Discus not growing as expected

[faldo]

My Discus are about 4 months old but seem way smaller than they should be. Tank is 75 gallons, temp at 84F, pH 6.8, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate under 10ppm. I feed them 4 times a day with a mix of flakes, frozen bloodworms, and beef heart. They eat fine but just don't grow. Any ideas?

[Dodge]

Yo, sounds like your setup's mostly solid, but 4 months is sketchy if they're still tiny. What's the water change routine? Gotta do 50% at least twice a week for juvies. Also, beef heart's good but maybe cut the flakes, they're kinda weak for growth. Try more live food like blackworms if you can find 'em.

[bayside]

I had the same issue last year. Turns out my heater was wonky, temp kept dipping to 80 at night. Got a new one and boom, growth spurt. Also, how's the lighting? Too much can stress 'em out. Mine chill better with dimmer lights, like 6 hours a day max.

[Lexat]

Are they showing any signs of stress, like hiding or clamped fins? Could be tankmates bothering them. My angels were messing with my Discus until I moved 'em out. Also, what's the substrate? Sand's better than gravel, less chance of food getting trapped and rotting.

[faldo]

Yo, sounds like your setup's mostly solid, but 4 months is sketchy if they're still tiny. What's the water change routine? Gotta do 50% at least twice a week for juvies. Also, beef heart's good but maybe cut the flakes, they're kinda weak for growth. Try more live food like blackworms if you can find 'em.

Thanks, I'll up the water changes and ditch the flakes. Didn't realize they needed that much.

[CalmEcho]

Have you checked for internal parasites? Sometimes they eat fine but don't grow because of worms. Metroplex in the food might help. Also, what's the filter type? Canister filters are best for keeping the water pristine, which is key for growth.

[Fuegoz]

Yep, parasites are a sneaky culprit. Had a batch that stayed small for months, then treated with PraziPro and they ballooned. Also, how's the flow in the tank? Discus hate strong currents, might be stressing 'em out if your filter's too powerful.

[Dodge]

I had the same issue last year. Turns out my heater was wonky, temp kept dipping to 80 at night. Got a new one and boom, growth spurt. Also, how's the lighting? Too much can stress 'em out. Mine chill better with dimmer lights, like 6 hours a day max.

For real, temp swings are brutal. OP, you got a backup heater? Always good to have one in case the main one craps out.

[Lexat]

Another thing to consider is genetics. If they're from a weak line, they might just grow slow no matter what. Where'd you get 'em? Reputable breeders usually have better stock than big box stores.

[bayside]

True about genetics. My first batch was from PetCo, and they never got bigger than 4 inches. Switched to a local breeder, and now my fish are monsters. Also, how often do you clean the filter? A dirty filter can mess with water quality even if params look good.