Why my discus doesn't fully open their fins?

[discus_newbie]

Hi, i have 9 discus (7, 2-2.5" and 2 3.5-4"), 3 of them are pidgeon blood strains and always have their dorsal and bottom fins fully open, I've never seen them shut it, one blue diamond also show his full self too. The rest, which are turqs and 1 BD, doesn't fully open their fins, They isn't clamped or anything, they just doesn't want to open it (I've check at night when they still, they are still able to fully open it). What is happening here? When I see pictures and watch vids the fins are always open.

My parameters are perfect, pH 6.8. I've only hard them for a little over two months but they still show bars when I walk near the tank, don't they suppose to be fitted in well and be comfortable by this time?

I'm really worried, this is my first time keeping discus so decent amount of knowledge but very little experience. :o

[mmorris]

Are they eating well? Are they hiding? I have a turq that never seems to display his dorsal fin to it's best and I've had him over a year. Some discus show bars more than others. Showing bars is not necessarily an indicator of impending trouble.

[Scribbles]

I'd just keep an eye on them as long as they are eating and not showing signs of illness. Some discus show their bars more than others. I have a couple that show their bars at mealtime and one that has always shown it's bars 24/7 but otherwise appears healthy. In time you will get to know them and what is normal for each individual.

Chris

[discus_newbie]

yep they're all eating well but for 2 months now I've only seen growth in 2 or 3 of them, all of them have developed colors really well. I feed 6-8 times a day with 35% WC every other day. Aren't they suppose to grown 0.5-1" / month?

[Scribbles]

What size is your tank? You said that your water parameters are good but what are the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings?

Chris

[discus_newbie]

Hi, my parameters are 0,0,15 , tank size 75G planted (just a bit of plant, substrate and some driftwood, nothing hi-tech). I'm not new to fish, just new to discus.

[jaykne]

I would not worry about them as long as they are eating, no hiding and dark or fins clamped all the time, probably nothing to worry about. As for growth some strains grow fast and some slow, and if you really want them to grow fast go bare bottom and up your feedings and water changes. For growing out I will put 6 in a 55gal feed good high protien food 8 to 10 times a day and do 90% water change every day I can get them up to 5" in couple months then another couple months to get them up to 6" and don't need to worry about hardness or ph when growing them out only if you are trying to breed, and in some cases not even to breed I have a pair that have at least 80% hatch rate in very hard water and high ph. Larry

[mmorris]

Can you post pics of the ones that concern you? What temperature is the tank water? How many tankmates are there and what are they? What are you feeding?