All this talk about stunting...

[FLGirl1977]

Stunting has got me wondering.... I know my discus are stunted, not severely... but I didn't get them from sponsors here (long time ago) so I didn't know what to look for when purchasing them.

My question is this: Despite them being stunted, with proper water changes and a varied diet (tetra bits, Omega Brine flake, FBW, FBS) will they grow anymore or will they stay the size they are? My blue diamonds are 5'' each and turk is a tad smaller, but still large (he's got the largest eyes).

They are nice and fat, nice thick heads, etc. and eat well (4 times day), but will they not grow anymore?? I have no idea what their ages are... but I've had them about 6 months.

To me, they are beautiful fish... not show quality by any means of course, but nonetheless beautiful (in my eyes) :p but will they not get any bigger???

All I can definitely say is thank goodness I found this forum and now I know what to look for and who to get them from! :)

[Eddie]

No. You can bombard them with food and WCs and maybe a little growth but if you've had them a while and their growth has diminished or stopped, they've gone past there essential growth stage. 5" is large for stunted fish. You've done a pretty good job so far. ;)

Hell, I have had stunted fish that never got past 3"

Eddie

[FLGirl1977]

Bummer... thanks. I was hoping to one day have 7-8'' big boys... but I guess I'll have to get that sometime another way. ;)

[Eddie]

Bummer... thanks. I was hoping to one day have 7-8'' big boys... but I guess I'll have to get that sometime another way. ;)


But you did well with them if they were stunted before you got them and then grew them out to 5". The best way to start is with quality fish. That way you know that you control their destiny ;)

Eddie

[mikel]

I think a 5 inch fish is pretty good for regular quality. You go! You should congratulate yourself for a job well done. You did the best with what you have, and there's no shame in it. :)

Now if you want 8 inch monsters, why not start a new tank, get some strains with predisposition toward "ginormous-nous" from good sponsors, and do your thing! Altum Flora is one strain that you can do this with...Kenny has some nice one for this month. ;) mike

[Jim Curtis]

I thought fish never stopped growing? Is'nt it possible that if they live for 10 years they may eventually reach 8"? Sorry if that is a stupid question. I know that their growth slows considerably after a year but I didnt think it stopped completly.

[mikel]

No, I think they do stop growing after a certain period. It is a question of genetics and environment whether an individual specimen will reach a certain size or not. I have a relatively big Blue diamond, but he is I think exceptional. mike

[John_Nicholson]

On these sizes are we talking about SL or TL?

-john

[Moon]

The only difference between a stunted and fully grown adult fish is size. Everything else remains the same. I have a few stunted fish. they have beautiful markings, colours and behave like other discus. One of my stunted RD female has spawned and raised many broods.

[Eddie]

Hey Moon, it's been a long time!

I have some stunted fish too, not that they shouldn't be kept or not bragged about. I have a stunted ring leopard that has more pattern and and color than any fish I have ever seen!

Eddie

[Don Trinko]

All of the below is IMO.
If your looking for 8" discus you have a long journy ahead of you. I wouldn't say that they do not exist but I have not seen one yet. I have seen some around 7". Genetics has a lot to do with it.
You could get the best available discus, Raise them in a 90g, Do 100% wc twice a day, and feed them 6 times a day and without the proper genetics they are not likely to reach 8". Don T.

[Moon]

Hey Moon, it's been a long time!

I have some stunted fish too, not that they shouldn't be kept or not bragged about. I have a stunted ring leopard that has more pattern and and color than any fish I have ever seen!

Eddie

I have a theory about that. Because of the small size of runts the markings and colours are more intense.

[Eddie]

I have a theory about that. Because of the small size of runts the markings and colours are more intense.

Could be right! ;)