How large have your discus grown ?/ Pic?

[dpt8]

Has anyone had any luck raising really huge discus other than the professionals ?? Seems like there are a lot of very good young adults pictured that are about 5.5" or 6" Can people like myself who don't have the drip system and have an average set up expect to raise really huge discus? I know some varieties grow larger than others. The people with the hatcheries grow such large fish. How about the average home growers?? :9) I have 90 gl. tanks with 5 or 6 fish in them ( 5.5" or so each fish right now) I do 50% water change every other day, feed often FBW, tetra bits, Ocean Formula 1 frozen food, and Cichlid Delight.. Any chance of raising huge discus ?? Please post pics also :9)

[brewmaster15]

Hi David,

What do you consider a "huge" discus?

-al

[dpt8]

Hi Al, 7.5" is huge.. I don't know if many discus varieties get to that size. Is 6" more an overall average??

[Darren's Discus]

The biggest iv'e ever had would be 7 to 8 inches, when i was over Rod's last year he had a huge male about 5 years old.


cheers

[April]

Darren..Rod doesnt count as regular person. lol. hes completely dedicated to his wcs..and his fish have big genetics in them. hes most likely one of the most scheduled people in the discus world with his wcs.

[Kindredspirit]

April....that was funny! Poor Rod:D Not being one of the "regular persons" club and all!



Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_4_3.gif

[Discus_KC]

7.5 inches total length

LSS

[dpt8]

Jack, You're one of the pros'.. No fair :9) But awesome AWESOME discus !!!

[Squiggy]

My largest is 6 inch SL. (About the same as Jack's LSS, above) I think that those of you looking for 7.5-8 inch fish should get out a compass and draw an 8 inch circle on paper, cut it out and tape it to your aquarium. The perspective may be surprising...Years ago I saw a freakishly large pair of wild browns that were better than 9 inch SL. I'm actually glad that they don't normally grow that large.....

Joe

[Ed13]

Jack, You're one of the pros'.. No fair :9) But awesome AWESOME discus !!!

While I would not like to be competing agaisnt Jack, I see no difference between him and regular hobbyists! He still has do waterchanges, prepare food etc. in Jack's case he has a killer setup(which I would not mind to see his Fishroom thread updated more frequently;) ;) )
Besides its going to be really difficult to see 7+ from a hobbyist, a part of it is because breeders are the ones that
a) pay good $$$ for quality genetic breeding stock
b) get to choose future breeders from each batch

I for one would like to see big discus period!
I hear Stendkers and Wayne NG are the biggest, well, Hans is a member wouldn't you to see a big and thichk discus?

[Camden]

Blue Knights are the largest Discus Strain no?

[jeep]

Jack was being modest. I was there when we measured it and it was 7 3/4" ;)

This Stendker PB is slightly smaller at 7 5/8" and a slightly smaller BD at 7 1/2" :)

[Tropical Haven]

Those are some nice looking discus.

[steve.ryall]

Now I took this photo at the UKDA Show in 2006. This fish was butt ugly, 7-7.5" SL but probably best part of 2" thick at the head.

Steve

[April]

now you have me curious. ill have to measure my biggest fish. im sure hes not near that. is everyone counting tail or not so i can measure fairly.
is that bd of jacks a stendker or from someone else? jeep?

[poconogal]

Jack, You're one of the pros'.. No fair :9) But awesome AWESOME discus !!!

Ditto, just a beauty....

[April]

must be jacks rock hard water that grew them that big. of course..he fed them..and cleaned them..and tender loving care...

[jeep]

now you have me curious. ill have to measure my biggest fish. im sure hes not near that. is everyone counting tail or not so i can measure fairly.
is that bd of jacks a stendker or from someone else? jeep?

I got him from Bill Holland when he was about 3". One of my favorites!!

[Squiggy]

I was using Standard Length. (no tail) It would be good if we all got used to using it so it can, in fact, become the standard...jmo.

Joe

[dpt8]

Some wicked good discus here. Can the average person raise them up that big??

[greyhoundfan]

Some wicked good discus here. Can the average person raise them up that big??

I hope so.. I'll let you know in a year or two. I got some blue knight juvies.

[Rod]

Darren..Rod doesnt count as regular person. lol

LOL, thanks April.....i think. I always thought i was irregular....lol.

[Rod]

April....that was funny! Poor Rod:D Not being one of the "regular persons" club and all!



Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_4_3.gif

Thanks for the sympathy Marie, at least someone shows some compassion......lol :D

[architect1]

Now I took this photo at the UKDA Show in 2006. This fish was butt ugly, 7-7.5" SL but probably best part of 2" thick at the head.

Steve

Hehehe when I looked at it I thought he was a sperm whale. But still 7.6" is a huge discus. All i got is 6" in my tanks along with some runts.

[April]

its a compliment rod..irregular is good..im sure all of us fish people are a bit off...
ok back to discus. my biggest ones are about 6.5 body length. and they look big. so those guys are giants.

[fishmama]

Wow Steve...that fish looks like a linebacker! And not exactly attractive!

[greyhoundfan]

LFS Snakeskin 5.5"SL
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/fishnut/simply2.jpg

Here's a pic when I first got him at 2" SL had him since July of last year.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/fishnut/3RSS.jpg

[alxjss]

Now I took this photo at the UKDA Show in 2006. This fish was butt ugly, 7-7.5" SL but probably best part of 2" thick at the head.

Steve

Butt ugly, darn, i wish my butt was that ugly! HOLY CRAP!!!
Eileen

[kaceyo]

My first orderof discus came from Danny Ng, they were the first I'd had in over 25 years and I did not know what I was doing. They were about 3" when I got them. An SE from that group turned out to be 7" standard and well over 8" total. I did two large wc's a day, fed 7 times a day and added calcium to bring my tap waters TDS up to 300ppm from 44ppm. The pH was about 7.8 from the tap. I think getting big fish is no mystery, it's just takes time, consistancy, lots of wc's and good food. No shortcuts. I still get about half my fish to the 7" or over mark (total) although I have backed off quite a bit on the heavy feeding. Wayne's fish do have great genes for size and I'm sure the results would have been different if the potential wasn't already built into the fish. I have posted pics of the fish here but I didn't know at the time how big it actually was untill it died and I laid it out to measure it.
HTH,

Kacey

[Greg Richardson]

I can vouch for Kacey's fish. Seen them many times.
Right now he has what I bet would be in top 3 at a show just based on shape and spots. Throw the size in there and WOW!
If this one isn't over 8 inches I'd be very shocked.
Let's just say I've held a tape measure in my hands quite a few times in my life.

[Bainbridge Mike]

My first orderof discus came from Danny Ng, they were the first I'd had in over 25 years and I did not know what I was doing. They were about 3" when I got them. An SE from that group turned out to be 7" standard and well over 8" total. I did two large wc's a day, fed 7 times a day and added calcium to bring my tap waters TDS up to 300ppm from 44ppm. The pH was about 7.8 from the tap. I think getting big fish is no mystery, it's just takes time, consistancy, lots of wc's and good food. No shortcuts. I still get about half my fish to the 7" or over mark (total) although I have backed off quite a bit on the heavy feeding. Wayne's fish do have great genes for size and I'm sure the results would have been different if the potential wasn't already built into the fish. I have posted pics of the fish here but I didn't know at the time how big it actually was untill it died and I laid it out to measure it.
HTH,

Kacey



Hey Kacey:

Can you fill us in on how you get Calcium into the water? My understanding is that Calcium carbonate is not very water soluble--but that Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is readily water soluble. I have used baking soda in the past with African Cichlids. Is that what you use? I'm thinking this may be something I need to do. I think our tap water has similar properties.

Thanks,
Mike

[kaceyo]

Hey Mike,
I add calcium chloride. It's actually intended to be used as a de-icer and is made by Prestone. It's called "Driveway Heat". I add 4 parts cal. chloride to 1 part magnesium sulphate (Epson salt), then add from 2 to 4 teaspoons of the mix, depending on how hard I want the water, to a full 55gal barrel water.
There are other sources for cal. chloride and other brands of ice melter but be careful as many have other ingreds with or in place of the calcium chloride.
It desolves completely and doesn't significantly alter the pH. Great stuff.

Kacey

[Bainbridge Mike]

Thanks Kacey. I will give it a try on the next batch of fry I get.

Mike

[Greg Richardson]

Mike. The "Prestone Driveway Heat" is very hard to find because change of season. About three weeks I was at Walmart and they were selling them dirt cheap on clearance. Not sure if they still have them but around 4.00 less then in season. If you can't find one let me know. I could sell you one at my cost to get you through the summer.

Take the family to the tulip fields and stop in at Walmart near Marysville. They are the food store unlike the one off 164th.
This one sells Excel brand BH.

[dpt8]

Any more takers?? Hobbiests? Is the general consensus that we hobbiest may be able to grow our discus as large as the professional hatcheries ??

[April]

well i know alot of people who get great big thick discus feed tons of beefheart. stendker.. some of the breeders in singapore ..and others who have big fish.

[kaceyo]

Meaty foods is a must when going for size. I use lots of BH mix and FBW's along with flakes and T.Bits. Tho Large frequent wc's are every bit as important, maybe even more so.