Raising fry and maintain uniform size and shape?

[tdiscusman]

Want to ask experienced discus keeper out there or anyone who has success in raising healthy discus with uniform size and shape about their methods.
Beside getting quality stocks and maintained clean, stable environment for the discus, any prophylactic treatments you are using and what to do if one or two are not growing as fast as the others?

Thanks
Tony

[roundfishross]

seems to me not all fry will grow out uniformly no matter what you do, just like children. :D

[tdiscusman]

Thanks, I understand that discus perfect uniformity is impossible and there would always be some slight differences in size. I saw some member's discus in the photo area and in the discus challenge area where discus are growing great and size are pretty consistent.

Tony

[William Palumbo]

Out of a full spawn, there are always going to be some fry bigger than others. Honestly, not all will make it. Some will seem to never grow...and eventually die. Am I going to spend the money and time on meds for those few fish, that may or may not recover?...No. The best way to get the most uniformity from your fry are frequent feedings, a varied diet and large frequent water changes...Bill

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Knowledge of how to properly feed to satiation and maintaining a "heavy" stocking density IMO is key for uniform size. Maintaining proper water quality is a given...

-Ryan

[tdiscusman]

Knowledge of how to properly feed to satiation and maintaining a "heavy" stocking density IMO is key for uniform size. Maintaining proper water quality is a given...

-Ryan

Thanks Ryan,
"feed to satiation and maintaining a "heavy" stocking density" this make sense to me, as heavy stock density would minimize the weaker/smaller fish from being harassed and not getting enough food.

So far I got.
1. Get good discus stock
2. Clean stable water quality (frequent and large WC)
4. frequent and variety of feedings (to satiation)
5. heavy stocking density

anyone use any prophylactic/preventive treatments, like periodic de-worming, etc so they would maintain optimal health?

Thanks
Tony

[kaceyo]

As Ryan said, alot of it is making sure that the fry get enough to eat. Not just enough so that you can see full bellies in the large group of fry, but that each individual gets enough. That may mean feeding an extra helping or two at each feeding so that the slower eaters still get their fill.
I f you just feed enough to fill the bellies of the big eaters, then the rest will start to fall behind to one degree or another.
Tank maint and wc's must be optimum to do this.

Kacey

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Dont forget that when you start feeding BH that it needs to be small enough for the fry to eat. This means putting the ground up BH through a food processor of sorts to turn it into a paste. By putting it into a paste consistency it allows all the fish to eat it, rather than just the larger/stronger fry to eat at small chunks.

Lawrence of Lucky Tropical did a fantastic display of how to properly prepare BH into this paste like consistency. There are pictures on the web showing the Stendker facility preparing BH to this consistency as well (proving it is a valid technique).

As for any form of propholactic treatments on the fry....So long as the parental brood stock are clean and healthy the fry shouldnt have any problems with intestinal worms either. External parasites are another issue though. Get a good microscope and a good disease book and learn how to use it! No amount of guessing by people here on the forum will give you a definite answer to a parasite problem. If you have a microscope and learn how to take samples from the fish (body scrapes, fin clips, gill clips) then you will have a very valuable tool in knowing how to treat any given parasite. Propholactics in most cases are a poor excuse for a lax bio-security protocol IMO.

Another thing people dont realize is that protein and fats arent everything when growing young fry. Vitamins and minerals play an equally important role in proper development.

-Ryan

[Discus-Hans]

For us a food that doesn't stick together, but breaks up when first Discus touch the food and in full tanks feeding on 3 places works for us best to get them all filled up. Off course good filter system and water changes,

Hans

[tdiscusman]

thank you everyone for the valuable information

Tony