Are they growing?

[1977]

Now I've had my current discus for about 10 weeks. They are all quality fish, but I sware only one of them seems to be growing. I've taken into account that I'm around them all the time but I mean they seem to be at a standstill.This is impossible because I'm following all the rules. Water change of 30 to 50% 6 days a week, feed 5 times per day, everyday, with 5 different food. Beefheart, flake, pellet, bloodworms, mysis. All fish are between 4 to 7 months. Am I imagining this or is there some kind of problem. They have perfect shape and eye size as you can see as I've posted pics of my Wattley discus on the photo gallery. What's the deal? Not overcrowed either.

[Bou]

Hey 1977,

First guess would be that you're around your fish way too much and that perhaps that's what you don't see any changes. ;)

But just out of curiosity, how many discus do you have and what's the size of their tank? W/C seems okay and so is there diet.

I remember when I first got my batch of discus, I had 13 2" in a 55g. W/C was twice 30% per day... I could swear that those fishes never grew... but in the end, they had grown and I had to move them to my 150g!!! Hooray!!! :)


ATB,
Bou

[1977]

6 in a 55, 6 in a 29, 3 in a 20, and 7 little guys in a 37

[M0oN]

If I were you I'd invest in a couple 75-100 gallon tanks, or even a single 125-150 gallon tank to move some of the larger guys into, you've got quite a few discus.

Have you tried taking pictures once a week to compare? Maybe take them out for a short period of time and lay them next to a quarter or somthing, take a snapshot and repeat it in a couple of weeks?

I never think my discus are growing much, except for the ones that are already large, but most of my friends come over and comment on how much bigger all of them have grown...it's probably just the fact that the large ones still dwarf the small ones, since they're all growing at around the same rate still...

[Bou]

The 6 discus you have in that 29g and the 3 in the 20g are how big?

Regardless of the size of the fish, with your w/c things should be fine. Now, I'm not an expert or anything, but are you absolutely sure they didn't grow at all? ??? Maybe it's just that you're comparing their growth to your biggest fish (the one that you think is the only one growing)... of course, if this is the case, then the other fishes will "look" smaller, when in fact they are growing just not at the same pace?!?

About the space issue, I had a friend put 10 discus in a 25g and do 100% w/c everyday... those fishes were healthy and big, but perhaps not as big as they could have been according to him! Now, as posted in another thread, I do believe that up to a certain point, say 6-7", genes will determine if you get big discus or really big ones.

I think with their diet and your w/c things look bright!!!

Anyhow, I really don't know what to say apart from keep doing what you do and I'm sure things will turn out great... and soon you'll have big and healthy discus!!!

ATB,
Bou

[alex_m]

How's that for big?

8 inch you think?

alex

[Bou]

Hey Alex,

Nice fishes!
How old are they?
Any luck breeding them?

[luke_potts]

They look like very nice fish alex!!!!!!

cheers
luke