my 6 discus from Kenny

[rickztahone]

first and foremost i would like to thank Kenny. i know everyone knows he's a great guy but i will keep advocating it so that people stop buying from LFS or going outside of our sponsors to buy discus. they are an asset to this site and Kenny especially takes time, care, and dedication both to the fish and to his costumers. now, for the pics... i did go somewhat trigger happy here so bear with me. i'd also like to mention that i am not in this hobby to breed so the array of different strains i purchased is in reflection of me being simply a hobbyist and not a breeder. i know a lot members cringe at seeing so many different strains together. without further ado...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55altumfloraBD.jpg
Altum Flora & Blue Diamond
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55bluescorpion.jpg
Blue Scorpion
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55domesticbrown.jpg
Domestic Brown
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55finelineSS.jpg
Fineline SnakeSkin
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55penangeruption.jpg
Penang Eruption

GROUP SHOTS
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55group1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55group2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55group3.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/55group4.jpg

hope you like, this is a 55 btw with painted bottom and stick on background

[Porkchop]

Congrats on the shipment of fish! They look very nice!! By the way, I'm extremely jealous lol. I'm hoping to order from Kenny in March but not sure yet.


Anthony

[big mike 13]

fish looks great.. im hoping to get an order in on the next shipment...
is it possible to get a whole tank shot? i want to see the tank as a whole as im deciding if i want to paint hte bottom or not..
thanks

[rickztahone]

fish looks great.. im hoping to get an order in on the next shipment...
is it possible to get a whole tank shot? i want to see the tank as a whole as im deciding if i want to paint hte bottom or not..
thanks

sure, give me a minute

[Hattawi]

Really good looking fish. Looks like you chose 1 of each type :)

[rickztahone]

here you are
40584

40585

40586

[rickztahone]

another
40587

[Eddie]

Hey Ricardo, those fish are beautiful. Forrest and Kenny doing what they do best!

Goodluck with them
Eddie

[Joshcat]

Ricardo those are a group to be proud of. Enjoy, best of luck with the new additions.

Cathy

[rickztahone]

thank you everyone for the comments. they are adjusting perfectly. they come right up to the tank now and are very active. can't wait to bulk them up :D

[Porkchop]

thank you everyone for the comments. they are adjusting perfectly. they come right up to the tank now and are very active. can't wait to bulk them up :D


Feed them well, feed them well...

Anthony

[airbus123]

take good care,
are they still under quarantine? provide them with your greatest attention, and they should be fine.

[Darren's Discus]

Ricardo,
very nice,all the best with them.


cheers

[rickztahone]

take good care,
are they still under quarantine? provide them with your greatest attention, and they should be fine.

yes, they will be under quarantine for at least 2 months. i want to take the time to grow them out in the 55 which will be much easier than throwing them in my 125 and trying to beef them up there. 55 is so much better as far as WC's and feeding and observation.

Ricardo,
very nice,all the best with them.


cheers

thank you Darren

[casw]

Hey Ric, nice update! I didn't want to bend down and scare your fish while you were acclimating, but I can see that you got some nice discus.

So which one is your favorite?

[thebigone]

Congrats on the shipment of fish! They look very nice!! By the way, I'm extremely jealous lol. I'm hoping to order from Kenny in March but not sure yet.


Anthony

He took the words right out of my mouth!! I hope to place an order with Kenny soon as well. Great fish!

[rickztahone]

Hey Ric, nice update! I didn't want to bend down and scare your fish while you were acclimating, but I can see that you got some nice discus.

So which one is your favorite?

it's difficult to choose for sure but if i had to i'd have to say the Penang. The color is just gorgeous, i also like the pattern of the Blue Scorpion....man i like them all :D. how are your discus doing? any pics yet?

[GrillMaster]

Very Nice Ricardo!! Nice clean home for em as well!! :thumbsup:

[Autumn Wind]

Great looking group! I have a group of 7 diff strains from Kenny, best purchase I've ever made. Can't go wrong with Kenny!

[rickztahone]

Great looking group! I have a group of 7 diff strains from Kenny, best purchase I've ever made. Can't go wrong with Kenny!

i agree completely.

[scottthomas]

They look great. I will be ordering more from Kenny in the future. I am starting to like the blue scorpion and certainly ss types. Good luck. WC and feed them well so they get huge.

Scott

[clairel]

it's been said...kenny does seem to be the 'fishin' magician'.

[frenchie100]

Your domestic brown has awesome color! Mine's colors are starting to come in, but definitely not as bright as yours! Is yours trying to be top dog in the tank? He's your biggest one like me right?
-Julie

[rickztahone]

Your domestic brown has awesome color! Mine's colors are starting to come in, but definitely not as bright as yours! Is yours trying to be top dog in the tank? He's your biggest one like me right?
-Julie

while he is the biggest i don't think he is the top dog. they all pretty much eat the same, except the penang, i have seen that one eat a little less but more open to other foods unlike the others. i was trying to compare our strains earlier but my phone is not the greatest to see pics. i wish you lived closer so i could go check them out in a month or so. i'll go see caspers stock soon as well. he now has 24!

[rickztahone]

couldn't resist :p
40724

40725

40726

40727

40728

[rickztahone]

more...
40729

40730

40731

[rickztahone]

forgot the Altum Flora
40732

[rickztahone]

i notice that the penang eruption doesn't have completely red eyes, will they change later? also, a few of the others like the BD also have black marks in their eyes rather than the full red, again, would that change later? (establishing pecking order as of now)

[casw]

Ric, I think that black bar can also change the color of their eye. Maybe without the bar it will be full red?

My discus are also battling it out, and looks like 2 of the 6 are at the bottom of the rung, with 4 contending for top spot. Very brutal for small fish :o

[rickztahone]

Ric, I think that black bar can also change the color of their eye. Maybe without the bar it will be full red?

My discus are also battling it out, and looks like 2 of the 6 are at the bottom of the rung, with 4 contending for top spot. Very brutal for small fish :o

tell me about it. my domestic brown got punked today by my fineline SS. my altum flora, penang and BD are at the bottom of the pecking order for sure. the other 3 are constantly fighting over top dog (top fish better said, lol) position. it is brutal and im scared to think what will happen when i drop them in the 125

[rickztahone]

ok ladies and gentlemen i got my computer back yay! i want to keep this thread updated every month on the 20th to check growth and make it a progression type thing. i took two pics of each but some like the penang and the altum flora didn't really cooperate so that's why i couldn't take great pics of them. i also included pics of my 2 red melons which are not from Kenny but i wanted to keep track of them as well eventhough they are a little younger. here goes:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09altumflora1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09altumflora2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09bluediamond1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09bluediamond2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09bluescorpion1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09bluescorpion2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09domesticbrown1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09domesticbrown2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09finelineSS1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09finelineSS2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09penangeruption1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09penangeruption2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09smredmelon1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09smredmelon2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09lgredmelon1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09lgredmelon2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09lgredmelon3.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09groupshot1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09groupshot2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09groupshot3.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/2-20-09groupshot4.jpg

the last two group shots is them going at it on the seafood mix :D hope you like and hope this isn't too many pics :scared:

[frenchie100]

Wow! They look awesome Ricardo! I am super jealous of your domestic brown! Mine is pretty much staight brown, yours has awesome markings!:)

[Eddie]

They look great Ricardo! The Brown is a monster too, just like F100s! Those things grow fast! He is very nice too.


Eddie

[Yassmeena]

They look great - thanks for sharing the pictures. :)

[rickztahone]

thanks everyone for the compliments. the color on the brown was actually kind of dark in these pics because it was right after a WC. he is a monster though, and a bully for sure. i will keep this thread updated every month to show progress

[rickztahone]

update:
sorry but i did not post up pics this past 20th which i wanted to do to keep a monthly update going. my fish were sick and to be honest they have not grown much due to it. hopefully i have them in the right track now and they can start getting some size back on. i just purchased a new camera today (yay!). i provided a teaser pic to show how the pictures look. it isn't anything major but to me it is an upgrade. keep in mind that i have not yet learned how to focus properly and how to work out all the features it has. well here's the pic, more to come

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P1010016.jpg

[DiscusDude85]

very nice,Thanks for sharing





Joe

[TankWatcher]

They are beautiful fish Riccardo. Glad they are no longer sick. You must have done a great job of nursing them back to health.

Thanks for sharing such gorgeous pictures.

[Eddie]

Looking good Ricardo, sorry to hear about the issues. Seems like everybody has been having their share, me included but all settled over here now and hope so for you to.

Best of luck,
Eddie

[rickztahone]

here are the pics. still not the best angles and not the sharpest (still getting use to the camera) but it's the gist. the two BD's are my stunted ones and the turk is my "hero". like i said before, they just came off of medication and they are not looking their hottest but they are getting on their eating schedule once more.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100083.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100076.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100100.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100099.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100091.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100089.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100093.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100086.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100084.jpg

one thing about these "fancy" cameras that i do not like...they make the scratches even more apparent, lol

[Eddie]

Nice pictures Ricardo and what stunted BDs :confused:. The first BD picture looks a little behind the curve but nothing that can't be fixed and second one looks good to me. You are doing great with them and glad to see them doing great in your care.

Eddie

[vss]

here are the pics. still not the best angles and not the sharpest (still getting use to the camera) but it's the gist. the two BD's are my stunted ones and the turk is my "hero". like i said before, they just came off of medication and they are not looking their hottest but they are getting on their eating schedule once more.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100083.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100076.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100100.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100099.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100091.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100089.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100093.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100086.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4100084.jpg

one thing about these "fancy" cameras that i do not like...they make the scratches even more apparent, lol

Real nice pictures Rick! What's the camera you use? The fineline SS, PE, brown....all look gorgeous!

-Xiaofei

[rickztahone]

Nice pictures Ricardo and what stunted BDs :confused:. The first BD picture looks a little behind the curve but nothing that can't be fixed and second one looks good to me. You are doing great with them and glad to see them doing great in your care.

Eddie

thanks Eddie, the first BD is the one i got from Kenny which has always been in the bottom of the pecking order. the second BD should be a little bigger seeing as he/she is about 1-2 months older than the ones i got from Kenny. he/she is larger than the BD i got from Kenny however. the 2nd BD is the one i got from Hans and the blue is much different than the other.


Real nice pictures Rick! What's the camera you use? The fineline SS, PE, brown....all look gorgeous!

-Xiaofei

thank you very much Xiaofei. the camera i am using is an Olympus SLR E-410. i just got it yesterday and i've been playing with it all day :D, want to see?
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/P4100056.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/P4100057.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/P4100064.jpg
they are not discus but these flowers do not move lol. anyways...

i wish the PE was bigger to be quite honest and it has a dark hue to him that i do not like. i though it might have been the hex but he is fine now and eating like a pig but his color is not where i would like for it to be. also, the shape seems to be slipping some, either way i love these fish like you have no idea. they are my little buddies and i wouldn't trade them for anything, not even my "hero". the brown is my favorite though, and he/she has been pecking at the sponge filter and shaking like crazy so i know he/she is ready to either lay eggs or fertilize them again, :D

[vss]

thank you very much Xiaofei. the camera i am using is an Olympus SLR E-410. i just got it yesterday and i've been playing with it all day :D, want to see?


i wish the PE was bigger to be quite honest and it has a dark hue to him that i do not like. i though it might have been the hex but he is fine now and eating like a pig but his color is not where i would like for it to be. also, the shape seems to be slipping some, either way i love these fish like you have no idea. they are my little buddies and i wouldn't trade them for anything, not even my "hero". the brown is my favorite though, and he/she has been pecking at the sponge filter and shaking like crazy so i know he/she is ready to either lay eggs or fertilize them again, :D


Great camera and great photo skill Ricardo! I'm saving money for a DSLR, and I will probably buy this one!

Though I haven't had a chance to grow a PE yet (will buy one shortly when I'm not as busy), I've heard quite a lot about its negative side. Seems that what you experienced is pretty common. PE does grow much slower than other strains, and is very sensitive to water quality for some reason(when the water Q gets slightly worse it'll turn dark and even stop eating), and not all have satisfactory shape when they are young. But its fine spots and blue/red/yellow color is definitely irresistible! He's the king of the king of the aquarium, and he deserves some special care. :D Yours has great coloration and spots IMO and I can see the potential in him! Keep us posted on his growth:D Can't wait to see how he will become finally.

-Xiaofei

[rickztahone]

Great camera and great photo skill Ricardo! I'm saving money for a DSLR, and I will probably buy this one!

Though I haven't had a chance to grow a PE yet (will buy one shortly when I'm not as busy), I've heard quite a lot about its negative side. Seems that what you experienced is pretty common. PE does grow much slower than other strains, and is very sensitive to water quality for some reason(when the water Q gets slightly worse it'll turn dark and even stop eating), and not all have satisfactory shape when they are young. But its fine spots and blue/red/yellow color is definitely irresistible! He's the king of the king of the aquarium, and he deserves some special care. :D Yours has great coloration and spots IMO and I can see the potential in him! Keep us posted on his growth:D Can't wait to see how he will become finally.

-Xiaofei
thanks again Xiaofei. i hope the PE will grow to be a show stopper but i have noticed those negative traits you mentioned. i always have good water though and i do about 60-80% wc daily

[vss]

thanks again Xiaofei. i hope the PE will grow to be a show stopper but i have noticed those negative traits you mentioned. i always have good water though and i do about 60-80% wc daily


Hi Ricardo, I guess you're right. I heard some people (on a chinese discus forum) mentioned that it takes time and patience for LSS to grow. They said the size around 4-4.5'' is is like a milestone, or barrier, that their eruptions tend to show very slow or even no growth when they reach this size. At beginning those guys thought they were stunted and became very frustrated. However after a while the eruptions started growing again and eventually go above 6''.

I have no personal experience with LSS and can't say if your PE will be like this or not, but I do have similar experience on my leopard. I got my leopard at 3'' last Nov (purchased as a B-grade leopard). It showed very slow growth in my tank, and grew to only 4'' by Jan, and remained almost the same size for more than a month. In the past month, however, I noticed very significant growth on him. Now I believe he is 4.5''+. Still the little guy in my tank, but I know he's growing :D

See these two pictures. First one was taken on Jan. 16th, and the second one was taken last week. Might not be the best angle to compare and see the growth, but you can judge it by the eye/body ratio. Your PE has much better eye/body ratio than leo, so don't worry about his growth, he'll become a monster finally if you keep your massive W/C and feeding :)

Good luck.:D

-Xiaofei

[rickztahone]

Hi Ricardo, I guess you're right. I heard some people (on a chinese discus forum) mentioned that it takes time and patience for LSS to grow. They said the size around 4-4.5'' is is like a milestone, or barrier, that their eruptions tend to show very slow or even no growth when they reach this size. At beginning those guys thought they were stunted and became very frustrated. However after a while the eruptions started growing again and eventually go above 6''.

I have no personal experience with LSS and can't say if your PE will be like this or not, but I do have similar experience on my leopard. I got my leopard at 3'' last Nov (purchased as a B-grade leopard). It showed very slow growth in my tank, and grew to only 4'' by Jan, and remained almost the same size for more than a month. In the past month, however, I noticed very significant growth on him. Now I believe he is 4.5''+. Still the little guy in my tank, but I know he's growing :D

See these two pictures. First one was taken on Jan. 16th, and the second one was taken last week. Might not be the best angle to compare and see the growth, but you can judge it by the eye/body ratio. Your PE has much better eye/body ratio than leo, so don't worry about his growth, he'll become a monster finally if you keep your massive W/C and feeding :)

Good luck.:D

-Xiaofei

that almost looks like a different fish. looking great for sure. if my PE gets to that size i'll consider myself lucky :D. thanks for the hope though, i will keep up the WC and feeding 5-6 times daily

[rickztahone]

i know i just updated this thread not too long ago but my original plan was to update every 20th so that i can gauge their growth on a per-month basis. i know it's a day late but i liked the way some of these pics came out. the penang was the most difficult to photograph but i the rest were like super stars in front of paparazzi :D. the other four are in QT getting treated with lights out so pics were out of the question.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/BlueScorpion4-21-09.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PenangEruption4-21-09-1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/FinelineSS4-21-09.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/DomesticBrown4-21-09.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/AltumFlora4-21-09.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4210256.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P4210270.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PenangEruption4-21-09-2.jpg

[rickztahone]

it's the 20th again :D. i feel like my discus are not growing at all! i guess it's like with my daughter, i see her so often that i do not notice that she is getting so much bigger. i was going to take out the domestic brown and put him on a paper towel and measure but he was more than uncooperative! i somewhat gauged his size by just putting my hand next to him and i'm sure he/she is at least 4" SL. the smallest would have to be the Penang and i wouldn't care to venture a guess there. i think after having had them for 4 months they should be a lot bigger IMO but oh well. maybe i'm not feeding enough (5-6 x's daily)? they eat well and show no signs of illness at all. a couple things, my altum seems to have shorter pelvic fins. it seems that he/she is just to close to the floor and they have progressively been getting shorter. it almost looks like ammonia burn but none of the others have this. kind of puzzling :confused:. my red melons look a lot better and are not pooping white anymore but are still in QT with a couple of BD's. i really do not like the shape my SS is taking but i really do not know what else i can do to pump these guys up. i'm considering making some beefheart and seafood mix and feeding that like 3 times a day. the only thing that would worry me is the amount of wast that would cause. ok ok i'm just rambling now, here's the pics
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190936.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190944.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190941.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190943.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190947.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190957.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190956.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190945.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190940.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190949.jpg
My Hero!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190925.jpg
side tank shots
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190923.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190938.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190939.jpg

[allan_mark76]

What's the temp of the tank?

~AKA~

[mikel]

Your tank is plenty deep for any of the strains, and also, you keep the bottom and the rest of the tank so spotlessly clean, I wouldnt ever suspect any sort of "burn" of any kind. I would say the shortening of the fins is just a genetic trait. The eyes of your fish are all sparkling and that's indicative of their health, along with their good appetite. I wouldnt worry too much about their growth...you will get what you get, and I experienced the same uneven growth rate with my blue diamonds too. Just give them the best water and food, and let them do whatever their genes tell them to. In the end, you'll still have beautiful fish.

It took my juvie BD 4 months to grow from 2 inches to 5.5-6 inches. They were fed Al's BH mix and Omega flakes only...6 times a day in a BB tank

I have been noticing a general shape/trend with Kenny/Forrest fish. They all have that roundish face with a nice forehead dome. A very attractive fish face in my opinion. mike:)

[brewmaster15]

Hi Ricardo,
Can I make an observation and suggestion here?

Your Fish look fine, look healthy, and look to be growing well ... The Problem I see is more on the owner side of the equation....I see this alot in Hobbyists ...its called Discus Paranoa ..:). Its a terrible disease that hobbyists get when the become obsessive about the growth and development of their fish....sadly it interfers with their ability to actually enjoy their fish and the hobby...eventually it leads to frustration, burn out and departure from the hobby.

The treatment takes a little will power but it can be successful if the afflicted stops looking at how everyone else is doing things and how their fish are growing, and just finds a comfy chair, sits back and enjoys their healthy discus.

I've been where you are Ricardo, but my advise is just relax and keep doing what you are doing...Discus can take years to fully mature and develop.:D

Cheers,
al


it's the 20th again :D. i feel like my discus are not growing at all! i guess it's like with my daughter, i see her so often that i do not notice that she is getting so much bigger. i was going to take out the domestic brown and put him on a paper towel and measure but he was more than uncooperative! i somewhat gauged his size by just putting my hand next to him and i'm sure he/she is at least 4" SL. the smallest would have to be the Penang and i wouldn't care to venture a guess there. i think after having had them for 4 months they should be a lot bigger IMO but oh well. maybe i'm not feeding enough (5-6 x's daily)? they eat well and show no signs of illness at all. a couple things, my altum seems to have shorter pelvic fins. it seems that he/she is just to close to the floor and they have progressively been getting shorter. it almost looks like ammonia burn but none of the others have this. kind of puzzling :confused:. my red melons look a lot better and are not pooping white anymore but are still in QT with a couple of BD's. i really do not like the shape my SS is taking but i really do not know what else i can do to pump these guys up. i'm considering making some beefheart and seafood mix and feeding that like 3 times a day. the only thing that would worry me is the amount of wast that would cause. ok ok i'm just rambling now, here's the pics
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190936.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190944.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190941.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190943.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190947.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190957.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190956.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190945.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190940.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190949.jpg
My Hero!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190925.jpg
side tank shots
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190923.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190938.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5190939.jpg

[Yassmeena]

Hi Ricardo,

I think your fish are doing well and they look beautiful!

If you are concerned about their growth, maybe you can change their diet. Try some of Kensfish.com flakes. Get some BH. BH feedings (right before a WC) seem to do wonders! Maybe you can setup an automatic feeder to dispense flakes throughout the day while you are at work?

Yasmin

[SriAngel]

Hi Ricardo,
Can I make an observation and suggestion here?

Your Fish look fine, look healthy, and look to be growing well ... The Problem I see is more on the owner side of the equation....I see this alot in Hobbyists ...its called Discus Paranoa ..:). Its a terrible disease that hobbyists get when the become obsessive about the growth and development of their fish....sadly it interfers with their ability to actually enjoy their fish and the hobby...eventually it leads to frustration, burn out and departure from the hobby.

The treatment takes a little will power but it can be successful if the afflicted stops looking at how everyone else is doing things and how their fish are growing, and just finds a comfy chair, sits back and enjoys their healthy discus.

I've been where you are Ricardo, but my advise is just relax and keep doing what you are doing...Discus can take years to fully mature and develop.:D

Cheers,
al

Al is absolutely correct!

You have fantastic, healthy discus, your primary concern should be enjoying them and second keeping them healthy.

As for the growth part i understand your frustration. I unfortunately am on the side thats going to burn myself out since im in search of the 11" discus. I swear to you one day i will have one lol. I dont think i'll ever leave the hobby because i've already suffered a lot of setbacks and i've just been able to get right back on the horse.

My observation is first your tank setup, do you have the tanks setup long? It looks like you have the piece of driftwood all the way in the back. They are going to hang out there and anytime you are infront of them you are violating their privacy and will run and hide there. Small suggestion turn your tank around, if growth is a major factor put them in a smaller tank as i think discus with lots of room to swim in are skittish as a predator can enter their territory at any time and gobble them up. When the volume is less and they have more discus around them they are more comfortable and will relax a little bit more. I know its a little bit out there, but i put discus originally in my 240, and instead of eating more they were running races around the tank. I increased the population density and spread them out using egg crate separator. I will post a vid later of fish in the same tank seperated by egg crates, same fish in the same tank but the units that are stocked higher will devour the food, the once that have lots of space hang out by the heaters till i go away. This is why commercial breeders stock fish like tuna cans, but you MUST MAINTAIN Water quality, for rotates the water quite often and a 20 percent water change is done every 4 hours automatically as well as 100 percent water change at night keeps the water pristine. So my main points, population density, water quality {good genetics also helps ;) }

second, do you feed them live food, i see a worm holder on top of the waterline, if you do what kind do you feed? Never been a big fan of live worms (exception earthworms), they grow your fish quite quickly and then if they get sick from it you lose whatever you gained plus you might lose the fish.

P.S If you are looking for a commercially available food mix, i highly recommend Al's Surf & Turf mix, i experienced an explosion of growth while i was feeding my fish his formula, and i have never seen a single fish reject it. It smellssssss soooooo good lol.

[rickztahone]

What's the temp of the tank?

~AKA~

my 125 is at 84 and my QT at 88


Your tank is plenty deep for any of the strains, and also, you keep the bottom and the rest of the tank so spotlessly clean, I wouldnt ever suspect any sort of "burn" of any kind. I would say the shortening of the fins is just a genetic trait. The eyes of your fish are all sparkling and that's indicative of their health, along with their good appetite. I wouldnt worry too much about their growth...you will get what you get, and I experienced the same uneven growth rate with my blue diamonds too. Just give them the best water and food, and let them do whatever their genes tell them to. In the end, you'll still have beautiful fish.

It took my juvie BD 4 months to grow from 2 inches to 5.5-6 inches. They were fed Al's BH mix and Omega flakes only...6 times a day in a BB tank

I have been noticing a general shape/trend with Kenny/Forrest fish. They all have that roundish face with a nice forehead dome. A very attractive fish face in my opinion. mike:)

thanks for the encouraging words Mike i really appreciate it. i will keep at it


Hi Ricardo,
Can I make an observation and suggestion here?

Your Fish look fine, look healthy, and look to be growing well ... The Problem I see is more on the owner side of the equation....I see this alot in Hobbyists ...its called Discus Paranoa ..:). Its a terrible disease that hobbyists get when the become obsessive about the growth and development of their fish....sadly it interfers with their ability to actually enjoy their fish and the hobby...eventually it leads to frustration, burn out and departure from the hobby.

The treatment takes a little will power but it can be successful if the afflicted stops looking at how everyone else is doing things and how their fish are growing, and just finds a comfy chair, sits back and enjoys their healthy discus.

I've been where you are Ricardo, but my advise is just relax and keep doing what you are doing...Discus can take years to fully mature and develop.:D

Cheers,
al

thanks Al, i guess i needed that. i do tend to compare my discus with others and it hinders me more than helps me. i do need to just sit back and relax and enjoy the fish. i have forgotten why i got in the hobby in the first place ;), thanks for the reminder.


Hi Ricardo,

I think your fish are doing well and they look beautiful!

If you are concerned about their growth, maybe you can change their diet. Try some of Kensfish.com flakes. Get some BH. BH feedings (right before a WC) seem to do wonders! Maybe you can setup an automatic feeder to dispense flakes throughout the day while you are at work?

Yasmin

fortunately my wife and brother feed my fish while i am at work. They do not like it but they do it regardless.


Al is absolutely correct!

You have fantastic, healthy discus, your primary concern should be enjoying them and second keeping them healthy.

As for the growth part i understand your frustration. I unfortunately am on the side thats going to burn myself out since im in search of the 11" discus. I swear to you one day i will have one lol. I dont think i'll ever leave the hobby because i've already suffered a lot of setbacks and i've just been able to get right back on the horse.

My observation is first your tank setup, do you have the tanks setup long? It looks like you have the piece of driftwood all the way in the back. They are going to hang out there and anytime you are infront of them you are violating their privacy and will run and hide there. Small suggestion turn your tank around, if growth is a major factor put them in a smaller tank as i think discus with lots of room to swim in are skittish as a predator can enter their territory at any time and gobble them up. When the volume is less and they have more discus around them they are more comfortable and will relax a little bit more. I know its a little bit out there, but i put discus originally in my 240, and instead of eating more they were running races around the tank. I increased the population density and spread them out using egg crate separator. I will post a vid later of fish in the same tank seperated by egg crates, same fish in the same tank but the units that are stocked higher will devour the food, the once that have lots of space hang out by the heaters till i go away. This is why commercial breeders stock fish like tuna cans, but you MUST MAINTAIN Water quality, for rotates the water quite often and a 20 percent water change is done every 4 hours automatically as well as 100 percent water change at night keeps the water pristine. So my main points, population density, water quality {good genetics also helps ;) }

second, do you feed them live food, i see a worm holder on top of the waterline, if you do what kind do you feed? Never been a big fan of live worms (exception earthworms), they grow your fish quite quickly and then if they get sick from it you lose whatever you gained plus you might lose the fish.

P.S If you are looking for a commercially available food mix, i highly recommend Al's Surf & Turf mix, i experienced an explosion of growth while i was feeding my fish his formula, and i have never seen a single fish reject it. It smellssssss soooooo good lol.

here's how my tank currently looks:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P5020548.jpg
i had just taken the side-shot pictures because i thought they looked cool and i never take them side-tank-shot. i've honestly thought about setting up my 55 again and putting them in there and moving them to the 125 until they are adults. i would have to put the 2 xp3's on that 55 and the driftwood would cover like half that tank, lol. it is a lot more water to do WC's in the 125 so that is another reason why i might switch to the 55. i have tried to buy Al's BH but it was just a little too much money for me because the shipping charge was over $100 because it has to be sent next-day. i do plan on making my own BH soon and i'm already feeding Eddie's seafood mix. I do not feed live food at all. the cone is for bloodworms and brine shrimp. they got use to eating it from the cone since i got them. the rest of the food goes directly to the tank:
NLS
ocean nutrition discus formula (wattley brand)
ON prime reef
ON discus formula flakes
ON formula one flakes
Omega one flakes
mysis shrimp
tetra color bits (soaked before feeding)
san francisco bay BH
and a few others that are escaping my mind now but never feed live foods. like i said, i think i needed this type of encouragement and told to just relax. i will let them do what they do at their own pace not mine. thanks again guy/gals

[SriAngel]

Good Luck Ricardo,

Keep us posted on their progress!

Angel

[Eddie]

Hey Ricardo, finally was able to see the pics since last night I was at work. Your fish look great! I really like that snakeskin, is it a carnation snake? They seem to be doing really well, not sure why you think they are not growing. I am the same way. I leave town for 2 weeks and get back and it looks like my fish have grown inches but when I see them everyday, I think they don't grow at all. :o

Gorgeous fish! They look very nice. That eruption is WAY more colorful than any of mine. You can really see the definite spotting. Great work and keep up with the great updates!

All the best bro and take care,

Eddie

[rickztahone]

i missed the 20th of this month only by 5 days this time LOL. so here's a pic update, for the first time ever i see some of the fish developing. i took Al's advice and i have been relaxing in keeping these guys and it makes a huge difference. i find myself not stressing as much about them growing or not. there are a few group shots and solo's as well. the ones that look really blue are because my 10k bulbs were on and i really like the cool effect it gave the pic. also, i got close up pics of a few of them and i just want to make sure that the holes they have on their heads are indeed just sensory holes? i ask because they do not seem normal to me. here are the pics:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241102.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241099.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241170.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241125.jpg
i included my original red melon's because the female (guessing here) actually caught up to my bigger guys
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241172.jpg
same picture of the one i think is the female
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241173.jpg
this is the red melon who i think might be the male just because of what i read on Andrew Soh's book about the white markings on the operculum usually being a male while the female do not generally have those markings. this is one of my two little footballs.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241190.jpg
here's the other stunted one. i really love the spotting but the shape is just too far gone IMO, but i will keep it. that fish has character!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241185.jpg
Altum Flora
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241142.jpg
Fineline Snakeskin
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241133.jpg
Domestic Brown
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241186.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241147.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241160.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241168.jpg
SS close up
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241166.jpg
Blue Scorpion close up
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241205.jpg
Blue Scorpion
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/P6241176.jpg
SS

Thanks for looking!

[Eddie]

Hey Ricardo, long time it was. I was wondering when you were gonna throw some pics up. The fish look awesome! They look really good, especially the BS.

All the best bro,
Eddie

[poconogal]

Rick, they all look great. I don't see any footballs!

[rickztahone]

Rick, they all look great. I don't see any footballs!

it's just the fact that their shape is not ideal. i guess Kenny/Forrests' high standards are rubbing off on me because the Penang has too many flaws IMO. the red melon i am not too worried about because i accepted the fact that my first discus would be stunted and i'm glad at least one of them wasn't. at the end of the day those fish are still healthy so i will keep them and try my best to bulk them up.

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

Ricardo, great update. your fish are lookin killer bro. they are growing big time. sometimes they hit growth spirts, it will seem kinda slow before that tho. but really they look awesome and they are definatly packing on some size now:D keep up the great work!

[Eddie]

it's just the fact that their shape is not ideal. i guess Kenny/Forrests' high standards are rubbing off on me because the Penang has too many flaws IMO. the red melon i am not too worried about because i accepted the fact that my first discus would be stunted and i'm glad at least one of them wasn't. at the end of the day those fish are still healthy so i will keep them and try my best to bulk them up.

Regardless of the PEs shape, it has some killer spotting/pattern.

Take care,

Eddie

[Scribbles]

Ricardo,

Your fish are beautiful. Enjoy them and their personalities which is what makes cichlids so special.

Chris

[rickztahone]

i was taking pics of the blue scorpion for the scorpionathon thread and i figured i'd take some of all the discus :D. i found a new feature that shows the true colors of the discus. some of the pics have it others don't because i found the feature mid-way through the shoot-out, lol. ENJOY!:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030074.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030101.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030119.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030150.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030155.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030160.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030163-1.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030075.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030076.jpghttp://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030102.jpg
This is how good Bill's flakes are. this discus has never been this red. it has always been an orange color. these discus have only been on Bill's flakes for less than 3 weeks and they are noticeably showing better colors. they love them as well. i did not edit these pics in anyway. flakes highly recommended ...
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030106.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030112.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030113.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030115.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030126.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030129.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA030147.jpg

[Eddie]

Gorgeous shots Ricardo, love them all. Killer spots on that last fish, so nice!

Eddie

[rickztahone]

Gorgeous shots Ricardo, love them all. Killer spots on that last fish, so nice!

Eddie

and that's one of my least favorites...i just wish it had better shape is all.

[Eddie]

and that's one of my least favorites...i just wish it had better shape is all.

Where it lacks in shape, it makes up for in pattern and color!

Eddie

[frenchie100]

OMG Ricardo!! Your fish are beautiful! I really don't think mine are any bigger! I LOOOOOVE that domestic brown ;), still think it's a male?!

Your blue scorpion has awesome patterns too and your altum flora has really nice clear lines.

Julie :)

[rickztahone]

OMG Ricardo!! Your fish are beautiful! I really don't think mine are any bigger! I LOOOOOVE that domestic brown ;), still think it's a male?!

Your blue scorpion has awesome patterns too and your altum flora has really nice clear lines.

Julie :)

thx Julie! yours definitely look thicker, honestly. i still do think the brown is a male for some reason. it's an aggressive discus that's for sure. i really like your Altum Flora. if i could only get one fish from you i would have to decide on the Altum Flora. anyways, thanks again for the compliment but then again i can say the exact same thing about yours my friend :p;)

[Scribbles]

Ricardo, your discus look great! I like the colors and patterns of your group and of course I love your tank.

Chris

[hedut]

Ricardo, you very healthy and beautiful discus. That AF have nice pattern;)

[rickztahone]

Ricardo, your discus look great! I like the colors and patterns of your group and of course I love your tank.

Chris

thanks Chris!


Ricardo, you very healthy and beautiful discus. That AF have nice pattern;)

thank you Hendri, i like the high body on that AF as well.

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

Ricardo, KILLER update bro, great new pics! and I love the new look of the tank...just great man! ur right, look how red those melons are getting from those flakes from Bill...I think the PE is turning more red/spotting up a bit more due to those flakes aswell.

the AF is my favorite of your group. just a really really killer fish IMO. also love the fineline SS. the wild x is lookin killer too...startin to really pattern up now!

Ricardo, you got some awesome fish, especially the AF! :D:D

take care my brother.

[rickztahone]

Ricardo, KILLER update bro, great new pics! and I love the new look of the tank...just great man! ur right, look how red those melons are getting from those flakes from Bill...I think the PE is turning more red/spotting up a bit more due to those flakes aswell.

the AF is my favorite of your group. just a really really killer fish IMO. also love the fineline SS. the wild x is lookin killer too...startin to really pattern up now!

Ricardo, you got some awesome fish, especially the AF! :D:D

take care my brother.

thanks a lot man, i really appreciate. i try you know...:D
can't wait till i put the small juvies in there in a few months.

[rickztahone]

i was snapping pics of the juvies and of course i had to take some of these guys.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210189.jpg
only fineline SS shot i got

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210183.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210182.jpg
I'ma miss this little bugger once i sell him

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210180.jpg
this pair (not mating pair, just 2 of them, lol) was being shy. i think they might be trying to get together :confused:, they are siblings!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210205.jpg
another red melon shot

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210186.jpg
Altum Flora front view
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210177.jpg
and side view
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210201.jpg
this is my favorite fish if you hadn't noticed, lol
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210197.jpg
close up

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210198.jpg
really close up
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210211.jpg
and here's the culprit!

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210210.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/rickztahone/discus%20tanks/PA210212.jpg
domestic brown

[Eddie]

Awesome shots Ricardo, the fish look fantastic! Thanks for updating

Take care,

Eddie

[Scribbles]

Wonderful group Ricardo! The AF is my favorite.

Chris

[mikel]

These guys look great...all well cared for and healthy, and they have that classic thick forehead and round face that will make them very attractive fish! Best of luck with them, Ricardo!!! The spots and the lines are so defined, and they get on the faces too! mike:)

[rickztahone]

thank you everyone!

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

great shots dude! I love the closeups! discus are looking fantastic, I cant believe how red those melons are turning from those flakes!

[rickztahone]

great shots dude! I love the closeups! discus are looking fantastic, I cant believe how red those melons are turning from those flakes!

i love those flakes! i only feed them those once a day though. Bill told me if i fed it more times a day the red would intense much faster. i have too many other foods to just feed one type of flake however. but i like the subtle change they are going through. the rest are actually looking great as well due to the flakes IMO

thx again Jason