Is their growth okay? 65 days old

[Argentum]

Hello everyone,

I am raising a batch of about 35 discus I bread from a cross between Forrest's Giant RT & Giant blue SS
They are 65 days old, the largest is 6 cm the average is 5 cm

I want your opinions on their body shape and sizes, is it good, average or excellent? could I have done it better?

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03383_zpszkk3eniq.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03383_zpszkk3eniq.jpg.html)

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03379_zps6ro4ktj5.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03379_zps6ro4ktj5.jpg.html)

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03398_zpsvsawpact.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03398_zpsvsawpact.jpg.html)

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03381_zpsaqgymodo.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03381_zpsaqgymodo.jpg.html)

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03395_zpssj3xqffb.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03395_zpssj3xqffb.jpg.html)

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03380_zpsd2uqfulv.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DSC03380_zpsd2uqfulv.jpg.html)

[Quintin]

If your numbers are correct they look excelent

[Argentum]

The numbers are correct. I measured a few out of water

[discuspaul]

They certainly look somewhat better than the 'average' I've seen.

[Altum Nut]

They look good to me and seem to be on track for size.
I would say your doing a great job my friend.

...Ralph

[Lilly]

Nice:D imho

[Larry Bugg]

Doing very well. Excellent job.

[Argentum]

Thanks for your kind words eveyone.

My goal here is to grow them fast and very large, I am willing to do what it takes.

I will need more tank space, but that won't be an issue once I am done with my fish room.

I also formulated what i called on FB ultra grow mix I will share that later in the food & Nutrition section

[Argentum]

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/DSC03363_zpszlmgv2v7.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/DSC03363_zpszlmgv2v7.jpg.html)

These are the parents I got them from Forrest around march 2014

[John_Nicholson]

Looks like you are doing a great job. I spotted one that had one slightly short hard ray, but they can never all be perfect.

-john

[rickztahone]

Looks like you are doing a great job. I spotted one that had one slightly short hard ray, but they can never all be perfect.

-john

it may be the angle as well but I also saw one with a short gill plate?

[Argentum]

Looks like you are doing a great job. I spotted one that had one slightly short hard ray, but they can never all be perfect.

-john

Yes you are right there are a couple of ones with imperfections in the hard rays.

Its comforting to hear that i am doing well from You John :)

[Argentum]

it may be the angle as well but I also saw one with a short gill plate?

I put that one on purpose to hear opinions about it. Someone told me that some will grow very fast on the high protein diet and their gill plates will catch up later as it cant grow in the same rate

[rickztahone]

I put that one on purpose to hear opinions about it. Someone told me that some will grow very fast on the high protein diet and their gill plates will catch up later as it cant grow in the same rate

I have actually never heard this and know many breeders that would cull at the first sign of this.

[Argentum]

I have actually never heard this and know many breeders that would cull at the first sign of this.

I will give it a month to test the theory, if the gill plate is still short it is going to be culled along others that require that

[John_Nicholson]

When I notice them I cull them. Never seen one that recovered from it.

-john

[Jack L]

was searching board for info on gill cover, plates...found this thread

my current batch is being grown from smalls, when very small i couldn't easily see the short gill plate on a couple, but as they grew a little i could, as they grew bigger, i REALLY could. the ones with full a operculum kept it, the ones with short are staying short. it just is more obvious now that they are larger.

argentum, did anything change w/ yours?

[DISCUS STU]

They look great. Kept well they should grow out to be very nice fish.

[Pardal]

They are really good looking of course there are always some that need to be cull. But over all great job.

[Argentum]

argentum, did anything change w/ yours?

No the gill covers never grew and I culled them. There were a couple with obviously short gills those I culled immediately I had other two or three that had a tad short gills
I kept them for some time but their gill plate never grew (this was on one side though) so I culled them as well.

I had around 5 with deformities in one of the pelvic fins either being short or constantly raised. These were culled too

[Argentum]

They are 3 months old now and the sizes range from 6.5 - 8 cm
They are fed on my special ultra grow seafood mix I have explained how I prepared this in my FB page (https://www.facebook.com/DiscusKSA)
I prepared it after reviewing a dozen of publications on fish nutrition and it is working well till now

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/12108023_1056389291080415_5446300596501215891_n_zp sdnpkfap3.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/12108023_1056389291080415_5446300596501215891_n_zp sdnpkfap3.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/12301777_1056389294413748_5820611849008675295_n_zp sxns8lwsx.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/12301777_1056389294413748_5820611849008675295_n_zp sxns8lwsx.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/12345592_1056389361080408_1316838076778399742_n_zp s1hkjknd2.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/12345592_1056389361080408_1316838076778399742_n_zp s1hkjknd2.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/12321102_1056389287747082_4307027630078709940_n_zp smbnaee4y.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/12321102_1056389287747082_4307027630078709940_n_zp smbnaee4y.jpg.html)

[Argentum]

Now these babies are around 5.5 months and here is an update on them.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/2AA5C4F3-8625-4624-BB7F-47AABC5FC99D_zpsrnwltyea.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/2AA5C4F3-8625-4624-BB7F-47AABC5FC99D_zpsrnwltyea.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/EC4975DB-8D44-440F-B24A-AF841ACF5AD4_zpsbjzbnwyo.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/EC4975DB-8D44-440F-B24A-AF841ACF5AD4_zpsbjzbnwyo.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DCB96789-6E59-4F6B-80F9-F2A73629C9FC_zps2we1lhzc.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/DCB96789-6E59-4F6B-80F9-F2A73629C9FC_zps2we1lhzc.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/8CAC3DDE-C705-43C7-AD55-DF1E76746724_zpsupms5joj.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/8CAC3DDE-C705-43C7-AD55-DF1E76746724_zpsupms5joj.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/9BF93138-F519-4F7B-B155-31904F73D9CC_zpsyyrfleza.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/9BF93138-F519-4F7B-B155-31904F73D9CC_zpsyyrfleza.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/4B33DBCD-75C5-453A-9630-ADD8D19C6655_zpsirzrb0ri.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/4B33DBCD-75C5-453A-9630-ADD8D19C6655_zpsirzrb0ri.jpg.html)

[Filip]

Wow. They look awesome Argentum.
How big are they so far?
How many of them and in what tank size do you keep them?
And why do some of them have red noses?

Sorry for all the questions :)

[Argentum]

Wow. They look awesome Argentum.
How big are they so far?
How many of them and in what tank size do you keep them?
And why do some of them have red noses?

Sorry for all the questions :)

Thanks, no need to be sorry :)

I havent taken them on a ruler soon but I can estimate the average is 10 cm, some more and a few less

I have 30 of them in a 170 L tank they are fed 3 times a day. I have to note that at this stocking level extreme care must be taken. I have 150% auto water change and do sophon the bottom daily. In addition to bio filtration and strong areation.

Some of the snake skins have a redish hue in the front of their head, Ithink it is part of their natural coloration process. It is not due to exessive use of carophyll pink, as that would have appreared first in the caudal/pectoral fins which are perfectly transparent.

[Argentum]

Here is a little updste on these guys. I am really satisfied with how they turned out to be after a little more than 13 months now.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/B919E467-77A6-4F80-9BF4-D7C97C22082D_zpsusmvukok.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/B919E467-77A6-4F80-9BF4-D7C97C22082D_zpsusmvukok.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/1B54ABAE-1354-4618-B62C-EE5A7B27AA80_zpsvi9u5nqq.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/1B54ABAE-1354-4618-B62C-EE5A7B27AA80_zpsvi9u5nqq.jpg.html)
http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p634/argentumblade/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/507E1E44-CB68-483A-B527-8BF92E9DE685_zpsjj1lqjyj.jpg (http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/argentumblade/media/RT%20BSS%20cross%20September%202015/507E1E44-CB68-483A-B527-8BF92E9DE685_zpsjj1lqjyj.jpg.html)

[rickztahone]

Very nice HB's

[Jack L]

they look good in color, and the high back shape, but are they on the small size? if they are, that isn't a bad thing me. you can fit more in a smaller tank ; )

i don't think anyone has bred a line of high quality variety(not runts) color/shape, but in a small size. seems to me that would be something to do, not everyone has room for a big tank.

[Argentum]

they look good in color, and the high back shape, but are they on the small size? if they are, that isn't a bad thing me. you can fit more in a smaller tank ; )

i don't think anyone has bred a line of high quality variety(not runts) color/shape, but in a small size. seems to me that would be something to do, not everyone has room for a big tank.


Hello Jack,

Yes they are 1-2 cm smaller than what I would expect them to be at 13 months of age ... they are 12-13+ cm in size.

But as you said they are not stuned so they will make up again and reach their potential. I travelled several times for many weeks lately and although they had good water in that period they did not eat enough. But this is not genetic (the smaller size) their father is 2+ years and is 18 cm and I expect them to reach that potential too.

When it comes to discus a bigger strain is always appreciated more, this is the first time i meet someone who likes a smaller discus.

[Argentum]

Thanks Rick

[Dhavalsp]

this is documented so well. nice work with them.