Tell me about this discus

[Kevin63]

Should I expect some color? What strain is this?

*the fish in the back!

[jules]

He looks like a Blue Diamond and that is about his colour - maybe a little bluer.

[DonnaMite]

I have to agree! I think she looks like a blue diamond too, just not fully colored yet perhaps

Donna

[Kevin63]

funny ... jules says, "HE looks like..." and Donna says, "SHE looks..."

:) either way, I'm hoping for some color!!

[Carol_Roberts]

A different back ground and using a tank light in the "blue" spectrum will bring out the color

[Kevin63]

will changing the background just change the way the fish looks to me? or will it actually help develop real color changes?

[jules]

Hi Kevin - the only way to tell for sure male or female is at breeding time - when the female lays the eggs. ;) (and sometimes even 2 gals or guys will pair up)

[RyanH]

Hey Kevin,

I think to answer your question is yes. :) Lightening up your tank background and using better quality lighting will tend to cause the fish to lighten its color pigments to blend into its background. It also make the fish look nicer to you.

hth

[Kevin63]

Thanks ... just what I needed, another reason to go spend some more $$$$!!!!

seriously, thank you ... I think I'm going to get "ZooMed Reef Sun 50/50 Bulbs" think that will work?

would a light grey of some sort work better for a background?

[RyanH]

Alot of people, including myself, use a light blue or white background. This can be achieved by buying a background that color or by painting the outside of your tank that color.

BTW, you don't have substrate in your tank do you?

[Kevin63]

I painted the bottom with a speckled fake rock spraypaint ... maybe I should just do the back too ... so its BB

are those lights okay?

[RyanH]

I'm not familiar with that brand Kevin, but I bet there are many on the board that are. Somebody should pipe up for you.

I'm glad to hear that your tank is bb. Your fish are really nice and I'd hate to see a post from you in a few weeks saying that they are sick and not growing.

-Ryan

[Kevin63]

I guess its a little late to paint the back (duh) !!!!

I think I'm just going to look for a different background ... its the fish that matter ... thanks Ryan

[RandalB]

Kevin,
A sheet of White Butcher paper will do just fine and is dirt cheap if not free at the meat counter of the local grocery. It tends to be water resistant too. A little packing tape and you have a white background.

I prefer the GE aquarays bulbs personally...

RandalB

[jules]

Last time I used Christmas Wrapping paper - light blue with snowman - festive and economical. It has been holding up for about 2 months now.