Giant discus

[joenaustin04]

Happy holidays forum;
I recall a strain of discus years ago called a "giant". They typically ran 7.5+". Are the "Reflection D" discus based on these genetics? The Gan family was creating some magnificently sized discus years ago but they were mostly bulldog and high bodied. Forrest discus look to be "giant" genes. Are there any breeders or specific lines of discus with giant genes? I have read green and heckel tend to throw the bigger discus....yet when seeing "giant" in the past it was typically a blue based fish.

[danotaylor]

Totally unrelated but pretty cool last name for a discus nut :D

[joenaustin04]

Wish it made me a more patient or knowledgeable aquarist but it doesn't!

[LizStreithorst]

Reflection Deeps are pretty big fish but not close to 7.5". A 7.5 Discus is a myth that refused to die.

[pastry]

Joe, I'd say email or PM Forrest or Kenny direct. Those 2 are awesome and may have even more strains out there that tend to get larger than normal.

In the 90s I had blue, brown, and green wilds that were HUGE. No less than 7".

[Willie]

I had one 7.5” Red Turquoise at the Chicago NADA show. That one did not place though. One that measured 7.25” did come in third for the category.

I’ve had Altums which do grow larger than other strains. But a lot of things have to come together to get to 7.5”. Good genetics, daily water changes and large feedings are required. Still, in 20+ years of discus keeping, I’ve only raised two fish that big.

I have 4 huge Super Checkerboards growing in a 110-gal tank today. They’re all between 6.75 - 7”, but I sense they’ve peaked. Also, I select for taller fish, which handicaps overall length. Nevertheless, I believe adult discus grow bigger in really big tanks, ~20 gal/fish.

Willie

[CliffsDiscus]

I had or did have some of the giants from Germany before back in the 80's. Later the
Gan brothers were selling Bat Discus by the
height they had that saddle nose. Wayne Ng
had some large Discus such as the Reflection D, much more refine you
can check his website. Since Wayne
is the creator there has been many outcrossing from other breeders.

Cliff

[Sturiosoma]

I had one 7.5” Red Turquoise at the Chicago NADA show. That one did not place though. One that measured 7.25” did come in third for the category.

I’ve had Altums which do grow larger than other strains. But a lot of things have to come together to get to 7.5”. Good genetics, daily water changes and large feedings are required. Still, in 20+ years of discus keeping, I’ve only raised two fish that big.

I have 4 huge Super Checkerboards growing in a 110-gal tank today. They’re all between 6.75 - 7”, but I sense they’ve peaked. Also, I select for taller fish, which handicaps overall length. Nevertheless, I believe adult discus grow bigger in really big tanks, ~20 gal/fish.

Willie

With me being New would like to know do you use growth hormones in trying to create a Trophy Discus and which ones, just asking as I'm trying to learn

Jeanne

[bluelagoon]

I had one of those 8" reflection deep. Big blue fella. He was long lived. Got him from Upper Canada Discus. I cannot do the pics on this site in one easy step.
Breeder was Wayne Ng