Any way to make discus rounder?

[ctzeh]

Hi, the pictures show a heckel that someone gave to me. It was sick at that time but has since healed. However, as you can see, its shape is not round. Is there any way to help it get rounder? Does more feeding help? Thanks for any advice.

[erikc]

Sorry I will try to be diplomatic.

The picture is of a Heckel cross and the person should never have given it to you. It will never get round and the person should have culled it.

[Eddie]

Sorry I will try to be diplomatic.

The picture is of a Heckel cross and the person should never have given it to you. It will never get round and the person should have culled it.


+1 and I would not have taken it. :(

[srusso]

guys being a little harsh... kill it just b/c its not perfect? Let it live its life just don't breed the poor little guy. I agree, I wouldn't have taken it either but I guess if it was free maybe... :p

[ctzeh]

Thanks for your advice guys. Guess i will have to keep it then. But i just want to know, if a discus is not round, does it mean it is deformed or is it just the way we judge them?

[John_Nicholson]

It is just a case of bad genetics/care. Not trying to sound mean but in the computer world they have the old saying crap in, crap out. Well using that logic here....Once crap, always crap. I normally tell people that there are too many good discus in the world to waste resources on a bad one. Your should have never left the breeders tanks.

Good Luck.

-john

[Eddie]

Thanks for your advice guys. Guess i will have to keep it then. But i just want to know, if a discus is not round, does it mean it is deformed or is it just the way we judge them?

Depends, some discus are high body or egg shape. Some others are bulldog, which I feel is a deformity but many like to argue that.

That fish looks very sick and its been through some harsh conditions.

[Tito]

Well.....

That's the perfect fish to give to a beginner that has convict cichlids and community fish.

[DiscusKev]

The hard rays are damaged and is very unlikely that it will repair itself uniformly...I remember reading a thread that Al made about fin trimming (somewhere along the lines) and the hard ray didn't really grow back "perfectly" as the dorsal fin did, simply because of the dorsal fin is a soft tissue I believe.

Even if that discus body was round, it wouldn't be a nice and smooth one as it has a "cichlid bump" and as mentioned, the hard rays are imperfect; fins are tatty too.

Most of it have been summed up from the above posters...

[Darrell Ward]

I'd throw it out in the yard. Harsh? Not really. The fish will never grow to have a normal life. Such a fish in the wild would be swallowed whole by a large predator, while still alive!

[Eddie]

I'd throw it out in the yard. Harsh? Not really. The fish will never grow to have a normal life. Such a fish in the wild would be swallowed whole by a large predator, while still alive!

Yup, same here but some people believe its a pet and has feelings or a right to survive. IMO, you put a sick dog down.

[ctzeh]

Hi guys, thanks for all the advice. But why do you guys say the fish is sick? It is eating voraciously and swimming very well. Its poo is also normal. Just that it is not round and some of its previously torn fins are not healed.

[mmorris]

IMO, you put a sick dog down.

IMO you take a sick dog to the vet.

I think this fish would make a perfectly fine pet, but like John said, I wouldn't waste resources or energy on this one. As well, I'm not convinced this fish is healthy.

[Eddie]

I think this fish would make a perfectly fine pet, but like John said, I wouldn't waste resources or energy on this one. As well, I'm not convinced this fish is healthy.


So since you wouldn't waste the time on this fish but you'd take it to the vet. Isn't that wasting your time. LOL

[Protestthehero]

let the little guy live, just dont spend a ton of money on him or anything

[Willie]

Hi guys, thanks for all the advice. But why do you guys say the fish is sick? It is eating voraciously and swimming very well. Its poo is also normal. Just that it is not round and some of its previously torn fins are not healed.

Many of us have seen sick fish before and this fish has been to hell and back. The stunting is extraordinary and has deformed the overall skeletal structure. This is not question whether or not the fish is healthy. It's not. At some point, you'll likely find it floating.

I can't prove it, but I've seen this many times before. So has John, Eddie...

Sorry, Willie

[mmorris]

So since you wouldn't waste the time on this fish but you'd take it to the vet. Isn't that wasting your time. LOL

That's not what I said.

[Eddie]

That's not what I said.


LOL, okay.