How to measure discus?

[Kindredspirit]

Hey~

I want to see how big my discus have gotten since I got them. They were 3 months old and 2inches~I plopped them in my tank on Sept 9th so they are a little over 4 months now~

One looks soooooooo big! Please tell me I dont have to take them out and actually measure them? I would so drop them and they would die i know i would kill one of em! From tail to nose?? or no? They are so cool and the colors are coming out esp on the Cobolt. His top fins are blue!! not always but sometimes...


Thanks!


Marie~


http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_1_221.gif

[shalu]

Some people have suggested before that you can hang a standard CD in the tank and see how they compare to the CD.

[Carol_Roberts]

Many measure from base of tail to nose - other measure total length tip of nose to tip of tail. You can tape a ruler on the outside of the tank for a very rough measure.

[tpl*co]

Many measure from base of tail to nose - other measure total length tip of nose to tip of tail. You can tape a ruler on the outside of the tank for a very rough measure.


Of course this is easier said than done :). If your fish are like mine, as soon as they see me they are head on in front of the glass waiting to be fed:D

[Kindredspirit]

Thanks guys!


That cd idea is certainly interesting, Shalu ! I shall see what i can come up with!


Marie!


ps. Tina, my fish do that too!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_1_218.gif

[JMArtist]

Well Marie, I was going to reply to this question, but there were some really good ideas on how to do it..besides I gave my anwsered to the question on what's turning into our thread...LOL

[Kindredspirit]

JM!

That is so funny cuz i just post in 'our' thread! Thank you so much...Hey, JM, would it hurt them much IF i did take them out real quick and measure them? It would probably stress them no doubt...would you do that??

Would anyone??



Marie~

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/28/28_2_9.gif

[JMArtist]

JM!

That is so funny cuz i just post in 'our' thread! Thank you so much...Hey, JM, would it hurt them much IF i did take them out real quick and measure them? It would probably stress them no doubt...would you do that??

Would anyone??



Marie~

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/28/28_2_9.gif

Marie,
Discus are much more tougher fish then we give them credit for, after all, as beautiful a place the Amazon is where they come from, it is also equally as dangerous and life threatening at times. I don't think netting them gently and quickly doing a measure on them is not going to cause them any great amount of stress...not as long as you give them a kiss on the lips before dropping them back in the tank. They may even think of it as an adventure, or a romance if you get really involved in kissing them. (in that case, I don't want to hear about it)

[Kindredspirit]

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You crack me up, JM! I think i am going to do that...take them out and measure them real quick~


....and i juss may kiss them before i put them back, Sir~ ( i will let you know cuz you know you wanna know!)


Marie!

[Mughal]

I took out my pleco, measured him, and then compared that to how big the discus look next to him. He's about 7.5" and I think he's been stunted, so he doesn't grow anymore. It's pretty accurate I think. (for an estimate)

[JMArtist]

OK Marie...give us the dirty details.....was it good for you? Was it good for the Discus???

[Kindredspirit]

okay. .... i shall just put this out there! What is a Pleco? No comment from you JM.http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_44.gif..lol.... I have four discus and one tiny Rainbow Shark in my 30 gal and in my hospital tank i have one Angel Fish and a Dojo Eel, and three lemon tetras....I have heard so many talk about Plecos, and i was going to check it out but never did....so .........

A picture?? Mughal, i gather that whatever it is, it is long? That is a good idea....

And....JM.. no details for you(i havent measured yet, I will I will, dont start trippin on it...lol)


Marie~

[JMArtist]

I promise I wont start trippin on this yet...but you give me such god material, LOL.

A Pleco is a sucker mouth catfish...more kissing might be involved...

[Kindredspirit]

....a sucker mouth catfish....I knew that...I DID....thanks!




brat!

( JM, how do ya like those glasses?)

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_51.gif



Marie~

[JMArtist]

....a sucker mouth catfish....I knew that...I DID....thanks!




brat!

( JM, how do ya like those glasses?)

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_51.gif



Marie~

There nice Marie...ahhhh, I hope that's not what you look like, because then it mean's I've been chatting with a little round yellow ball with big eyes....

LOL, I must say that my friend Carol who I met online years ago in the "Babylon 5" chat room's calls me a brat also form time to time...she lives in California also...must be a California thing to call me a brat!
(B5 was a great sci fi TV show)

[Kindredspirit]

...she lives in California also...must be a California thing to call me a brat![/B]



Thatz cuz we are Cali Cool,http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_50_5.gif



Hey I had this dream last night that my tank broke open and all my [B]four discus, lol, splashed everywhere and my cats got them! It was horrible!


Hope that's not an omen! And no.. i do not look like that JM! much better infact~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_6_9.gif

JM, I put black paper on the back of my aquarium, so they would show up better, then ....i put more on the sides cuz i was thinking that the tv in my office was freaking them out with the fast images. Does that sound ridiculous or what? But i can see them now, and they are definitely trippin, JM, dashing, so Im thinkin they can see thru it??

Whatcha think, Brat??



Marie~

PS... JM, can we get in trouble for not talking about discus?? We should talk about discus, babe...or Plecos....stopping straying off subject, will ya?? lol......

[JMArtist]

Marie,
My tank is in my bed room. I also have a TV that they can clearly see the movement on.
I haven't noticed them react to images however, only when I move...mostly they come to the top thinking their going to be fed. So I would say that they are alert to their surroundings at the very least, which is probably a good sign, meaning they are healthy and happy.
I know I have startled them a few times, but that can't be helped and they quickly get over it.

I have two backgrounds I use, the black one I slip on when I want to photograph them, the other is a lighter rocky formation that matches the larger round stones I have in the tank.
I don't think they are seeing thru the paper, they don't come with x-ray eyes, unless of course your fish are from Krypton...oh, I must be straying from the Discus subject again...sorry. Am I in trouble yet???? And is there anything wrong with injecting a little humor here?

They might be freaking because of the sound or perhaps vibrations.
I believe Disca and all fish for that matter have some hearing ability, and most defiantly a feel for vibrations.
If any one knows for sure, please reply.

About dreaming of your tank breaking open and your cats feasting on them...I don't know, maybe it was something you ate, what did you have for diner last night?

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Brat~

I had a bowl of rasberry sherbert before i went to bed! It was very good! I like humor...itz your fault we stray....lol http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_11_61.gif


They sure can jam fast across to the other side of the tank! Sometimes i can hear them hit the inside, JM...and i feel it too! I have cbw coming from Dan today so they will be liking that, make no mistake.... How do you SLIP on your backgrounds? I have to tuck under all the heater and filter and shyt....so annoying, cuz i get water under it and it bugs me from the front view, so i have to take it off and its a pain!:(
Itz tough being me, ya know?? lol!



Marie!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_1_225.gif

[John_Nicholson]

You could be like the folks on aquabid....take a long look at a four inch fish and swear he is 10 inches........

-john

[Kindredspirit]

Do they DO that over there?? :confused: :confused:

[JMArtist]

Marie,
The main back ground on my tank it attached along the top with good old shipping type tape, then a few pieces to hold it along the bottom.
I remove the bottom pieces and slip the black background in and tape it to the sides of the tank...yes I have to lift the filter a little to do this.
The heater wires should be easy to get around...well, at least I don't have a problem with it....but you cool girls from California might have a problem...LOL

(JM is hiding now):vanish:

[Kindredspirit]

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:D

[JMArtist]

OK Marie, I'm out of hiding now....
Have you measured your fish yet???

[Kindredspirit]

I have not measured them, JM....I was waiting for my cbw to come today and they just got here. I have to have something to make them feel better after i plop them back in!

Why were you in hiding?? http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15_1_63.gif hmm.......... do tell, Brat...

[JMArtist]

Why were you in hiding?? http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15_1_63.gif hmm.......... do tell, Brat...[/QUOTE]

Well, if you really must know, my friend Carol would send thunder bolts thru e-mails and IM's (sound effect), it's more really online games and fooling around then anything else..she would often "run away" when she did it to me.
So I would throw snow balls at her----------------O :shocked:
Mmm...I better not give you her e-mail address, your both in California...it would be dangerous to have you both together conspiring ageist me!!!
:thumbsup:

[Kindredspirit]

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I love snow!


Well, Brat, i am gonna go and do a wc now....and find a ruler! I am not sure i actually pick one up JM! I shall let you know how i did!


M~