What should I expect?

[mlw]

If I continue to keep water clean with large frequent water changes can I expect my 5 new juvi's to reach their full potential?

I have a 75 gallon tank. I have black substrate (changed out on October 23 from 14 year old plain gravel), black background and plants. I have 5 juvenile Blue Cobalt discus (three are about 3 inches two are 2.5) with about 15 tetras and 5 cories.

ph 6.9
nitrites 0 not sure of nitrates
temp 86
all other parameters 0

The first four weeks I changed 50% of the water every other day and did not dose any ferts. Feed three or four times a day with a variety of frozen foods mysis (they hate it) brine shrimp, glass worms, blood worms, beef heart and cichlid delight, NLS pellets, Hikari algae wafers and Ocean Nutrition flakes.

No real rhyme or reason to how or what I feed on a particular day except food least preferred (mysis) is fed in am when they are hungriest and food that pollutes the most is fed in pm before water change.

The last week I began doing 95% water changes, EI dosing, still feeding three or four times a day.

I have 2 Eheim canister filters 1 2215 and a 2217 I alternate cleaning every other week. I also have a Magnum HOT that I sometimes use with the Power Kleen after feeding to remove leftover food (usually there isn't any)

The more I read the more I think I should have waited until I could do a bare bottom to grow them out in. I don't mind the extra work involved in raising juvi's in a planted tank I just want to make sure I don't mess them up.

[Eddie]

It can be done. Will they reach their max potential, maybe. As you mentioned, growing them out in a BB tank would have been easier as far as maintenance goes. Really, alot of the potential for a fish to grow out, comes from the parents. Also, that bit of time before you had them is crucial for proper development. If the fish are already stunted or behind in growth, it will be hard to curb this trend. Do you have the accurate age of the fish? Their size is not an accurate gauge for their age.

HTH

Eddie

[discusjoe27]

black sand, I'd also cover the black sand with some white or tan sand, but
that is just me. discus will get stressed with dark substrate and a dark back ground.

[mmorris]

discus will get stressed with dark substrate and a dark back ground.

Don't know why that should be.

I consider 5 to be below the minimum number but others disagree with me. A planted tank makes it difficult to treat for issues. Do you have a quarantine tank, in the event one or more needs to be moved for treatment? Did you just add the discus to an established tank? I notice you don't have an ammonia reading. I highly recommend you get a good ammonia test kit. If the fish look "off" to you one day, the first thing you need to do is test the ammonia. What temperature do you have the tank set at?

[Eddie]

If you are asking about these fish from your other post, no they will not grow out.


seems to be doing better. I have gotten her to pick food form a pipette and got a belly swell all three feedings so hopefully she will make it. I call the fish she and named it Dory cause it looks like the fish from finding Nemo.

this is her to the left. Major pinched forehead, MAJOR skinny.

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/8238/2550395970101580664S600x600Q85.jpg (http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2550395970101580664Bqigbt)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PuZoLkvmBbc/Sf9mZZUffVI/AAAAAAAADag/5e-hf8H1DyU/s320/Dory.jpg



Eddie

[mlw]

If you are asking about these fish from your other post, no they will not grow out.





Eddie

yeah that is what I thought :(. Would these be consisdered stunted? Their eyes are smaller than my other three. I have three others that are bigger and are growing. Doesn't really matter, I still love them all. I guess these can be considered my practice fish. I will continue to care for them in the same fashion I have been regardless.

To answer the other questions

I don't have an accurate age for the fish
Ammonia is at 0 too.
I did not quarantine them and placed them in an established tank. Didn't have QT when I got them. I do have a small QT now.

Five weeks prior to getting them I actually changed from a light (14 year old) substrate to the eco-complete/flourite mix I have now. I had decided I was going to keep a nice school of pearl gouramis in the tank which is why there are all asian plants in there. Discus were my birthday club gift.

I actually thought I knew enough to go ahead and get them. Obviously not. So I can expect to have two runts and possibly three bigger fish but none will reach their full potential. :( sigh

[DiscusKeeper403]

They should still be able to grow nice and big with the proper care.

Take a look at this thread:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=73298

[mlw]

They should still be able to grow nice and big with the proper care.

Take a look at this thread:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=73298

Thanks that is impressive. Thanks for the encouragment and ray of hope. I hope I can get mine to look like that. I have two that are really small. Dory is skinny and pinched, the other one is just smaller than the other three. He eats and has strated putting on some weight.

I will just keep doing what I am doing requent large water changes and a varied high protein diet.

[DiscusKeeper403]

Thanks that is impressive. Thanks for the encouragment and ray of hope. I hope I can get mine to look like that. I have two that are really small. Dory is skinny and pinched, the other one is just smaller than the other three. He eats and has strated putting on some weight.

I will just keep doing what I am doing requent large water changes and a varied high protein diet.

If you can keep up with water changes I would personally up the feedings to five or six times a day.

[Eddie]

The thread that Connor is referring to is not the norm. If you want to try and work a miracle like edawg did, thats what it will be, a miracle. My suggestion, start with a good stock and make it easy for you. The emaciated discus on the left is way too far gone. I'd hate to lead you down a dead end road by saying that you can grow your stunted fish out big. Trust me, I'd like for you to prove me wrong but this aint my first rodeo. ;)

All the best,

Eddie

[mlw]

The thread that Connor is referring to is not the norm. If you want to try and work a miracle like edawg did, thats what it will be, a miracle. My suggestion, start with a good stock and make it easy for you. The emaciated discus on the left is way too far gone. I'd hate to lead you down a dead end road by saying that you can grow your stunted fish out big. Trust me, I'd like for you to prove me wrong but this aint my first rodeo. ;)

All the best,

Eddie

Thanks Eddie,
I asked because I wanted to know. I appreciate the fact that you were honest and I realize that my little fish will never reach its full potential but there is always the exception.

[DiscusKeeper403]

The thread that Connor is referring to is not the norm. If you want to try and work a miracle like edawg did, thats what it will be, a miracle. My suggestion, start with a good stock and make it easy for you. The emaciated discus on the left is way too far gone. I'd hate to lead you down a dead end road by saying that you can grow your stunted fish out big. Trust me, I'd like for you to prove me wrong but this aint my first rodeo. ;)

All the best,

Eddie

Yes that is true, but I was only pointing out it can happen. Will these fish reach their maximum potential? As already stated, probably not. Could the OP get a few inches on these guys and get them to a nice size? I wouldn't give up all hope for that. You make it seem like these guys are extremely stunted, they aren't even all that bad IMO. It is hard to see the fish on the left anyways.

[Eddie]

Yes that is true, but I was only pointing out it can happen. Will these fish reach their maximum potential? As already stated, probably not. Could the OP get a few inches on these guys and get them to a nice size? I wouldn't give up all hope for that. You make it seem like these guys are extremely stunted, they aren't even all that bad IMO. It is hard to see the fish on the left anyways.

They are extremely stunted and its pretty easy to see how emaciated the fish is on the left on my screen. I guess I am being overly critical, go for the gold! ;)


Eddie

[mmorris]

They are extremely stunted

Eddie

I am substantially more optimistic. :)

[Eddie]

Thanks Eddie,
I asked because I wanted to know. I appreciate the fact that you were honest and I realize that my little fish will never reach its full potential but there is always the exception.

I understand, sorry if I was being to forward, just being honest as you said.


I am substantially more optimistic. :)

True, I was only giving my opinion on the fish and whether or not they would benefit from the changes.

Take care,

Eddie