PB & PPB Colours/Patterns - when do they come out?

[Dillan]

I just got 2 young Pigeon Bloods and 2 little Pearl Pigeon Bloods and I'm curious to know when to expect their patterns to come out. They're just 2" right now. The PBs are a solid terra cotta colour right now, with black fins. One has a big patch of blue on blood-red pigeon blood pattern. The PPBs are almost white right now, but I can make out a faint blue on yellow pattern coming out. I don't even know what an adult PPB looks like, so I'm particularly curious about them.

The only other fish I've bought this small were solid colours (blue Diamond, Marlboro). I also have a young Red Turq that was only 2" when I got it. It had all it's markings then, they just got darker and more pronounced as he got bigger. (4" and gorgeous now!!!)

:confused: I s'pose it varies, but if you've had PBs and PPBs I'm curious to know when their beautiful patterns were fully developed. :confused:

Dillan

[Dillan]

Here's pics of the fish I mentioned in my last note:

This is the Pigeon Blood with the patch of markings coming out:

http://www.geocities.com/larrycolcy/PB1.jpg

Here's the Pearl Pigeon Bloods (blue on gold is coming out more on the smaller fish, and much more than you can actually see in this pic):

http://www.geocities.com/larrycolcy/PPB1.jpg

The fins, especially on the bigger one, are actually blue like a Blue Diamond's in better light...

D

[April]

well..it takes some time..no idea how those are gonna look when older..i think a fair bit of peppering..from what i can see. it depends..some pigeons are fairly orange at a young age..marlboros get their deeper red at about 10 months..the white pearl comes out starting at the front and working back.

[Carol_Roberts]

AT about 4 months they turn from tan to golden. The color begins on the fins and works towards the middle of the body. White marking appear last and continue to enlarge as the fish matures. You should have a good idea of color and pattern by 7 or 8 months old.

[Mughal]

So april and Carol, I was wondering along the same lines.

So if one were to go "hand-picking" discus you may want to be looking at 7-8 month old discus? The problem is no one sells them by age its all by size. About how big should I be looking for so that I'm making at least a semi-wise choice? THanks alot for your feedback!;)

[April]

if you can..and can handpick..id go for about 3 inch size. they are well on their way..and you can see they are growing in proportion and not runted. make sure the eye is not big..you dont want the eye appearing too close to the edge of the head. should be quite a bit of height above the eye. you could ask how old..as if you get fish from lfs..and they are only 2 inch..then..its possible they are older..just havent had a good growth and care in the beginning. 3 to 3.5 inch are a better age i find..as dont stress quite as easily and go off their food. thats what id choose ...i used to get 2 inch ones..as they were cheaper..but..i found alot that were shipped..at least one or two really never materialized to anything great. of course that depends on the breeder and what they sent.
if your only getting a few..for a nice display tank..i think its worth paying a bit more and getting a bit bigger. most breeders dont keep fish around for resale as late as 8-10 months..due to growout room. thats one reason the 3.5 ones cost more..they had to use alot of time and food to get them that size.

[Mughal]

Thanks alot, that helps alot fo rme since I've never had discus before and just recently got interested in the Discus Hobby

I visited Alan in Park City and saw his discus fry. I noticed quite a large difference between the largest and the smallest of the fry. all the fry were spawned at the same time. Would it be better to get the largest of the discus, the smallest, or does it matter much? Since I've never had discus before I have problems finding the undesireable traits easily.

[Carol_Roberts]

A few of the biggest and a few of the medium

[April]

yes alot of the biggest..are the big dominant males. if getting little ones..if you can..get at least 8. they feel more secure in bigger groups.