1332.photobucket.com/user/Rudustin/media/get-attachmentaspx_zps9175d217.jpg.html)

[White Worm]

Nice fish. I think it also depends on how pronounced the dorsal fin and where it starts on the head.

[Rudustin]

Thanks Mike. The pictures really don't do them justice. Hans chose these two for me and I am am very happy with their color and shape.

[CliffsDiscus]

That's the unfortunate trade off with Jumbos. You get the large size, but almost always get the undesirable, elongated shape.

Agree, mostly the males will have a longer head as they get 4, 5 years old the the feamles will usually stay round. How to avoid this buy high body Discus when
young.

Cliff

[White Worm]

Thanks Cliff, that's what I thought. The high body seems to enhance the round shape as they get older.

[MSD]

Nice discus, Ruf.

[Rudustin]

Thanks Mark.

[strawberryblonde]

My tank is completely full of nothing but males. Only one of them is longer than he is round.

80773 <------- A 9" male Marlboro Red. This ruler pic was taken over a year ago when he was only 18 months old and 8.5".

80774 <------ Here he is last week chilling out in his "Riviera Tank". That tank is 18" high/30 gallons. He couldn't turn around in it without knocking the heater or filter all around.

80770 <---------The flachen is my largest jumbo, but is also the football shaped one. He was always this shape, just grew to over 9" long and only 8" high.



80772 <---- My only Asian discus. An 8" male Golden Sunshine.

80771<--- My newest additions. A 7.5" male blue pigeon and a 6.5" male Fire Red.

I think there are some pretty big assumptions being tossed out as facts in this thread. Till you have pics and actual data to back up your theories you might want to add that it's only your personal opinion that jumbo discus, or male jumbo's are football shaped because of their growth rates.

[Skip]

Ruler don't lie.. I crack up at people that eyeball the length

[MSD]

Why so surprised? Most stuff on the internet is bull and speculation and anecdotal opinion. Those fish are super big blonde, no guessing on that.

[White Worm]

I don't think anyone is giving an absolute when it comes to jumbo discus. It may just be that it's a higher likelihood that it is more pronounced when they become that size. It's clear that there are some round discus as they get into the 8-9" size but that may be the exception more than the rule. Not saying I know either way, jmo from what I have seen. I've only had discus up to 6.5" and I have not personally owned jumbo's so I only base my opinion on observation at this time. I also know that Cliff has been in this business a very long time so I value his opinion.

[strawberryblonde]

I hear ya Mike. I'm just putting it out there that till I see some proof, I'm not going to assume that big discus aren't round discus. My own collection of discus shows the opposite to be true. In total I've grown out 9 discus to jumbo size and only one is football shaped. The rest are nicely round, even though I didn't buy high end discus. I was new to the hobby, so I purchased standard 4" discus from Discus Hans, not show quality discus.

So that flies directly in the face of saying that there's a higher likelihood that they'll be football shaped as jumbo's. 1 out of 9 ain't bad. =)

[pastry]

Yeah, but Toni, while on the outside they look great, on the inside their saying, "What did she DO to me? I used to be a size 6 and now I'm a size 9!!! I can't even look in a mirror anymore!"

[Chicago Discus]

Although "Jumbo Discus" are fascinating to look at and intriguing fish to have its not about the size its about the quality of the fish. I have several "Jumbo Discus" some I have purchased but most I have bred myself. Some jumbos have an extraordinarily round shape while others lack the round qualities people are looking for. Its all about the quality of the fish you purchase and the way you take of them. Water changes are great but what kind of water are you using? Good natural foods are great but what kind of food are you using? Do you have young males and females in the same tank speeding up puberty causing the discus to stop growing and not reaching there full potential size? IMO these are the three things that make a difference in the growth, shape and size of your fish……..Josie