Feeding discus

[David]

It has come to my attention that discus need a varied diet to stay healthy. Unfortunately for me, mine won't touch the flakes and pellets I toss in the tank, it will only eat the frozen brine shrimp. I am worried that this is not enough for it. I know that you can feed beef heart. How do you prepare it though? What else can I feed to enrish the diet? Maybe frozen bloodworms? Can they eat chicken liver?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I believe red meats and the live are bad for them after a while...

Blood worms would work. How about krill or tubifex worms?

 

[David]

What do you mean bad for them? Could you clarify a bit please? You ares tarting to get me worried...

 

[Tempestuousfury]

In the book I checked out it says "amount given should be small" thin sliver of meat suspended on a length of cotton.

More things:
water fleas, tubifex worms, krill, pacific shrimp, black mosquito larvae, and seafood. Earthworms, fruit flies, grasshoppers (actually, I don't think the last one would work at all )

 

[David]

I woudl really rather stick with the frozen foods, I am somewhat opposed to the live. So how does a diet of frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, and occasionally beef heart sound? Also how do you prepare the beef heart and how often to feed it?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Mm-hmm.

Actually, the seafood and worms would be chopped, and the krill and mosquito larvae are dried (and tubifex).

 

[David]

I don't really have access to that stuff, just frozen stuff.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Oh.

Do you have a petsmart or Walmart near you? Or is this an immediate thing?

 

[David]

Nah it's not urgent I just want to feed a varied diet. Tomorrow I'll go out and get some bloodworms and beef heart.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Ok.

There's also a recipe for Gordon's formela. It's probably really outdated and hard to make, but is very nutritious. Can't say I know the recipe, though.

 

[David]

When I go to the LFS tomorrow I'll ask for a food that's made specially for discus.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Is it a big retailer or a relatively small lfs? The latter would be much better for specialized info, for the most part.

 

[David]

It's a small LFS, run by a family of chinese people. They specialize in marine fish, but have a very nice selection of freshwater fish too.