Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Originally posted by basis
I heart the heck out of you, Liz
I know there are still a lot of active members, but man I wish the group of active posters (especially by those with a good bit of experience) would start sharing. I still believe there is an incentive that we can do to jumpstart that, ... but just trying to figure out what that incentive is! Obviously, me in a Speedo didn't work
I'm not buying it, Elliot - the Speedo post was a hit, judging by the views you've gotten. Maybe the issue is you didn't ask people to share their own Speedo pics - that could've been the missing piece. Anyway, I'll share my own experiences with raising discus to 6" and beyond - the good, the bad, and the ugly - once I get some free time over the weekend.
ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
LMAO...Corona, the bar is set high for you since being a Texan ("Everything's bigger in Texas") - I'm still waiting for that Speedo post, just kidding. Seriously though, I appreciate your willingness to share your experience and I'm looking forward to reading about your successes and failures with raising discus to 6"+.
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Large frequent water changes are key when it comes to discus, mainly because they're so susceptible to diseases that thrive in dirty water. I mean, pristine and discus go hand in hand, right? If you're okay with 5" discus, that's fine, but even to get them to that size, you'll still need to change a lot of water. The thing is, 5" discus often get sick during grow out, and that illness can stunt their growth. When a discus is ill, it just doesn't fully recover, and that affects its adult size.
Folks find it easier to grow out in bare bottom tanks because of all the extra maintenance that comes with substrate. I mean, you've got built-up pathogens to worry about, like hexamita and bacterial infections from open wounds. To avoid all that, doing large, frequent water changes has been the way to go. It's been proven time and time again over the years I've been on SD, and I've read most of the posts on the topic.
Now, about those nitrates - they're an indicator that it's time to change the water. When nitrates go up, so do all the other bad stuff like urea, harmful bacteria, DOCs, and TDS.
Large frequent water changes are key when it comes to discus, mainly because they're so susceptible to diseases that thrive in dirty water. I mean, pristine and discus go hand in hand, right? If you're okay with 5" discus, that's fine, but even to get them to that size, you'll still need to change a lot of water. The thing is, 5" discus often get sick during grow out, and that illness can stunt their growth. When a discus is ill, it just doesn't fully recover, and that affects its adult size.
Folks find it easier to grow out in bare bottom tanks because of all the extra maintenance that comes with substrate. I mean, you've got built-up pathogens to worry about, like hexamita and bacterial infections from open wounds. To avoid all that, doing large, frequent water changes has been the way to go. It's been proven time and time again over the years I've been on SD, and I've read most of the posts on the topic.
Now, about those nitrates - they're an indicator that it's time to change the water. When nitrates go up, so do all the other bad stuff like urea, harmful bacteria, DOCs, and TDS.
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Originally posted by seaquake
The most important thing about large frequent WC's with discus are diseases that they are susceptible to and seem to come from dirty water. Pristine and discus are words that are often found and used together in literature. Now, if you want 5" discus that's just fine and dandy, but to get them even at 5" you'll still need to change lots of water. 5" discus usually wind up being sick sometime during their grow out period, this is what reflects their size as adults. When a discus is ill or has issues it stops growing some and it never totally recuperates or gets that growth back. Folks find it easier to grow out in BB tanks for this reason. Adding substrate can be done but comes with even more maintenance, cause of built up pathogens in it; hexamita being the most common condition, a long with other bacterial infections that it can pick up from an open wound. To avoid all this folks on here have found it best to do large frequent WS's. It has been proven time and time again over the last 15 years since I've been on SD and have read most all the posts. About the nitrates. That is an indicator to when water should be changed; when that raises so does all the other crape ( urea, harmfull bacteria, DOC's and TDS's, ect.).
Originally posted by seaquake
The most important thing about large frequent WC's with discus are diseases that they are susceptible to and seem to come from dirty water. Pristine and discus are words that are often found and used together in literature. Now, if you want 5" discus that's just fine and dandy, but to get them even at 5" you'll still need to change lots of water. 5" discus usually wind up being sick sometime during their grow out period, this is what reflects their size as adults. When a discus is ill or has issues it stops growing some and it never totally recuperates or gets that growth back. Folks find it easier to grow out in BB tanks for this reason. Adding substrate can be done but comes with even more maintenance, cause of built up pathogens in it; hexamita being the most common condition, a long with other bacterial infections that it can pick up from an open wound. To avoid all this folks on here have found it best to do large frequent WS's. It has been proven time and time again over the last 15 years since I've been on SD and have read most all the posts. About the nitrates. That is an indicator to when water should be changed; when that raises so does all the other crape ( urea, harmfull bacteria, DOC's and TDS's, ect.).
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
Re: ANYONE Share: Raising 2.5-3.5" to +6" fails & success
I've been thinking about this idea of a dwarf discus breed, and while it's intriguing, I've come across some information that makes me question its feasibility. I recall reading an article about an Asian breeder who attempted to develop a line of dwarf discus. He started by growing out some runts from his Blue Diamond spawns, and after a year, they only reached 3-4 inches in size. What's more, they lacked vigor and fertility.
The breeder's experiment showed that even when these small discus did spawn, their offspring were weak and sickly. He eventually gave up on the project after a couple of years. This experience suggests that small discus may not be as healthy or robust as their larger counterparts.
I've been thinking about this idea of a dwarf discus breed, and while it's intriguing, I've come across some information that makes me question its feasibility. I recall reading an article about an Asian breeder who attempted to develop a line of dwarf discus. He started by growing out some runts from his Blue Diamond spawns, and after a year, they only reached 3-4 inches in size. What's more, they lacked vigor and fertility.
The breeder's experiment showed that even when these small discus did spawn, their offspring were weak and sickly. He eventually gave up on the project after a couple of years. This experience suggests that small discus may not be as healthy or robust as their larger counterparts.