Discus Food Advice

[mark4785]

Hi all,
 
For a while now I have been feeding my Discus Tetra Crisps and have found that it can take over 1 hour to get it to swallow a sufficient amount due to the crisp being too big for its mouth. I usually have to crush 3-4 crisps down into granular bits and then make into an even finer paste by dipping the bits into water while between my index finger and thumb. In addition to this I am also having to drop the paste in front of it otherwise it will ignore it; it makes no attempt to search for food by itself.
 
All in all, feeding time is very frustrating and is taking longer than it should in my opinion.
 
Should my Discus be able to eat Tetra crisps without any issues? This particular Discus was bought emaciated from a "pet store" some 6 months ago and I sometimes wonder if how it was treated there could have influenced its inability to break up and search for food.

 

[Akasha72]

I've found if food is too big my fish just ignore it and it falls to the substrate uneaten. I currently use Tetra prima, this comes in a granual format but is dry enough to crush easily between your fingers, I add some larger bits for my angels and then press and crush it smaller for my tetra's and harlequins. This seems to work well. The Discus would do fine on the prima 
 
Have you tried feeding a frozen food such as blood worm or artemia? They would certainly appreciate the extra protein
 
Hope that helps

 

[mark4785]

I've found if food is too big my fish just ignore it and it falls to the substrate uneaten. I currently use Tetra prima, this comes in a granual format but is dry enough to crush easily between your fingers, I add some larger bits for my angels and then press and crush it smaller for my tetra's and harlequins. This seems to work well. The Discus would do fine on the prima 
 
Have you tried feeding a frozen food such as blood worm or artemia? They would certainly appreciate the extra protein
 
Hope that helps

 
 
Tetra Prima is what I ordered just yesterday. Hopefully my Discus will appreciate the taste and size. If something is too small or big it ignores it and sometimes it will ignore the food based on taste alone.
 
I do feed the discus frozen blood worm. Again, as with the staple food, the worm has to be just the right size and shape otherwise it will just stare at it.
 
I'll try the Tetra Prima when it has arrived and give my feedback. 
 
Thanks!

 

[Akasha72]

try some of the other frozen foods on the market. There a loads to try, my lots favourite is artemia. They won't eat daphnia at all and they're not overly keen on mysis. You can get one pack that's called Tropical Mix (I think, it's either that or Tropical Sextet) it has 6 different types - blackworms, whiteworms, artemia, daphnia ... can't remember the other two though
 
Discus need to have plenty of protein in their diet and so feeding something meaty 3 times a week won't do them any harm. My angels and curvicep cichlid have something meaty 3 evenings a week and they're doing really well

 

[mark4785]

try some of the other frozen foods on the market. There a loads to try, my lots favourite is artemia. They won't eat daphnia at all and they're not overly keen on mysis. You can get one pack that's called Tropical Mix (I think, it's either that or Tropical Sextet) it has 6 different types - blackworms, whiteworms, artemia, daphnia ... can't remember the other two though
 
Discus need to have plenty of protein in their diet and so feeding something meaty 3 times a week won't do them any harm. My angels and curvicep cichlid have something meaty 3 evenings a week and they're doing really well

 
Ok I'll pick up a Tropical Mix and see if it likes the black worms and white worms. I've known it to ignore artemia for some reason but anything left over is eaten by the Corydoras Aeneus shoal anyway.
 
The poor thing started life emaciated, is picky with food and recently had its territory encroached on by a German Blue Ram which I've had to put in a separate tank. At least the territory and emaciation issue is now resolved; just need to get it to be more inquisitive now at feeding time so I don't have to aim food at, and in some cases, point to the food to prompt it to eat it!
 
Fish as of 4th January 2016 (Camera does not pick up the vibrant colours of the fish):

 

 
Fish as of July 2015 (day of purchase from Mill Garden Centre / Brook Garden Centre Chesterfield):

 

 

[Akasha72]

he's lovely! I do love discus.... I nearly got them instead of my angels but I didn't feel it was the right time

 

[mark4785]

he's lovely! I do love discus.... I nearly got them instead of my angels but I didn't feel it was the right time

 
Is it definitely a he? I've always wondered.

 

[simonas]

have you just got the one?

 

[mark4785]

have you just got the one?

 
Yes

 

[simonas]

he might eat better if you add more. They arent so great kept singly

 

[Akasha72]

 

he's lovely! I do love discus.... I nearly got them instead of my angels but I didn't feel it was the right time

 
Is it definitely a he? I've always wondered.
 

 
I've no idea, I just used 'he' as a general description 

 

[mark4785]

he might eat better if you add more. They arent so great kept singly

 
The plan is to get another Discus or 2 when I sell my 2 120 litre aquariums and buy a larger 500 litre one for the living room. Being on his/her own perhaps is the cause of it not being confident enough to seek out food but I'm compensating for that by spending 1 or 2 hours ensuring it eats.

 

[mark4785]

Due to the fish becoming more skittish I have reluctantly decided to put it up for sale.
 
If anybody is interested please see: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272110500482?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 .