hi all so just got me some awesome discus (6), this is my first attempt any advise for newbie would be welcome. They seem to be healthy just battling to feed them, they seem to eat the frozen bloodworms well but how do i get them to eat the Tetra Discus food? Also what the best way to feed to Blood worms as they just dont seem to have enough time to eat it before it goes all over the place and into the filter? Thanks
well for starters, maybe switch off the filter before feeding them? im no pro when it comes to fish, but im sure Shawn can help u here!
lol...o.k,lets start with some Q's... What are you doing to ensure you give your discus the soft acid water they need? not allways easy with Gauteng tapwater... 6 Discus - are they juveniles? Juvies need LOTS of feeding (and not just Bloodworm ... more on this later) + What size tank are you keeping them in... Did you get them from a breeder or from a shop - have they been quarentined/given a course of Metronidazole? Feeding Discus quality foods is the key to sucsess...that and lots of waterchanges with soft,acidic water - no fish will starve itself - often persisting with a new food for a while gets them to accept it eventually... go get yourself some frozen Brine shrimp... some beef heart - mine even relished those little cocktail shrimps... Feed the lots and often - minimum 6 to 10 feeds a day for juveniles... this amount of feeding is best if you have a bare bottom aquarium so that any uneaten food can be siphoned offf...
Running ADA subs so water stays at 6.8 constant, keeping them in my planted tank (120 (l) x 50 (W) x 60 (H)) they healthy got them from Lolilocks they about coffee cup size so not sure if they classified as juveniles anymore. so will try get some "frozen Brine shrimp... some beef heart - mine even relished those little cocktail shrimps" lets see how it goes. So by the lock of it they only really take Frozen / live food. I should not waste money on Flake / tetra prima?
Yup Juvies... So feed lots and often....problem with keeping juvies in planted tanks - especially with ADA soil is that you cant vacuum excess foods up due to the lightness of the soil.... not raising ghosts - but this will lead to problems down the line...
Not a bad Idea...just learning the rules with Discus and working within them... READ,READ,READ all you can....
Hi Asterix Congratulations on your new arrivals. Discus need loads of attention should your tank and water set up not be ideal. Lots can go wrong very quickly and it can be very heartbreaking to lose fish. However if all is set up correctly from Day 1 they require very little maintenance contrary to popular belief. Let them acclimatize to their new environment and also to u. Don't rush them. I put in bloodworm and "trained" them to eat from my hand by making sure I feed everyday at the same times and in the same area of the tank. I first put in bloodworm, then while they are eating I scatter granules. Being mid to bottom feeders they inevitably go to the bottom once the worms are done. Put in a few granules so as not to pollute the tank, switch off filter, and leave the room. Do this for a few days. Once u notice all granules are being eaten, put granules in, sit quietly on a chair and they will eat in your presence. These fish are very shy but once u set a routine they become extremely friendly. I also tap my tank lid before feeding so they know what time it is. Now all I need to do is walk into the room and all my fish swim to the front to "greet" me. I also create a mixture for fish that won't eat granules initially. I mix bloodworms, Tetra flakes, granules and a touch of Garlic (u can use Garlic Guard if u don't have garlic but plz use sparingly as in a drop or 2 as this is known to cause algae outbreaks in certain planted tanks.) Mix, spoon back into empty bloodworm plastic cubes the original bloodworms came in, freeze and feed when necessary. I cut each block into 4 in order to minimize competition amongst my guys. Hang in there. All u need is patience. Read this. It might also help http://www.apsa.co.za/board/index.php?topic=9562 M
Sorry I posted in the wrong thread. http://www.apsa.co.za/board/http://www.apsa.co.za/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=115796#p115796
