water schdule change question?

[Discus master]

At this point all but maybe one of my fish is around that 4 inch mark as you mentioned and I can only see their stress bars when the fish is angled a certain way or I am looking really hard. It almost seemed as if they fadded away over time because when I got the about 7 weeks ago they were ll about 2.5 inches so I would say they are growing at normal pace about n inch or so a month based off the current time line. My SS is prob the smalest and he/she did have 14 bars when I first brought him home you can still count them but boy is it getting harder and harder to see them. The color of this fish is starting to come in a it more now however his pattern is still not yet really developed. My turq and red turq is really starting to color up and their patterns are developing nicely their bars are really hard to see at this point and the other ss I hve I think is going to be a green ss not sure though yet and my cobolt blue and blue diamond were the first fish I got when I started there getting pretty big and their colorations/patterns are all but developed at this point they just need to keep on growing. So I guess I am doing it rite then I hope so I put a lot of time and love into these guys I am always cleaning filters wiping side of my tank inside and out I vacume every day and have been doing close to 80% water changes every single day sense I got them home. I would like to soon scale this bak a bit if you think I can I was thinking more like 3 times a week at the normal 70 - 80% if you think they have rown out enough at this point that I could do that? I have plenty of filtrtion and I test my water daily no issues with my levels at this point so what do you think? I know it will be hard for me to scale back I am so use to it and I may feel neglectful if I do not do it every single day now but if I get the green light then I would like to scale back if I can help my self

PS: some of this was part of another thread I posted here to get more of a response in regards to the water changing schdule question, as always thank you in advance for answering any of my questions at you can thank you!

[Jennie]

quote;My turq and red turq is really starting to color up and their patterns are developing nicely their bars are really hard to see at this point

dm how old are your turks? I have a pair from parents that one being a blue turk and one being red turk. The only thing that has changed since theyve grown for me is the base body color, one being warmer and the other being a paler tan. (one of each, I assume) the pectoral fins are also different colors. their bars come and go as they choose them to(chameleons) but just wondering when they start to develop pattern?

[Discus master]

quote;My turq and red turq is really starting to color up and their patterns are developing nicely their bars are really hard to see at this point

dm how old are your turks? I have a pair from parents that one being a blue turk and one being red turk. The only thing that has changed since theyve grown for me is the base body color, one being warmer and the other being a paler tan. (one of each, I assume) the pectoral fins are also different colors. their bars come and go as they choose them to(chameleons) but just wondering when they start to develop pattern?

So you do not see any like sqwigely lines all over their body's yet? I am thinking my fish are only a few months old say around 3 - 4 months as they are around the 3.5 - 4 inch in size. By this time they should be showing some color and their patterns should be starting to develop as well at least mine are and my fish stress bars are hardly visable but they are rarely under stress therir so use to my hands in the tank when I do maintenace they are always swiming around my hands thinking I am feeding them thye will even peck at me while I vacume. If your fish stress bars are comming and going a lot maybe there is something stressing them from time to time?

[Jennie]

no pattern yet. but I bought them really small less than 2 in and they are now 2 1/2 inches. the only patterning is in the dorsal. have had about 4 weeks from local hobbyist. the bars have always come and gone within seconds. they are very healthy and robust. Seem to have very good form. On the other hand my blue panda is patterning well but still only 2 inches, so others are outgrowing him, so my feeling is with him he may be stunted, but even so, he also has good form, so regardless of it, I may still keep him.

[DiscusKev]

Snakeskin based discus, depending on their genetic, takes longer to develop, this includes pattern and size.

[Discus master]

Snakeskin based discus, depending on their genetic, takes longer to develop, this includes pattern and size.

Yeah I was wondering this as well becasue all 6 of my discus well ok my first two are the oldest and largest rite now, but the recent four I purchased all at the same time from the breeder seems o be as you have said my ss and I possibly may have another ss there is some debate on that while they are both very nice and round small eyes stress bars 14 on each of them I can see the pattern on their dorsal and anal fins but not so much on thier body's and they are not quite as big as my turq which were all about the same size when I bought them I would say 2 to 2.5 inches now the turqs have really grown sense then and I can see their patterns formaing nicely now and stress bars fadding, while the ss patterns and not as well defined and I can see their stress bars more than the turqs but less than when I first bought them I know their not stunted but definatley growing at a slower pace than the others. I wonder will they catch up at some point do they still have they potential to get to that 7+ inch mark? like the turqs and cobaly blue and my blue diamond both of them are getting nice and big with reall nice color and the coblt blue has awsome looking patern now he is not a solid he has nice marking on him.

[discusdaves]

My SS is prob the smalest and he/she did have 14 bars when I first brought him home you can still count them but boy is it getting harder and harder to see them. The color of this fish is starting to come in a it more now however his pattern is still not yet really developed. My turq and red turq is really starting to color up and their patterns are developing nicely their bars are really hard to.....

show me the pictures.................

[Discus master]

My SS is prob the smalest and he/she did have 14 bars when I first brought him home you can still count them but boy is it getting harder and harder to see them. The color of this fish is starting to come in a it more now however his pattern is still not yet really developed. My turq and red turq is really starting to color up and their patterns are developing nicely their bars are really hard to.....

show me the pictures.................

I will when I get home and take some recent photos and get em posted for you all, but I still want my original post answered it got off track from the word go the very first response had nothing to do with my post lol thats ok I ove to talk about discus but I still need this water changing thing soloved.

[discusdaves]

i am a huge fan of turqs and snakeskins, and at the moment i still have around 10 high body tiger carnation turqs and about 8 or 9 high body tiger carnation snake skins. all of them are the same age but i have noticed that turqs do usually grow faster than ss.

[discusdaves]

My bad, man the only tanks that I do daily water exchanges in are my breeding tanks; there are two main reasons for doing constant water exchanges. 1: breeding 2: stimulate metabolism for quick growth. The only time I do water exchanges to this extent would be with a batch of fry that i am feeding 8 times a day....... My suggestion, cut back you may actually be keeping the tank too clean, you need to let your bacteria do some work for a while.

[Discus master]

My bad, man the only tanks that I do daily water exchanges in are my breeding tanks; there are two main reasons for doing constant water exchanges. 1: breeding 2: stimulate metabolism for quick growth. The only time I do water exchanges to this extent would be with a batch of fry that i am feeding 8 times a day....... My suggestion, cut back you may actually be keeping the tank too clean, you need to let your bacteria do some work for a while.

Ok Ok so I was thining about how about 3 times a week at the normal 75 - 80% water change? to much not enough? and of course I will clean uo daily waste as needed you know taking no more than 10 - 15% out at a time in between? my breeder told me once a week would be fine if I am not feeding to heavy, but I do tend to feed heavy to make sure the low guy on the totem pole still gets hiz fill, and once a week for me I would not be comfotable with that bare minimum of twice week but I like the idea of 3 @ 75 - 80% change what do you all think about that?? with the in betweens as needed of course.????

[discusdaves]

how big is your tank? how many pounds of gravel? filtration?

[Jennie]

I will when I get home and take some recent photos and get em posted for you all, but I still want my original post answered it got off track from the word go the very first response had nothing to do with my post lol thats ok I ove to talk about discus but I still need this water changing thing soloved.


oops sorry dm, i got excited when you mentioned your turks and how they were coloring up already.

[tdiscusman]

IME, in general, discus grow the fastest when they are young, 4" inches or less, this is the time you need to power feed and power changed water. After 4" inches or when ever you notice discus are not eating as much, even if power feed, and the growth rate has slowed down, general consensus would say that you can cut back on water changing, 3 times a weeks at 70%-80% is fine or 25%-50% a day. Personally, I am keeping up with my WC regimen of 70%-80% until they pair off and moved to breeding tank, IMO even though I'm not feeding as much but discus body mass have also grown and would required just the same amount of WC. or I'm just paranoid :D and don't want to feel guilty about neglecting them.

Tony

[Discus master]

IME, in general, discus grow the fastest when they are young, 4" inches or less, this is the time you need to power feed and power changed water. After 4" inches or when ever you notice discus are not eating as much, even if power feed, and the growth rate has slowed down, general consensus would say that you can cut back on water changing, 3 times a weeks at 70%-80% is fine or 25%-50% a day. Personally, I am keeping up with my WC regimen of 70%-80% until they pair off and moved to breeding tank, IMO even though I'm not feeding as much but discus body mass have also grown and would required just the same amount of WC. or I'm just paranoid :D and don't want to feel guilty about neglecting them.

Tony

I know this is how I would feel if I were to cut back now. it is going to be hard to ease up on the wc's for sure.

[Discus master]

how big is your tank? how many pounds of gravel? filtration?

55 gallon, canister filter rated for a 100 gallon tank its a cascade 1000 pre filter sponge and a hydro 5 air driven filter sponge. pool filter sand substrate some driftwood two fake floating plants for shade. the substrate is about 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep temp at 85f

[discuspaul]

IMHO, & IME, you should have no problem with reducing your w/c's to 3 X/week, given your fish have reached the 4" or so size. You may even limit the % of w/c's to 50% or so, if you wish.
You're maintaining an excellent routine for tank/filter/substrate cleanliness, & overall water quality/chemistry, & assuming you keep that up with your reduced w/c's, you should do just fine.
I too have 6 discus around 4" size in a similar sized lightly planted tank - & my routine is similar to yours, except I have been doing only 3 w/c's per week - 50% to 60% since the beginning, & have had no problems.
Hope this helps answer your original question.
Paul

[Discus master]

IMHO, & IME, you should have no problem with reducing your w/c's to 3 X/week, given your fish have reached the 4" or so size. You may even limit the % of w/c's to 50% or so, if you wish.
You're maintaining an excellent routine for tank/filter/substrate cleanliness, & overall water quality/chemistry, & assuming you keep that up with your reduced w/c's, you should do just fine.
I too have 6 discus around 4" size in a similar sized lightly planted tank - & my routine is similar to yours, except I have been doing only 3 w/c's per week - 50% to 60% since the beginning, & have had no problems.
Hope this helps answer your original question.
Paul

Yeah it sure does, I had suspected that I would be fine but I always like to be re asured and like to seek the epertise of my extended SD family before I change anything, my rutine, putting anything in my tank, making alterations, whatever I like to double and tripple check before I do something it is easy to prevent something from hepening with some prepeation but its imposible to take it away oonce its already been done, I am 33 years old and I was taught two things earl on when it came to doing anything one of which is the measure twice cut once principle well it does refer to carpentry but I applie it to other things in life as it works, and the KISS principle I think it is a military moto but I never served tried to but with asthma and a broken knee I could not serve like the rest of my family did and I hate that but any way they have a principle of KISS keep it simple stupid you know I am sure you are familia with both saying I think they are good principles to live some of your life by anyway not everyhing can be applied to that but a lot of things can be and I use it even now. thanks again