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acroken
10-14-2009, 03:58 PM
Hey All,
Here are a few pictures of the contest discus. Everything has been just fine. I have been keeping up with the same schedule since the start. Here is what a day is like for the contest discus:
6 am Hikari blood worms-really boosts their appetites
7 am b/h & seafood 50/50 mix -their favorite food
7:30 water change 80%
9:30 ON pellets auto feed-spreads out nice so all get a chance to eat
11:30 prime reef flake auto feed-i feed all kinds of flake but this is the best
1:30 b/h mix w/veggies 80/20 mix-veggies are in all my mixes,this has a bit more peas,carrots,egg yolk,red lettuce and garlic for attraction to food
3:30 ON pellets auto feed
5:30 b/h & seafood-spinach,wheat gem and oat meal for digestion
7:30 live food-white or red worms-white worms about 2x week
8 spot clean siphon about 5 gal out
8:15 watch a little tv with cookies and milk
9 frozen Hikari krill or Mysis Shrimp
11 lights out

The food Food is varied as much as possible as I try and keep them accustomed to eating everything they are offered. Their appetites are still good,they get very excited when any food hits the water. The staple food is my b/h mixes,feed at least 3x daily. I try and keep the nutrients balanced and protein on average at 50% for younger discus.I always add different ingredients to these mixes each time, but these are in every mix-cleaned beef/turkey heart,shrimp,baby food,brewers yeast,wheat gem,oat meal,garlic,spirulina,flakes, spinach and Vitamin's(mullti-calcium-b1-fish oil,iron,gro-more)They go crazy for my mixes. I would not even try and put a $ value to these mixes as it would be very discouraging. I use about 3 lbs of this food a week feeding 18 tanks.
The water- my water is on the harder side at mS .44/tds 300-My water parameters are ph 7.0-temp 85.5- 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia and less than 5 ppm nitrates. My water comes from 3 different sources depending on the reservoir levels, which means at anytime my tap water will be totally different. In the pasted that has caused my some issues. I run all my water through three solid carbon block and a pre filter. I change one cartridge out every other month since I have Chloramine in my water. I age and heat it for 24 hours in two 100 gal and two 55's.
The Filter
simple as they get. Two sponges, a sand filter and a home made trickle filter. This system seams to be bullet proof as nothing causes any fluctuations.
Treatments when I first received them I did a precautionary treatment of PP 2 x spread out over 3 days. I de worm every few months. I watch them closely and do not add anything but clean water if i see something strange happening. The few times I pulled them for the tank I checked for body and gill flukes, but nothing worth treating.
Enough of this bla bla bla. here are some pictures:
http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss50/acroken/IMG_1647.jpg http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss50/acroken/IMG_1641.jpg http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss50/acroken/IMG_1637.jpg http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss50/acroken/IMG_1633.jpg http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/ss50/acroken/IMG_1567.jpg

pcsb23
10-14-2009, 04:32 PM
Big, round and beautiful :)

Chad Hughes
10-14-2009, 04:47 PM
Looking good!

That's quite a routine you have going on there! Sure wish I had that kind of time. :mad: LOL!

Anyway, great work!

Best wishes!

Eddie
10-14-2009, 05:27 PM
Kenny my friend, those are AMAZING and HUGE!! SUPERB!

Awesome work!

Eddie

calihawker
10-14-2009, 09:13 PM
Excellent job Kenny. Nice update going over the details for those that may be browsing this contest for the first time.:)
Fish look superb!

wgtaylor
10-14-2009, 10:12 PM
Hey Kenny,
Your discus look awesome. They could not get better care anywhere.
Great job with the fish, tank, pictures and post. :):):):)
Just curious, what do you de-worm with?
Thanks,
Bill

j_li8
10-15-2009, 03:32 AM
looks like some monster fish. and thick too.

Scribbles
10-15-2009, 03:42 AM
That's one heck of a schedule, but the results are fantastic! Super shape size and color on your discus. Well done!

Chris

hedut
10-15-2009, 05:39 AM
Wow, they look bigger and more orange every week. I love them :)

mattg
10-15-2009, 10:47 AM
These are my favorites to look at, they're soo thick its amazing.

what is the approximate size of them at the moment?

lkevin
10-15-2009, 06:43 PM
Thats a crazy schedule. Those things better give you some prize-winning fry!

TankWatcher
10-16-2009, 08:02 AM
sooo big, round, thick, & brilliantly coloured :thumbsup:

fishyj
10-19-2009, 02:05 PM
I just love these fish. The colloring is fantastic!!!

scottthomas
10-19-2009, 09:42 PM
Those are some fat discus. lol awesome work

acroken
10-20-2009, 10:19 AM
Looking good!
That's quite a routine you have going on there! Sure wish I had that kind of time. :mad: LOL!
Anyway, great work!
Best wishes!I have help with feedings during the day as my girlfriend is home.


Kenny my friend, those are AMAZING and HUGE!! SUPERB!
Awesome work!
Eddie Thanks Eddie


Excellent job Kenny. Nice update going over the details for those that may be browsing this contest for the first time.:)
Fish look superb! Thanks Steve.I made some changes to their food so i figure i would update with a current list.


Hey Kenny,
Your discus look awesome. They could not get better care anywhere.
Great job with the fish, tank, pictures and post. :):):):)
Just curious, what do you de-worm with?
Thanks,
Bill Thank you Bill, the first de worming is with Panacur in feed while in QT. Every couple months i feed Angles Plus De-worming Flake.

kirkp
10-20-2009, 01:56 PM
Kenny, those are some sick looking fish. My daughter informs me that is a good think and therefore means they are looking good. My daughter also informs me that I shouldn't try using that lingo because it only makes me look stupid. Oh well, such is my lot in life.

Kirk

acroken
10-21-2009, 03:31 PM
Those are some fat discus. lol awesome work i hear you there. they are on a seefood diet:)


I just love these fish. The colloring is fantastic!!! thanks Jim, color in real life blows these pictures away. this tank is right next to a window that get lots of afternoon sun. usually i take my pictures at night which is easier with just the tank light on.


sooo big, round, thick, & brilliantly coloured :thumbsup: Thank you Robin. they are some incredibly beautiful discus. a lot of fun to raise up, always active and looking for food


Thats a crazy schedule. Those things better give you some prize-winning fry!I am used to this schedule. i have to feed the fry and small discus anyway. if i do not give them something when i feed the babies...talk about some pissed off discus.lol


These are my favorites to look at, they're soo thick its amazing.

what is the approximate size of them at the moment? thanks matt. i will be measuring them again at the half way point, in 4 weeks:D last measurement i took was july 20th at 4 3/4". i hope bigger then that,LoL

acroken
10-21-2009, 03:53 PM
Wow, they look bigger and more orange every week. I love them :) Thank you hendri, they are still growing but not as orange as they appear in this weeks post. these were taken during the day with lots of sun light.


That's one heck of a schedule, but the results are fantastic! Super shape size and color on your discus. Well done!

Chris Thanks Chris, they love the extra attention;)


looks like some monster fish. and thick too.Thanks Joe. they are pretty tough looking :D.

Cooldadddyfunk286
10-22-2009, 02:15 PM
Kenny, I love the pics you take...I think its only right that you give us a picture tour of your fishroom!!! you must have some amazing, big, healthy beauties in there. you have such an awesome looking set-up. we'll have to meet up one day! would love to check out your room! your competition fish look better and better with each update. they almost look fake, they are so perfect! jeeez, great work with this group, and that exactly why I'd like to see what else Ken H has in his fishroom! ;)

thanks again, a million times over for those cones! helped me out bigtime bro! Im rooting for you to win this thing! ;) (altho it will be a tuff call, as ALL of the challengers fish look stunning!;))

take care Ken, dont be shy with that camera now! :p;)

bs6749
10-24-2009, 09:34 PM
Based on the pictures and the pictures alone, if I had to have someone watch my fish while I was away for several months it would be Kenny! The mass that you have put on them and the roundness you have achieved is amazing! Keep up the fantastic work.

Armandi_Fishcarer
10-27-2009, 02:40 AM
Kenny, outstanding fish quality & an enormous routine you have going, incl. the food types. I also feed my fish an array of foods they lov'em all, I think as nothing is usually left over. Keep up the great job! :D

Regards
Ahmed ;)

acroken
10-27-2009, 03:21 PM
Jason,
you got it man. i will snap some photo's of my fish room asap. Hey anytime you want to meet up, just let me know. I always have a fridge full of beer and a freezer full of food...fish food that is:D You should try and make the Northeast Discus meeting in Nov. at Steve's place. It is a great time. I drive 4 1/2 hours to them and never regret it. Thanks so much for the awesome feed back. It is people like you that make SD the best.

Kenny


Kenny, I love the pics you take...I think its only right that you give us a picture tour of your fishroom!!! you must have some amazing, big, healthy beauties in there. you have such an awesome looking set-up. we'll have to meet up one day! would love to check out your room! your competition fish look better and better with each update. they almost look fake, they are so perfect! jeeez, great work with this group, and that exactly why I'd like to see what else Ken H has in his fishroom! ;)

thanks again, a million times over for those cones! helped me out bigtime bro! Im rooting for you to win this thing! ;) (altho it will be a tuff call, as ALL of the challengers fish look stunning!;))

take care Ken, dont be shy with that camera now! :p;)

Aquaben19
10-27-2009, 04:38 PM
Really beautiful fish Kenny. You are a busy individual.

If you have time, Check your PM's, I have been anxiously waiting a response... :)

Ben

acroken
10-30-2009, 11:13 PM
Based on the pictures and the pictures alone, if I had to have someone watch my fish while I was away for several months it would be Kenny! The mass that you have put on them and the roundness you have achieved is amazing! Keep up the fantastic work.
BS,
that is such a nice complement. thank you very much:D

Marywouters
11-06-2009, 02:43 AM
Kenny

Your fish look beautiful. I too would like to see some pictures of your fishroom, especiallly the filters you use. I have two batches of young discus that I am growing in the same tank. I am sure you could give me some good ideas on filters.

Mary

Cooldadddyfunk286
11-09-2009, 11:40 AM
Kenny, I cant stop checkin out these same pics over and over!! each fish is perfect...perfect shape, color...so thick and round and uniform. fins all smooth as can be...dang, what a tank full of beauties. your mixes sound so awesome! I have yet to make my own mix, I like your recipes! I should give it a try sometime!

take care Kenny, would love to meet up sometime!