Eugene's Contest Thread - 65 gal grow out Journey

[eugenefish]

May 5, 2018 marked the first day of my first real experience with discus. 21 cute 1" discus fry that I picked up from a very reliable breeder. By the way, I am from Canada.

Right after I decided to accept this challenging grow out journey. I spend at least 2 months looking into all the posts and information from other discus experts posted on this forum as well other good resources. I have to say I have learned a lot and I am still learning each day.

I am running a bare bottom fish tank with painted bottom, side walls and the back. My plan is feeling them at least 6 times a days with FDBW, beef heart mix and other good protein food. 2 times of 90% water changes per day to keep them happy and stay healthy.

Here is a picture of my 21 little guys eating their first dinner right after they arrived their new home.

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[eugenefish]

A quick update today.

The group of baby discus aren't baby anymore. Almost all of them are over 3 inches long and there are a few almost reach 3.5 inches. If you ask me what are the best moments with them, I have to say watching them growing bigger and healthier each day will definitely make my day.

What is the most important thing I learn from keeping the discus. I simply say, give them lots of fresh water (90% WC) to make them happy.

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[Second Hand Pat]

Looks like they are growing nicely. :) All that hard work is certainly paying off. What strains do you have?
Pat

[eugenefish]

Thank you Pat. The group of discus I have consist of red valentine, yellow white and red cover. All the cute guys are less than 3 months old. Once they reach about 4 inches, I will give them the proper color feed to make them show their vivid color.

I am still try to figure out what is the best way to separate them for the color feed when the time come.

[two utes]

Hi Eugene. Your group look really good, and with the amount of water changes and food you're giving them they are going to grow out nicely. I really believe that its very satisfying growing out discus and having some control on how they turn out. Looking forward to more updates and picture off coarse :)

[zhuls1]

If they have good genetics they will turn out really nice with the care you are giving them. Remember, Auto feeders are an option too if you want to add a couple more feedings. Very nice growth so far, keep it up!

[eugenefish]

Thank you Joe and Zac for your compliments. Your compliments really make my day. I have kept many years of fish in the past but keeping discus is my first time in life. In the past, all I have heard about discus are very difficult to keep and they get sick very easy :( :( and after all discus are very expensive. This time everything turn around and I have to say keeping those discus are the most enjoyable time I ever have with fish.

I found out there isn't need to have any fancy toy or expensive equipment to keep them healthy. Lots of Clean water is the best drug to give to the fish everyday to make them healthy. There is only one side effect, the discus will beg for food all day long and all of them will hang over to one corner waiting for the food :)


Pictures of 10 weeks discus. I guess they are still too young to develop the color.

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[Swedgin]

They look like they’re growing tremendously well. Hard work pays off, love the commitment

[eugenefish]

If they have good genetics they will turn out really nice with the care you are giving them. Remember, Auto feeders are an option too if you want to add a couple more feedings. Very nice growth so far, keep it up!

Yes, I do add an auto feeder to feed those hungry discus. Now they are getting food from me like 8 times a day and I expect they will out grown my 65 Gal very soon. I have a 120 gal in the process of setting up for their new home. I will keep up with the 2 x 90% WC everyday until they grown into adult :o

[two utes]

Wow! Coming along nicely...i can see those bulging tummies...keep up what you are doing and you wont be disappointed.....Looks like you've discovered to secret to keeping happy and healthy discus. Now sit back and enjoy.....If i can offer some advice....don't bring in any other fish to this group and risk changing the balance.

[eugenefish]

They look like they’re growing tremendously well. Hard work pays off, love the commitment

Thank you Tobi. I can't wait to see when they all grow up. :smiley::smiley:

[eugenefish]

Wow! Coming along nicely...i can see those bulging tummies...keep up what you are doing and you wont be disappointed.....Looks like you've discovered to secret to keeping happy and healthy discus. Now sit back and enjoy.....If i can offer some advice....don't bring in any other fish to this group and risk changing the balance.

That is very true Joe. Why bother to take any risk when I have a full tank of beautiful discus. Beside, watching them swimming in a group or picking on each other are so much fun. Don't worry, there are 21 of them to pick on each other. No one get hurt or stress out and that is truly a non stop entertainment for me :) :)

[sanjay21]

Very nice Eugene ! you are doing awesome job growing these guys. Very high potentials in this batch, keep them coming more updates/pics :)

[eugenefish]

Very nice Eugene ! you are doing awesome job growing these guys. Very high potentials in this batch, keep them coming more updates/pics :)

Thank you Sanjay for your great encouragement. I didn't know keeping discus can be so much fun till now.

Joke of the day:

I just can't stop laughing every feeding time. The dominant one will try to keep all the food for himself. While he is chasing, body slapping and picking others away:argue: from the food source (20 other discus) and I say good luck. By the time he chasing some of them away, the other group of discus will able to eat and steal the food from him. The cycle just keep going and going until all the food gone. At the end, every discus has it chance to fill up it's hungry belly:).

[Pices]

Looks like they are eating (and pooping) really well. Really cool seeing these little ones turn into such healthy happy fish.
Your hard work shows in these pictures:balloon::balloon::balloon:congrats on your excellent discus keeping skills.

[eugenefish]

Looks like they are eating (and pooping) really well. Really cool seeing these little ones turn into such healthy happy fish.
Your hard work shows in these pictures:balloon::balloon::balloon:congrats on your excellent discus keeping skills.

Thank you Patty for your great encouragement. Those little guys (haha, they are not small anymore). Most of them had reached 3.5'' and they eat and poop a lot. They like to do the group pooping especially after I finish the WC. They are try to tell me who are the King and Queen and who is the cleaning maid ;( ;(

[eugenefish]

The breeder that I got my 21 baby discus just inform me he will have some Leopard Snakeskin and Snow Leopards fry available around end of July. Discus fever is killing me big time. At first I only plan to have a 65 gal tank. Now I have 120 gal getting ready for the 21 discus. A third tank for the new coming Snakeskin......

Where can I find all the empty spaces to keep all the clean water for WC at 90% 2x per day?:eek::o

How can you resist getting the Leopard Snakeskin fry when you know how the parents look like :o

http://stores.canadianaquafarm.com/blog/june-24th-2018-leopard-snakeskin-proven-pair-video/

[Pices]

Thank you Patty for your great encouragement. Those little guys (haha, they are not small anymore). Most of them had reached 3.5'' and they eat and poop a lot. They like to do the group pooping especially after I finish the WC. They are try to tell me who are the King and Queen and who is the cleaning maid ;( ;(
Eugene,
I noticed a group poop in post #7. If someone had told me I’d be excited about seeing brown poop coming out of a fish a couple years ago, I’d think they were nuts. Now I smile as I vacuum it up. These fish do mesmerize us don’t they? I still look at them in awe. Those leopards are incredible by the way. I’m not psychic or anything, but I think I see a fish house in your future. Ha ha.
Patty

[eugenefish]

Eugene,
I noticed a group poop in post #7. If someone had told me I’d be excited about seeing brown poop coming out of a fish a couple years ago, I’d think they were nuts. Now I smile as I vacuum it up. These fish do mesmerize us don’t they? I still look at them in awe. Those leopards are incredible by the way. I’m not psychic or anything, but I think I see a fish house in your future. Ha ha.
Patty

Patty,

From the posts you wrote, I can tell you really have the passion about this hobby. Me too. I enjoy every second of it even with all the heavy labor works with them. For sure I can see my house is slowly transform into an big aquarium :o

One thing I don't like to see are the people whowant to keep these beautiful discus but not willing to do the proper maintenance work to make them healthy and happy. Every time I saw the sick discus from people's post or from the LFS, I feel sad and sorry for the fish.

Anyway, enough for the :argue: :):)

There was a time I saw a post "Happy discus are messy discus". I just can't agree more once I look at my bare bottom tank :cool::cool:

[Pices]

I think most people, like me my first round, just don’t know any better. They see them at the fish store and ask about conditions and are misinformed. Then when they start trying to figure out why their fish are sick, they find SD. They can go 1 of 2 ways then. I managed to save all but 1 of mine, ( my 1st cull) and when Phili Dubs suggested I re home them and start fresh, I was aghast! I loved my poor stunted fish, but then I did just that. Ha ha
What tics me off is people who film videos on you tube about how to start up a discus tank and then wipe down the aquarium with dish soap on a paper towel before filling it. Let’s just say he didn’t like my comment....ha ha:argue:
Anyway, I’m really enjoying your thread,
Patty

[eugenefish]

Sorry for your lost Patty. I didn't know you learn from the hard way. I guess I am so luck to find SD and learn from other good people before I get my hands wet. Too much information can be dangerous especially nowadays you can access so many wrong information by just using Google :bomb: or likes you said from YouTube.:computer2:

Anyway, common sense is all we need to have no matter what we do ;). Before I side track to other things, let talk about my well trained discus :fish:

My group of well trained discus will all hang out together very peacefully at 8pm everyday at the left hand corner of my tank and patiently waiting for me to start cleaning everything inside the tank and then WC. Once they know the fresh water is about to come in, they will all swim over to the water source on the other side of the tank. It is fun to watch. If someone saw this picture, they may say what are you doing and you are stressing out big time of your fish.

I don't think so, I think they really enjoy breathing in the fresh water. Why would I say that? By the time the fresh water reach 1/3 of the tank, they start begging for food like they haven't had any food for few days:bounce2:

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[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Eugene, I have been away for a week and see you are doing very well here. The fish look great and growing very well. :)
Pat

[eugenefish]

Hi Eugene, I have been away for a week and see you are doing very well here. The fish look great and growing very well. :)
Pat

Thank you Pat for your compliment. I can't wait to see when they turn into adult. At the same time, I miss their cute baby look when they were > 1" big....:gossip:

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[Loosir]

Nice grow outs! Let’s see some more pics!

[eugenefish]

I feel a bit sad:cry: to give away 7 of my discus to someone who will take good care of them so that I can put the best ones into my newly ready 120 gal.

14 of them were in their new home for 2 days and still a little shy.

All the sudden, the color on them start showing up. I think it is amazing to see such a big changes on such young discus (3.5 months old and 4" big) like these. I think I see all the big WC must be good on them as well as my arm too ;)

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[Swedgin]

That’s some progress right there, really nice, well done. Looking forward to seeing them in the 120. Good luck finding a good home for the other 7, I’m sure you’ll find someone worthy

[eugenefish]

Thank you Tobi for your nice comment:o

It is not easy to give away 7 of the discus I have since I start with them when they were 1" big.

[Second Hand Pat]

You get attach to them as growouts. These guys have really blossomed. :D
Pat

[Pices]

Wow, they really are getting beautiful coloring. They look so perfect! Very impressive!
Patty

[eugenefish]

Thank you Pat. My discus fever are getting higher and higher each day:bounce:

[eugenefish]

Thank you Patty for your great encouragement:o

I can bring out a chair and sit in front of the fish tank for hour and hour just watching them.

I have a silly thought and please don't laugh. Every time when I feed them and seeing them eating like crazy, I feel hungry as well. Is it normally? ;)

[Pices]

Thank you Patty for your great encouragement:o

I can bring out a chair and sit in front of the fish tank for hour and hour just watching them.

I have a silly thought and please don't laugh. Every time when I feed them and seeing them eating like crazy, I feel hungry as well. Is it normally? ;)

That’s funny. I wouldn’t worry though unless you get hungry for fdbw. Ha ha Then you should be VERY worried!
Patty

[eugenefish]

That’s funny. I wouldn’t worry though unless you get hungry for fdbw. Ha ha Then you should be VERY worried!
Patty

:o

[eugenefish]

2 weeks into the 120 gal new home. All 14 4 months old discus settle in nicely. I did notice the grow rate slow down a little once it past the 4 inches range. However they are getting thicker and the color on them are getting more colourful every day. I guess they are telling me they are happy with their new home. Just give me more to eat and feed me more fresh water.....

No problem. I think that is easy to do. ;)

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[eugenefish]

So what happen to my 65 gal? Empty out? Not really. Stay tune.... :)

[danotaylor]

I have a growing interest in discus genetics which has been sparked by seeing some offspring that look nothing like their parents...you have some different looking color types & patterns in your group...are these discus all from the same parent pair?

[eugenefish]

Hi Daniel,

I have 3 different kinds of discus in this group of 14 discus. They are red valentine, yellow white and red cover. However they are still very young (4 months old), I don't think the color hasn't developed yet.

[eugenefish]

My discus behave very well during the water change every evening. They all cuddle up together :) :) I bet they are saying hurry up and pump in more fresh water


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[eugenefish]

11 months later, they are turning into beautiful discus. The smallest one is over 6.5 inches.

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[danotaylor]

You've done an amazing job Eugene, they look fantastic. The size & shape of the white diamond/calico (2nd last pic) is outstanding! Happy dayz mate

[Pices]

I love threads like these. Thanks for letting us come on your grow out journey with you. You did an amazing job with these guys! It must be very rewarding for you when you look at them now knowing you did that! Nice!
Patty

[eugenefish]

You've done an amazing job Eugene, they look fantastic. The size & shape of the white diamond/calico (2nd last pic) is outstanding! Happy dayz mate

Thank you Daniel:o

[eugenefish]

I love threads like these. Thanks for letting us come on your grow out journey with you. You did an amazing job with these guys! It must be very rewarding for you when you look at them now knowing you did that! Nice!
Patty

Thank you Patty :) It is very rewarding seeing the results and all the hard working are totally worth it.

Actually keeping discus is not that difficult at all as long as we gave them lots of fresh water (~40,000 gal of fresh water in 11 months) and lots of healthy food.