Full size?

[GOOBERFISH]

I was wondering can discus grow to max size in a planted aquarium?

[Andy27012]

The general concensous is that if kept in anything other then bare bottom water quality can not be kept high enough to allow them to reach their full potential.

[Ryan]

You're opening a can of worms with this one. I'd say it's plausible, but it rarely happens. There are just so many variables at play and sometimes the needs of the discus are not put front and center.

Can you? Probably. Would it be easier to grow them out in a non-planted tank? Very much so.

[XAnhLe]

Generally, bare bottoms are preferred for growing out max size because the bad stuffs don't get trapped under sand or gravels and remain in the tank.

I have seen exception to this case, I know a man who grew out 8+ inches discus with sand, and a single anubias and no other plant. What shocked me even more is that he did 10% water change daily with rain water or refrigerator water (since refrigerator have a water filter as well). He managed to have that discus pair for 2+ years, and I measured one to be 8+ inches with a ruler and another to be 7+.

[krislewis3]

Generally, bare bottoms are preferred for growing out max size because the bad stuffs don't get trapped under sand or gravels and remain in the tank.

I have seen exception to this case, I know a man who grew out 8+ inches discus with sand, and a single anubias and no other plant. What shocked me even more is that he did 10% water change daily with rain water or refrigerator water (since refrigerator have a water filter as well). He managed to have that discus pair for 2+ years, and I measured one to be 8+ inches with a ruler and another to be 7+.

You say he had them for only 2 years? What did he lose them after only 2 years?

[XAnhLe]

You say he had them for only 2 years? What did he lose them after only 2 years?

I got them.

Edit: Actually they were 4 years old when I got them, not 2. I had to go back to my old thread to check for the age: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?115916-Bought-a-90G-tank-with-a-pair-of-gigantic-discus

After I measured them, the blue diamond wasn't quite 8.5, but it was somewhere around 8.2.

[GOOBERFISH]

Thanks, I guess I'll be have a bare bottom tank.

[John_Nicholson]

I would say that less than 2% of the planted tank people has a shot at doing this. The stars would have to line up exactly right......and the work load would be greatly increased.

-john

[Surfnturf]

What if your goal isn't growing them out to their max potential/max size. I have a planted tank and just want good looking healthy fish. What size will they generally get without 5x feeds and 50% daily water changes. I feed 2x per day and weekly 25% water changes on average.

Surfnturf

[John_Nicholson]

What if your goal isn't growing them out to their max potential/max size. I have a planted tank and just want good looking healthy fish. What size will they generally get without 5x feeds and 50% daily water changes. I feed 2x per day and weekly 25% water changes on average.

Surfnturf


Fair question.....Most of them that I have seen in planted tanks are maybe 5 inches. Normally the owner tells me that they are 7 or 8 inches but the ruler never lies....LOL. Also I have never fed more than twice a day. The feeding them every time they turn around is one of those internet things that got started several years ago and will not seem to die. Feeding them that often will grow them a little quicker but over the long term it does not produce bigger fish.

-john

[kira ken]

Im not an expert on this subject but from what i have read:

easier path = run a planted tank (no fish) for 6 months to 1 year until you have all figure out, lighting, dosing etc ... Then buy full size discus for your tank and enjoy !