Are my Discus on track with growth rate? (Updated with PICTURES)

[farzadkavari]

I have 8 Discus in 90 gallon tank. I do my routine water change and feed 6 times a day (mostly home-made BH and FDBW). They are 5 months old and are ranging anything between 3" to maybe a bit less than 4" inches. Is this size normal or are they undersize?


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[Brent1972]

is that 3"-4" body size or including tail ?

[farzadkavari]

is that 3"-4" body size or including tail ?

Thats including the tail.

[Brent1972]

I have some 3 month discus and they are 3"+ growing about 1" a month I feed them 8-10 times a day and 2 50% water changes. How often and what size water changes are you doing ?

[farzadkavari]

I have some 3 month discus and they are 3"+ growing about 1" a month I feed them 8-10 times a day and 2 50% water changes. How often and what size water changes are you doing ?

I feed 6 times a day with 50% WC every few days.

[Brent1972]

I would up the water changes to at least 50% a day if possible . That will help.

[farzadkavari]

I would up the water changes to at least 50% a day if possible . That will help.

I will try, Im not home that often due to busy life schedule. I even has to get an automatic feeder so they dont miss their feeding time.

[Wjmulder]

I would up the water changes to at least 50% a day if possible . That will help.

Are you suggesting more water changes to allow for more feeding? or do you believe in the growth hormone theory.

[Brent1972]

Are you suggesting more water changes to allow for more feeding? or do you believe in the growth hormone theory.

I believe the growth hormone theory , I split a batch of fry I did 30% water changes in tank A and two 50% changes in tank B . The fish in tank B were 3/4" bigger than tank a in 2 months. I also like to feed mine more but I know people who feed there fish 6-8 times a day and still get good growth.

[Wjmulder]

so just to be clear, you fed both batches the same and the only difference was more water changes? I read up on this before diving in and came to the same conclusions as you but this forum pushes water changes for water quality and it seems like the hormone theory is discounted.

[Brent1972]

so just to be clear, you fed both batches the same and the only difference was more water changes? I read up on this before diving in and came to the same conclusions as you but this forum pushes water changes for water quality and it seems like the hormone theory is discounted.

Yes I fed them the same food and the only difference was water changes. On my main adult tank 6"+ I only Do two 20% water changes a week and I use a HMA filter http://www.devotedly-discus.co.uk/acatalog/DD_HMA_80-C.html . I don,t need to age my water but I put it in a 220L drum and add air for 8 hours.

[Kal-El]

I agree with upping the WC. I feed 6 times a day and 50% WC every day including removing waste and left over food when they are present. At the end of the week I do a 100% water change and clean the filters and scrub down the tank. I got my juvie in April at 1.5-2" and now they are 3-4" about 1" a month is the growth rate I'm hitting.

[mmorris]

How do you know they are five months old? I get two inches in two months or a bit less, and the next inch is a bit slower in coming. A bit less than four inches in five months sounds fine. One of the turqs might be a bit behind but it's hard to tell from the small pics. Some varieties grow slower and some never achieve the size other varieties are capable of achieving. I do 80-90% wc daily in this scenario.

[strawberryblonde]

How do you know they are five months old? I get two inches in two months or a bit less, and the next inch is a bit slower in coming. A bit less than four inches in five months sounds fine. One of the turqs might be a bit behind but it's hard to tell from the small pics. Some varieties grow slower and some never achieve the size other varieties are capable of achieving. I do 80-90% wc daily in this scenario.

+1

I know I'm a broken record, but my "runt" of my first litter of discus growouts lagged behind by a great deal. But, where the others have stopped growing at a year old, he is still growing and is now 7.5". They grow at different rates. So long as you are feeding well and doing large WC's every day you're doing fine.