Discus Not Eating

[Punchbuggy]

I just got a new 2 in red white discus. Its not eating anything except blood worms that i feed it. How can i get it to accept new foods?

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Well, first off make sure it doesn't have any illness, like an internal parasite (these normally result in loss of apatite). If you are sure this isn't the case you can easily wean him onto different foods. Mix the other stuff, like flake or even other frozen foods in with the blood worms. Start with a ratio of 1 part of your chosen food, to 4 or 5 parts blood worm, and keep increasing the amount of the chosen food of a period of time. That should do the trick.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Make sure you do this quickly as blood worms can constipate and even sicken a fish if they are the staple diet.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Where did you get the fish from? You may want to contact the seller and ask what the Discus were being fed before...it's not uncommon for discus to be really picky about trying new foods.

 

[Straydum]

yeah. you'd have to train them to accept other foods. try lowering the amout of bloodworms and adding more of other foods at the same time.

 

[paul-discus]

I don't know what temperature your tank is but if below 86 degrees then i would raise it to that. You might try worming them which has already been mentioned and ask the store if they were eating there? Some larger discus will stop eating for quite some time if they are moved but smaller fish need to eat asap. Try chopped up earthworm instead of bloodworm and you might like to add garlic guard or or fresh garlic to some tetramin pellets as the smell of garlic will entice them to eat and will also help out with any internal problems.
Finally if they were eating okay at the store ask what water they were kept in and bring yours slowly inline with theirs if it is different but if the fish are showing signs of razorback get them back to the store as they aren't right and usually will not pull through.

 

[RadaR]

Water conditions?

 

[Punchbuggy]

Water conditions?

Ph is at 7.5
Ammonia .02 ppm
Temperature is 84
I got a water test at a local fish store and they said nitrate and nitrite were fine.

 

[angelmouse]

if they are new it can take a few days for them to settle in and start eating. try some brineshrimp they often find live brineshrimp difficult to resist, mine love freeze dried as well. you want your amonia at 0 so a water change will be good.
How many discus do you have and what other fish are with them.
Angel

 

[RadaR]

Water conditions?

Ph is at 7.5
Ammonia .02 ppm
Temperature is 84
I got a water test at a local fish store and they said nitrate and nitrite were fine.

Ammonia should be 0 at all times.

Do you know if the water is hard or not?