Hi Guyz: I'm really perplexed about Grade A discus. Is there really people who grade discus or is this grade A business just a marketing tool to warrant high prices? And, why is there only Grade A and Grade B? Does Grade C = Cull Stock? Here are the questions I have: 1) How do you define perfectly round body? Some discus have more rounder bodies than others but how elongated does it have to be before you would call it a grade B? Is there a maximum length to height ratio? Does this include fins? 2) Shape - I like fish that look like they ran into a wall and have that flat nose, I always think this is important for Grade A fish.....Is this a requirement for Grade A fish? 3) Thickness - How thick should a discus have to be when it's 3" to be considered Grade A and how thick when it reaches maturity? 4) Color - To want extent is color feeding a factor in assessing Grade A adults? Do judges consider this? What about the red eye are all fish that do not have red eye a grade B fish? 5) Pattern - How many spots does a spotted fish have to have to be considerd grade A at maturity? 6) Activity and Health - I think this is important but is it considered in grading fish?
Hi Warren, Grading of discus has nothing to do with any of the things you mention. Grade A discus just do not have a set of common errors which discus often have, most of these are physical: No short gill covers, no fin abnormalities, no dark line abnormalities, in other words no dark lines that run into each other. The fish should be in good condition, but that also holds for the lower grades, but there you can have these abnormalities. Grade A gives no guarantees about: Shape and roundness, (except that they may not look like a snoek!), thickness, color (colour feeding, red eyes, because different strains have different eye colours for example), spotting pattern, but to some extent activity and health, yes. However, one week of bad treatment but an ignorant dealer, can damage discus permanently, so by the time they have been here for a week, you have no guarantees about this in any case. There are also no standards about what a certain strain should look like, just scan the internet and see the magical names that are on offer, this is a nightmare for the beginner, and my personal opinion about the matter is that it is a rat race in that breeders are perpetually trying to create new demands. Grade A also does not by any manner of means mean that the fish will be breed true, in other words that their offspring will all look like the parents. Finding good discus involves finding a reputable and honest dealer to the largest of extents. Happy discus hunting, Dirk
Hi Warren This is a good question Also IMHO.... some breeders rate their own fish into categories to what the believe would best describe their stock for a sales point of view, having said that, another breeder will have a different approach to rating his stock, lets say 1 to10, however each rating will be different to the eye of the beholder (of the same fish). B Grade A Grade AA Grade Premium Grade Show case...(I’m starting to run out of grades here...) Like uncle Dirk mentioned (family according to cousin Cameron), each breeder might have a different magical name for the same fish, so..... who ever has the coolest name with good marketing might get better sales. There are however discus breeders, who are more serious, look for international recognition of their strains and also as a base line for their own grading for marketing. So if a breeder, in a competition wins first place for his Blue/Red Fine Line Snake Skin, he would rate it for example Premium Grade/Show case, (as well as the price to own one), however, should some of the fry grow up to be insipid to that of his wining fish, possibly he would rate this as an "A"
Had a chat to David on the subject and this is his response to your questions, certainly gave me a re-look.. Answer to Q1: "Body shape is the most important when you grade a fish. With full pattern/ spots but a elongated shape, I consider it as poor quality. Normally wild crosses have this protruding forehead and its quite acceptable. However, this will be outcross with domestic to perfect the body roundness (excluding the fins). It should be as close to circle if its not high oval bodied."
Hi Peter, Thanks for the info, the work has seems to bared me from this site, so sorry for the late response. I am using my cellphone now,seems the only way to connect. Very interesting information, thanks a lot for your feedback.
And here is a couple of helpful links when you are buying your 1st discus http://www.forum.simplydiscus.com/showt ... hp?t=46982 http://www.forum.simplydiscus.com/showt ... hp?t=33300
Hi Singu, I think that as much as can be said about this topic has been said on this thread. A grade discus are something that has to do with a number of quality criteria such as listed, body shape, gill covers and other things, but then a lot of it has to do with personal taste for colour varieties and what they should look like, and this differs according to who decides. So where does this get the general public? Not very far. What I say is that it is best if you choose your own fish from the supplier based on what you see, and seeing the fish that you buy is the best way of ensuring that you get is what you want. Kind regards, Dirk
Agreed, but that fish in the first pic is as close to "perfect" form as it gets, to me form is everything and color a distant 2nd The discus university is where the public posts their discus and the "experts" judge them....
Just one more comment: I would certainly not view the first fish as being perfect, I do not like the pointed fin and he is too flat-faced and not round enough in my opinion. It just goes to show how tastes can differ. Kind regards, Dirk
